In November of 2011 I saw this 5868 sitting in a window of a local Taiwan guitar repair shop. (I will post a picture below, but I don’t know what size is the right size to resize so it will probably be too big.)  The neck wasn’t with it then.  I went by the shop today and there was the neck!  So I asked how much and no one knew but they would ask around and find out who really owns it and if they want to sell it.

When I go back I will try to get inside the shop and take some better close up pictures of the damage.  What telltale signs should I look for which would make the difference between worthless or savable? 

I just finished grafting an old slot head onto a cheap super-shallow Korean “Gemini” (Ovation Elite copy).  The original peg head had been violently severed from the neck and was long lost before it ever got into my hands.  I like the feel of the super shallow bowl and it looks nice, however while I’m no musician even I can tell the sound of this cheap copy is pretty sad.  So the idea of a real Ovation super shallow that I might be able to save is really appealing!  I can’t play worth a hoot, but being able to tell the story of saving a unique guitar can be a distraction from my lack of talent.