Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm not sure if this is the best topic to post this, but here it goes...

***Looking for a budding luthier who wants a project.***

I have this old c. 1970 Yairi 9110 flattop that needs a new top, bridge and frets. It has a sitka top and I believe laminated jacaranda back and sides. The 9110 is one of the higher S. Yairi models, so maybe solid wood? I haven't been able to confirm this. Also, I've read that Jacaranda is another name for Braz rosewood.

http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/st ... d/S_Yairi/

This was my first guitar, given to me when I was 15 by my father. I cut my teeth on this baby and it was a great player with a very nice action. The sound was not bad...certainly comparable to a good mid line production dread.

Anyway, the sitka top has numerous hairline cracks including one at the top of the sound hole parallel to the fingerboard. The bridge is pretty chewed up and it needs frets. The rest of the structure is good according to luthier Michael Lewis.

I'm wondering if there is a budding luthier among you who would like to get some carving time on this guitar? I don't want to put a bunch of money into it, so I thought maybe a symbiotic exchange of some sort. I can buy the materials, pay a bit to cover labor and shipping. I get my old guitar back as my camping guitar, you get some experience and a bit of $$$.

This guitar holds sentimental value to me and I killed it with neglect. I'd like to get it restored if possible. Otherwise it will be hung up as art and a subtle reminder to keep guitars hydrated.

If anyone is interested, please reply to this post and we can talk.

Thanks mucho!



Thanks much...

Based on the pics and looking at the back thru the soundhole I would say the back is solid wood.

As for the retopping that would be a pretty big job considering the neck removal, new top, rosette, fitting, bracing, carving, finishing, etc. I don't really have time to build but you would probably end up with a pretty darn fine sounding guitar if you can work something out. I'm trying to concentrate on building only but wanted to comment on the back/sides.

Best of luck.

_________________
"We might not be big but we sure are slow"

Thanks for the info. If it turns out to be solid wood, I'll be sure to put a good top on it. "Adi" keeps echoing in my brain.

I'm not an experienced repair guy (actually I have NO experience with repairs other than fixing my own mistakes ) but, I wonder if this one needs a new top?!? I'm wondering if maybe the existing top can be stabilized and repaired enough for your goals of having a "campfire" guitar? If it were my sentimental guitar I would want to keep it as close to original as possible for that very reason. Did the luthier that you consulted consider the option of just stabilizing it and making it playable again as is rather than a full-on restore job?

Cheers,
Chad

I'm an amateur luthier but I don't think I would replace the top on this guitar. I resurrected a 1961 Gibson that was in much worse shape than this guitar without having to replace the top. Can we see a close up of the crack next to the fretboard extension? These are often caused by shrinking pick guard. Also a close up of the frets would be useful. Must of us at the OLF would tell you to keep a 48 year old top. I love my Adi but I'd just fix this one.

Steve

The top does not look like it needs replacing to me. From the pictures the cracks run down the grain and look pretty easily repairable.

I'm also not seeing what's wrong with the bridge... a couple of dings does not mean it needs to be replaced. It looks to be solid and well anchored to the top... why do you think it needs replacement?

As for the frets, maybe it needs a refret, maybe they just need to be dressed and re-crowned. It's impossible to tell from the pictures.

I don't know the luthier you mention in your post; he may know what he's about and there may be things that the pictures don't show, but I would recommend you take it to a good repair shop and get a second opinion. There's a very good chance you can get an experienced repair guy to get it playable for minimal cost.

Did Michael actually tell you that this guitar needs a new top, bridge, and frets?

[For those of you who don't know, Michael is one of the very best in the business]

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

As far as I can see from the pictures, this does not need a new top, just a bit of TLC. Nothing that a bit of thin HHG and a few cleats wouldn't cure. I certainly would not want to replace a 40 year old top if it was at all capable of being resurrected. The bridge look OK too from the pictures.

Colin

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I took this guitar to Michael Lewis about 15 months ago. At that time it had one crack in the top. That crack had been there for a number of years and he felt it was stable. He felt a few of the braces needed attention and it needed frets. I was not in a position to have the work done (I actually went there for a little warranty work on a Martin and brought this guitar along to have it assessed).

Fast forward 12 months...I was ready to have the work done. Upon pulling the guitar from its case I noted all the new cracks. I called Michael and he was very concerned, particularly about the crack at the fingerboard. I forgot to mention in my original post (but told Michael) that the glue where the fingerboard meets the top has some whitening as if the glue is being stressed. At that point I just wrote off the guitar assuming the only fix was a new top.

As for the bridge, if it is getting a new top shouldn't it have a new bridge? This bridge has been a pain...I've had the string grooves in front of the pins filled twice as the small strings chewed into it over the years. The sharp edges were causing the strings to break behind the saddle.

I've made arrangements to have it assessed by a luthier and will go with his expert opinion.

I find it interesting the desire expressed to preserve the 40 year old top. To me it's beat to snot and is ready for the woodpile. This is probably why I'm not a luthier. You folks are the experts and I'll be sure to have an expert reassess it.

I thank you for you input.