Official Luthiers Forum!

I've heard a number of times this addage: An apprentce's mistakes show, A journeyman's mistakes do not show and a masters mistakes are part of the unique design of the instrument. I may have the wording incorrect but the sentiment is there. Carry on and someday clients will be clamoring for your "floor modified" guitars.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

I'm a looser everyday so don't feel bad. I've probably made more mistakes
than anyone here...well except Paul W but he is just a total screw-up.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Sorry to hear that news, Chris! You are not alone.

Gather up all the info you can from here and elsewhere and have at it.

I have been known to use a round of golf to remind me that sometimes the harder you try, the worse things go.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Hi Chris,

Yes, I would take the bridge off to re-finish the top, it's very easy so don't let that bother you. I put a damp cloth on the bridge, lay a clothes iron(no steam for me) on top of that, slowly easing it around the bridge surface...it may take a while so go slow and be patient!After a few minutes, take a piece of dental floss and begin to slide it under the edge of the bridge, when the glue has softened you will know it as the floss will slide easily under the bridge and it will pop right off.

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

Hi guys...just wanted to say thanks....many of your stories made me feel a
little better about my situation.
I suppose I was a little over-confident with #2 from the onset.
I figured I had learned my lessons and how to avoid them on #1.
Silly me! I'm just beginning to scratch the surface
According to Cumpiano one must commit every mistake there is and also
learn how to get him/her self out of it.

As a follow up I also wanted to post the info I received from Erick
Coleman over at StewMac in regards to drop filling the ColorTone
brushing varnish in hopes that it may help someone elso down the road.

FROM STEWMAC:

Drop filling the dents is likely the best repair method. Clean the
instrument thoroughly with diluted denatured alcohol to remove any
residual polish or contaminates that could cause adhesion issues.
Drop-fill the areas slightly higher than the surrounding finish. Once
cured, you can level the fills to your surrounding finish and buff to a high
gloss.
Our #3705 Micro Mesh pads work great for buffing to a mirror finish.
www.stewmac.com/item/3705
You should be able to sand the scratches out depending on the depth. It
may be necessary to fill as you did the dents.

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Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

Chris, I feel your pain. My no.2, sure enough, was the guitar that refused to be build... I thouhgt I had made every possible mistake on no.1... Yeah.. right... It turned out no.1 was a charm compared to the second... Funny, this seems a recuring theme...

I think the drop fill should work very well...

Good luck!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...