Official Luthiers Forum!

Today I stumbled upon my first website I ever made on some free webhost back in '98, and surprisingly I found some old pictures from my first luthier-ish activity. More on that in a sec...

But first, my main question is: How do you repair old ladder-braced guitars where the top has bellied? Is there a way to flatten the top closer to the original shape? Or do you accept the belly and just reset the neck to get the action right again?

I bought this '65 Gibson LGO about ten or twelve years ago, before I really knew anything at all about guitar construction. It played great for a few years, but then the top started to belly and the bridge started pulling away.

So I decided I would try to remove the back and rebrace the top with an X-brace. This is what I found when I removed the back:


I think they poured the epoxy into the soundhole and shook it around, that stuff was everywhere on the inside of the top, and some on the back and sides.

I have hacked away a bit at the epoxy and got out the bridge screws from the plastic bridge), but otherwise it's been sitting in my closet for about five years.

Now I'm thinking it might be cooler to rebrace it with ladder bracing, if I can do that and make it structurally sound. I've also got an older parlor guitar with the same bellying issue, and I'm trying to figure out how I should proceed on it as well. Any thoughts on that are appreciated.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Those golf tees are the bridge screws for the plastic bridge... They had epoxy all over the hex heads, so it was quite a challenge just removing the bridge.

I'm home now and pulled this guitar out of the closet for some new pics.

Here it is after I've hacked away a bit. Also, in a genius move, I tried to use heat (can't remember if it was a heat gun, or heated thin knife) to remove some of the epoxy. I ended up bubbling up a bit of the finish on the exterior side of the top, as you can see up near the upper bout bass side. So I guess I'll get to practice some finish repair, too. It's also badly in need of new frets, and probably a neck reset. The goal on this one will be to gain repair and setup experience.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Once the top is taken care of...no small task...then refitting the back is your chance to correct the neck angle. You don't have to reset the neck, merely glue the back on with the guitar clamped into the right geometry so the neck angle is right.   I'd tape something the thickness of the future bridge to the top and clamp the neck to a straight 2 x 4 running from just "south" of the nut down to beyond the bridge. That should warp the guitar into something close to what you need as far as neck angle goes. Then test fit the back with clamps, and see how it looks. You may have to pinch in the sides at the waist, and you could make an adjustable mold to hold the sides where you want them or even make a simple one layer mold a bit oversize and use wedges. The mold could have holes to accomodate spool clamps or keep it simple and work your way around with cam clamps.

John, I've got an LG0 that's been in the family for 30+ years and was what I learned to play on. For a junkie little guitar its held up well. No belly - last time I looked, but the (plastic) bridge has lifted. Haven't played it in years, but you've brought back some pleasant memories. Maybe that's why I've become so fond of building L00's. Either way, I'll have to dig it out and show it a little TLC. What happened to your screwed on 1/8 inch thick pick guard??

Bob K

WOW.... I dont think I have ever seen anything like this

I never have been fond of Gibson guitars with the exception of the Les Pauls and the old J-200's.  I know where one of them is and have been begging for years for it to be left to me for an inheritance (J-200)

I wouldnt have a clue where to get started except very carefully and slowly with a chisel (which will most likely need to be sharpened several times).  I am interested in how to reverse a belly. I have a guitar that has a bad belly too and may be inclined to attempt a repair if I know how to achieve a lasting fix.

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Reguards,

Ken H

You rip out all the hardware...for which task you must remove the bridge...you make a new bridge to that exact footprint, but put in a real saddle...and you've probably got yourself a funky-ass guitar that's worth about what they're asking for it plus another half a C note for the new bridge on which you just lost money.   But with that bridge, it's not worth what they're asking for it.   I'd rather buy a new Godin something or other with that dough and have a few nice dinners out with the change.

Try a Bridge Doctor. Fairly easy to install, surprisingly effective, and surprisingly little impact on tone.