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Someone has asked me about repairing a hole in the side of their guitar. I haven't seen the guitar yet because I haven't agreed to do the job. I told them I would look into it. I don't think it's a real high quality guitar but it has some sentimental value to them. They said it has a hole almost big enough to fit a softball into.
So, I was wondering what would be the best way to go about fixing something like this? Would the whole side need to be replaced?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Colby,

If it's in the right area of the upper bout you could tidy it up and make it a soundport

I'll let the repairers have their say but you might find this photo-documentary on Bill Cumpiano's website interesting.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Hi Colby

Depends on the size & placement of the hole, and condition of the remaining side. In a minor case, the broken wood can be worked back into place and glued. In more major situations, bevel the edges of the hole and inlay a matching piece of wood that has been bent and fitted to shape. Sometimes it is better to replace a section of the sides or the entire side. While this sounds like a lot of work, it is a quite straight-forward and satisfying repair.

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I've seen a tutorial someplace (Frank Ford?) that replaced one side while the guitar was still build up. Pretty neat process. Lots of work though.

[QUOTE=Pwoolson] I've seen a tutorial someplace (Frank Ford?) that replaced one side while the guitar was still build up. Pretty neat process. Lots of work though. [/QUOTE]

Paul,

I think it's the Bill Cumpiano one I posted the link to above.

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

As already said, it depends on the size and condition of the hole and
remaining wood. In general it could be said that it's easier to clean up and
patch most holes if aesthetics are not critical, and easier to replace a side
with a large hole if you want it to be invisible. A good repair tech can
make it look good either way, but there's a tipping point somewhere
depending on the size and condition. At some point it can be less work to
replace an entire side than the time it would take to perfectly match and
touchup a patch. If it's a cheaper guitar then a patch would likely be best.

And my advice is to always be a bit cautious of "sentimental guitar"
projects. If the repair will cost more than the instrument's final value, I
can often turn them away, or take a 50% deposit to ensure it gets paid
for. I've seen at least a few people change their mind when it comes time
to pay $600 on a $300 guitar, and realize in retrospect that it should
have been resigned as a wall-hanger.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Thanks for all the info.
I'm thinking that if a side replacement is needed I won't try it. I might be willing to patch it though, depending on how bad a hole it is.
I have one more question though. Would the whole side need re-finishing or maybe just the patch? How can I determine what kind of coating is on the guitar? Would I have to use the same type? I am setup to spray nitro, but I'd rather not get into the epoxy and cat.urethane finishes. I don't know anything about them.