Official Luthiers Forum!

First, I am wondering if you are lurking, hav`nt heard much from you.

second, I am wondering how your restoration project is coming along?

do tell....

hope all is well.
Matt

Oh well, I guess you`re busy...either that or buried under the snow.

Or she dont want to talk to you

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I suppose thats possible....but it is more likely she`s buried in her car under a huge pile of snow.    

Like me, she lives on a steep hill....and is most likely using ice climbing gear to get in and out.

she is restoring a vintage Martin, I was hoping to get her to tell us a little about some of the work she`s doing.   yo Viv.....where are you? do we need to send out the dogs?

Matt

who let the dogs out?

Howdy Matt! Yes, buried under snow and work and the usual. Thanks to Don W. for alerting me that you were calling me. Down on the Cape you guys got REALLY clobbered. How are you doing? Dug out yet?

My restoration project is done,well, except for maybe a tweak or two to the nut and the action. I love that little baby. I almost resist playing it because it spoils me for other guitars. It has a great sound, "short" scale, and bar frets all of which make it very easy to play. Are you asking about technical info? Gotta go for now, the ER is calling me (literally).

Hugs,
Viv

There you are!
I am not dug out...I am not even trying to do so. I have packed snow shoe paths leading here and there.

That`s cool that your done with the guitar, I know that you replaced the bar frets, was that all you had to do? or were there some other issues?

is it a 14 fret 00?

heres my wifes car


going no where in a hurry

Wow! That's what I call snowed in. How does it feel to say "my wife's
car? Cool!

So this little 12 fret 1929 Martin 0-18 was in pretty good shape as these
things
go. However, she still needed a good bit of work:
- removed the neck
- reset the neck
- fixed a biggish crack in the back
- superglued small cracks on the sides
- refretted the fingerboard; reused some of the original bar frets but
mostly refretted with new bar fret stock I got from Martin
- removed the bridge
- reglued the original bridge
- made a new saddle (bone)
- removed the awful non-original tuners
- installed new Waverly 3-on-a-plate tuners

I love the little baby!
Here's a photo of me playing it during the cooking of Thanksgiving dinner
at my brother's house. I was tired, I looked tired. I had just finished the
restoration a few days before.




Vivian38379.855625

Now that's a sweet little Martin. Nice job Viv. I am just finishing up a 59 D-18 project that has been fun. Can't wait to get it strung up. I still have 15 days of lacquer cure time to go.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Viv,

That is Awesome! Where did you find that gem? I would love to come accross a project like that to work on someday. 75 year old guitar, it must have some serious mojo!   

Jeff

I once did a repair on a 1939 0M that was sitting in a shop waiting for some repair when the 96 (i think) SF earth quake hit and a large clock fell on top of it. It was damaged beyond my ability to do what I would call a restoration but I patched it and fixed it structuraly. It sure sounded nice after it was strung up. I took some photos and tracings while I had the top off but have since lost them. A great little mohogany guitar.

And that is a very nice guitar you've got there Viv. It looks like a great restoration too.John How38380.0038773148

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Yay, thanks for sharing, I have been curios about your project since this summer.

Wow, what a cool old guitar, I did`nt realize that it was a single 0 12 fretter.

What an awesome project, and experience.
you did a ton of work on it, good for you.... My hat`s off to you...congrats.


did you know that I still have not had a chance to play the 00-tjv.... gee wiz....we have to get together.

keep up the good work Viv, I am beaming with pride for you.

hugs back,
Matt
p.s. It does feel good to say "my wife`s"

Thanks for your compliments! I found this little guitar on eBay in 2003. I was very lucky to find it, very little had been done to it over the years. I paid market price for it. The person selling it didn't know anything about the process of selling and shipping let alone guitars so it was a little scary at times. It was his mother's and uncle's guitar when they were growing up in Texas. His parents were elderly and ill and needed money so he sold it for them. I am the second owner. It came with the original canvas case which was only half a case when I got it. His mother's and uncle's names were written on the case in pencil. I bought a new vintage-style case (tweed) for it and recently had to dispose of the original case due to limited space.

Thanks again!
Viv

Well, If you both make it to the next NEL (New England Luthiers) meeting, maybe a bunch of us could get a chance to see both guitars.

Feb 13th because of the SuperBowl.


P.S.
New England Luthiers meets in Acton MA the first Sunday of every month. No dues. Everyone's welcome.

Some years ago I was lucky enough to be left a 1936 00-18 that was in stunning original condition. The chap that left it to me had been my guitar teacher and guru for many years, and he got the little beauty when over in USA on a project during the war and had owned it and played it for the bulk of it's life. He had Martin do a neck reset and refret in the fifties and it's been stable ever since (no truss rod remember). I still use it regularly for delta blues playing at clubs. Although I have built a dozen or so guitars since that are better for other styles of playing, I have yet managed to equal that little Martin for blues.

When you get a mirror out and look inside it, it's not actually the best built guitar you'll find. In fact even with only a dozen or so under my belt, the build quality of mine (even though I say so myself) is better. So why does it sound so good. Obviously the quality of the wood is right up there but I think its all down to the fact that it has been played for 70 years that makes it so good. Any stresses in its timber and the interplay between its various components have long since equalled out so that the only stresses on it are from the Extra-light D'Adarrios that bring it to life.

All I've got to do now is live another 70 years so that I can hear what my 2004 guitars sound like. I'll only be 124 so I'm very hopeful!

I still don't think I'd have the courage to retore a golden era Martin, but I'd like the opportunity

Colin

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Hi Colin,

I know what you mean about the tone AND the courage. I wouldn't have had the nerve to do it either without the watchful eye and expert tutelage of, may I dare to say, my mentor T.J. Thompson. Wouldn't have even considered it without his instruction. I am a very lucky gal, I know it. Gosh, I'm getting all fahklempt.

Overcome with emotion,
Viv

Howdy Mike,

It is my plan to attend the next NEL meeting. If the weather isn't too cold or too dry I will bring one or both of these guitars. I am pretty protective of them, especially the 0-18, so even if I do bring them I'll be worse than a mother hawk.

Best to you,
Viv

Thats an awesome story Viv, why dosent that ever happen to me?

I will try to make the next meeting Mike, Thanks for the reminder. I am dying to see the Luthiers co-op shop.
If i lived in the area I would try to be a part of the energy there.

Viv, maybe you could let me know if you are planning to be there for sure, as I would love to see you and your guitars, and would definitly make the trip up.

I just got plowed out....Im free! Im free!

Matt
p.s. what did you use for a nut on that guitar?

Don W. comes up from Rhode Island. Maybe you could meet at the RI/MA border and carpool from there.

[QUOTE=Vivian] I am pretty protective of them, especially the 0-18, so even if I do bring them I'll be worse than a mother hawk.

Best to you,
Viv[/QUOTE]

Aww Darn! I was hoping to do my best Pete Townsand imitation on that baby. (For you youngsters out there, the Who used to smash their instruments after every performance)

Viv very cool guitar. Glad to see you up and here again.

Wow Viv, not only a really good builder, but looks like you have vey good repair and restoration talents also. Good job

Thanks again to you, my bro.

I will keep in touch and let you know for sure as we get closer but I am
planning to go to the meeting.

The nut on this 0-18 is the original ebony nut.

oo,
vv

I appreciate the warm welcome!

Thank you again. Like I said, I'm a very lucky person. Thanks to all my
buddies for all the support!

Best,
Viv