Official Luthiers Forum!

I do a bit of repair work on historic instrument from a couple of museums, early guitars, lutes etc. The golden rules for repairing a valuable vintage instrument are replace nothing, make all repairs reversible. Who know what the technology will be in 50 years time, and the future consevator will need to be able to see what is original and what is your work nad must be able to reverse your work and carry out a better repair. Repair work on valuable old instruments is conservation led.

Oh and by far the most valuable time spent on any repair is the time that you sit and look at it and think about it. I had a $100k Brunner archlute sitting in my house for six months before I took the top off it. The process was mentally rehearsed, with all the problems, many times.

Colin

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

David/Colin,

Thanks for the tips so far. I will remove and replace the bridge. I agree, I think the original is BRW. I have a few BRW bridge blanks here so I will replace it with that. The bridge plate looks maple and I will probably use more maple for the new one, paying attention to grain orientation. Once they are off, I will make some jacks and attempt to push everything back into place. If it goes well then I think that I will use thin HHG for the crack repairs and probably fish glue for the brace repairs, just cause I think I will need the longer open time. I the spirit of Colins comments, these should be reversable in the future if required. Now, what is the appropriate means of dealing with the finish on the top? One of the cracks is right up against the pickguard, should that come off, touch up the finish and replace or just work around it and finish the top only in the repair areas and buff out? I assume that that this finish will be nitro...but maybe not!

Thanks again....Colin I remain thinking about it and looking at it!

Shane

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Canada

Oh ya,

In exchange for all of the great advice here I will document this repair (if I do indeed decide to do it) and share the progress as I move forward. I will likely seek advice along the way and hopefully others can learn as I learn, especially with the kind help of people like Colin and David!

Thanks again

Shane

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Canada

Shane,

Paul Hostetter has this photo-documentary of replacing a "shrapnel Gibson bridge" that may be helpful.

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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

[QUOTE=Shane Neifer] Now, what is the appropriate means of dealing with the finish on the top?[/QUOTE]
Leave it alone. Changes will diminish its value. A forty year old guitar should show its age. Now, if the finish is actually flaking off, I'd defer to the more experienced folks here.

Thanks for the link Dave. It looks like I will ahve to follow the very same process. Although this bridge is BRW I suspect that it is just bolted on over the finish, judging by the hardware!

Anyway, I posted some of the pics on my website this morning, here is the link.

Carlton, I agree with leaving the finish alone and the owner wishes the same, but I would think that the glueing process may cause some surface issues, althouhg it may not. Maybe I will just wait and see what it looks like when I get there. I have 'Teeter' (Vol 1)and 'Kamimoto' to reference as well.

Thanks again!

Shane

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Canada

[QUOTE=Shane Neifer] I posted some of the pics on my website this morning, here is the link.

Carlton, I agree with leaving the finish alone and the owner wishes the same, but I would think that the glueing process may cause some surface issues[/QUOTE]
Wow, that does need some TLC! In the pictures the cracks look fairly clean, though, so that's a plus. Also, now that I see it, I'd give a definite yes(!) as to whether it's worth repairing. Gibson's (sometime) practice of using those tall, thin, braces is a big factor, I think, in giving their instruments a unique and appealing sound--even if they're left embarressingly rough. If you can put a proper replacement bridge on this puppy (sans hardware, of course!), it's going to sound so sweet that its owner may volunteer to become your vassal!

I see what you mean about possible problems with glue on the finish. In fact, thanks for bringing that up. The first time I'm faced with this type of repair, I'll now think of that before I start gluing, rather than after! I would think, though, if you're using PVA, hide or fish glue, that having several clean rags and clean water nearby, and wiping as you go, should do the trick. I, too, would like to hear from experienced folks on this issue.

Shane,

That bridgeplate picture is a good advert for the use of slotted bridges!! I went back to the pictures of the top to see where the hot and cold taps where

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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

That hardware is pretty dramatic isn't it? It does have to go! But I have adviced the owner to that I will leave this stuff with the guitar and that they should keep it just in case someday this is the bridge of choice .

Shane

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Canada

Clean glue lines are part of the appeal of hide glue, fish glue and LMI's PVA.
Titebond isn't bad either. The joints will still obviously show the finish crack
which is fine, but if done cleanly (and with very clean hands) the glue joint
shouldn't cause any concern regarding the finish. Of course visibility of the
crack will also depend on how long the crack has been open, and much dirt
and grime has been rubbed in to it.

As to your book references, the Teeter books were certainly a milestone in
our trade in terms of public instruction for repairs, but most of the methods
are really quite dated by today's standards. Hideo's book was only published
a few years later, yet it seems like most of his methods still remain much
more accepted than much from the Teeter books.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.