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He folks, I sure could use some help with this 12 string repair that my Father-in-law and I are doing.

So now we have the back off and have glued down the braces on the back so it's ready to be glued back onto the rims.

The problem now is the top. I convinced the in-law to remove all the lower braces (x-brace and tone bars) and that huge bridge plater that Seagul puts on.

So there is a very deep cup to the top now (was there before we removed the braces), here are some pics







I put a straight edge on the top so you can see how bad the damage is. That sure looks like 25' radius, oh wait, it's the wrong way it's suppost to be convex not concave.

What I am afraid of is that this is not repairable on its own. I'm thinking that it is probably best to pull the top and put in a new one. Well that is certainly more that I would like to do.

So What I'm asking is if you repair guru's and other who just like to brainstorm, let me know what you think.

Remember this guitar was in a minor flood (not Noah or anything) and there would have been a lot of moisture (more like lots of water) sucked up buy the plates and now this is where it's at after being in my shop at 40%RH for 2 months.

So, what do you think I should do?

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I am no expert, but do some repairs, I think you need to pull the top, once this is done you can compress the top if you plan to save it, sandwiching between your board and some boards and weights. Let it flatten. Once you glue your braces (in a radius dish/GoBars I am assuming)your top will be back to the right shape.

That is what I would do, others may have a better idea

Mike

Mike thanks for the reply, I realy don't want to have to pull the top and redo the binding as it's more work than I want to do. I have thought of it as well but don't realy want to go there yet.

What I had though of doing is this, take a moist towel and place the face of the top down on it on a 25' dish in the go bar deck. Than place a 1/4" piece of mdf smaller than the inside shape of the guitar into the "boat" and add go bars all over the middle area.

My thinking is that this would induce moisture on the side that needs it without haveing to pull the top. Of course there is the issue of the finish stoping any moisture from the face of the top to get into the wood. I don't know. You can see I don't realy want to pull the top as I don't have a Dread mold to put the rims in with both top and back off and I just don't want to redo the binding, might as well make the fellow a new guitar.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Is the top glued tight to the liners, and the liners to the sides, and the
binding and purfling to both? I think you can save this top. I would not
mess with damp towels. Put it face down on your dish, get some cauls
against the inside of the top (one piece of 1/4" mdf may work), and see if
you can clamp it to the dish. Clamp the center first. If you can clamp it
down, you can rebrace it. If it cracks when you do that, you will need to
replace it. I think it will just flex out the other way.

Looks like the soundhole braces may be loose. And give it a healthy size
bridge plate; it's a key piece of the bracing and will help hold it out in a
convex shape.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I agree with Howard. use your go-bar deck to put the top where you want it, re-brace it and it'll stay that way.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

I am with Howard and Mark although maybe you would consider heating the top as you bend it? Once in the dish the new bracing should work...especially if you decide to over brace like most factories...some nice baseball bat thick braces. That will keep that puppy right in line

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Sound good, thanks guys. So just get er done eh? That's what I'll do than.

Thanks again.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

It looks like the top may not have been dry enough when it was glued to the rims at the factory. Rebracing to a proper radius should work okay, though. Just leave those braces tall--don't scallop.