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A YouTube of a repair on an early 20th century guitar from Estonia, that looks like something 80 years or so earlier. It looks like a cross between a Panormo and a Stauffer. But NOT a valuable guitar as either of those might be. Some of the techniques are questionable; at the least, if it was a valuable instrument.

I like his choices, and the result is pretty good.

I'm surprised that it sounds more like a steel string. Why would that be?

Oh. WAY done in the comments:


Abe maksymovitch
5 months ago
I owe a similar seven string guitar and been playing it since i was 20 years old, now I'm 82 and still play it every day!! It was made in Leningrad { St Petersburg now} in 1965 where i used to live. At that time, i paid 25 rubles for it ! Brought it with me to USA in 1968. It has a very full beautiful sound ! I play mostly Christian music. Its very easy to play songs [solos] especially in a key of G because this Russian guitar open strings are tuned to key of G as follows [from thin to bass] .D4-B3-G3-D3-B2-G2-D2. I asked my wife to put this guitar in a casket with me when i die, since 3 of us been together for 56 years ! PS Since new, this guitar had steel strings which puts too much pressure on a top and somewhat buckles it . Did repair it many times. Over all, It is a real good reliable guitar just like AK-47.

Interesting tuning.

Enjoy.



https://youtu.be/hG4fUIugB1A

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Why be normal?

That is an old Russian seven-string guitar from around 1900-1920. With a great patina before restoration.

I really don't like the stripping of the original lacquer, to me that's the soul of the guitar and should never be stripped away - unless someone has mistreated and raped the guitar with a sharp awl/pencil or modern paint. Modern cellulose lacquer (as I presume it was) is also a wrong choice, should be pure shellac or a shellac based spirit varnish. The middle seam in the bottom is probably not needed and in any case too wide.

The gluing of the bottom braces the same time as the bottom itself was a curious way to do it, but hats off for using the correct hot hide glue.

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New will change the old,
turn to ashes or gold

http://www.gammelgura.se

Roger,
I'm pretty sure the guy sprayed shellac on the front to preserve the patina. He did French polish the back and sides after staining.
I wouldn't have stripped it, unless it was mine, and I really couldn't stand it! I thought he was going to only add a thin strip too.

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Why be normal?

OK, better, but it doesn't forgive the stripping of the lacquer :-/

_________________
New will change the old,
turn to ashes or gold

http://www.gammelgura.se

Reaching straight for the paint stripper is a classic furniture guy move!