The Hub

The latest builds, repairs, and conversations from across Looth. Activity
Filters AND Search measuring× Date Last 90 days× Type Discussions× Type Loothprints× Reset all
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

bozo B80/12 neck block clownery

in for some top cracks and playability issues, neck is underset by almost 1/8" with significant hump at the joint...just got the strings off and got a better peek under the circus tent and... how the what the why? i just... really I... ummmm....can anyone guess what is going on here? Tempted to hand it back over any half-measure foolery. Third Japanese built one in this year but I've not seen this sort of hijinx...

1 reply
1 reply
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
This is precisely why Leo Fender developed the insideless guitar. A compromised neck block is super hard to come back from and when I see something like this, it leads me to believe that it's the tip…
Private member DiscussionElectric Repair

Sad Old '71 Hagstrom Swede

Greetings Wise Elders and fellow seekers of the Looth Group! I hope you're all keeping well. I humbly beseech thee for thine sage wisdom and experience. I purchased a 1971 Hagstrom Swede. This guitar was basically put in a case and then forgotten about for a few decades. I felt sorry for the old man and have taken it in as a stray / project. I would like to get it playing again. There are many scars on this guitar, I have looked for as…

9 replies
9 replies
LikeShare
Private member
Thanks so much Ian, much to consider. Your tip about the white glue is something I didn't consider at all.
Private member DiscussionShare Your Repair Content

Introducing the NutBuster

Hello All I have been using Ted Bergstrand's online nut calculator on Benchmuse.com which is excellent. It allows you to have a consistent gap between each strings vs the progressive gap that the Stewmac rule gives you. Or you can do consistent centers to the strings. I have definitely found measuring the nut with calipers to work a lot better than the stewmac rule and don't use the rule anymore. I wanted some additional functionality…

1 reply
1 reply
LikeShare
Private member
PS All Hail Ted Bergstrand who introduced me to many very useful things. Kind of nuts how many things I use now that Ted turned me on to.
Private member DiscussionGeneral

When do you guys suggest a bridge re-glue?

At what point do you tell a customer that their acoustic instrument needs a bridge reglue? Do you do it when the corners are just barely starting to lift? Once it has begun to affect playability/tuning stability? Do you offer half-measures to save them money when the damage is not too bad (dripping in some thinned tite bond instead of removing the bridge entirely for example)? I ask this because a Godin acoustic bass just came across my…

2 replies
2 replies
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
You've had better luck than me with half measures. I'm not sure why you're diluted Titebond worked, but the one of the unfortunate things about Titebond, is that you cant glue TB to TB. It could be th…
Private member DiscussionNeck Reset Database

1918-1922 Gibson A3 " Ivory" Mandolin Dovetail Joint Measurements and Angles

Here are some pics of 1918-1922 Gibson A3 "Ivory" Mandolin Dovetail Joint Measurements and Angles.

6 replies
6 replies
LikeShare
Ian Davlin
@member The sides being detached from the neck block is really interesting without overt evidence of the instrument getting wet. Are you going to release the sides completely…
Private member DiscussionNeck Reset Database

Spanish Heel failure

Hi all, I got a Do Santos DSMSCC RC in shop, the Spanish heel has failed , or rather collapsed into the soundboard, splitting it on both sides along the grain, a broken brace just under the fingerboard extension , cracks on both sides on the top/side bindings, I measured wood humidity on the fingerboard 9% and inside the (very inaccessible) body 11% The normal procedure would be to re-humidify before jacking or clamping back into place ,…

11 replies
11 replies
LikeShare
Private member
@member More Picture of the Decapitation ...