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Private member DiscussionGeneral

Decal source

OK I know I just posted here, but I just had a tremendous customer service experience and had to share. I contacted Guitar-Restore.net about this, they had a similar graphic to what I needed for my Harmony, but it was on vinyl instead of a waterslide decal. They not only made one available for me, they just added it to their site!! Couldn't be happier. So if anyone needs custom decals or graphics for a project, I highly recommend th…

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Ian Davlin
Adding to useful links.
Private member DiscussionGeneral

Guitar Polish Recommendations - Silicone Free?

I'd like to start a discussion about guitar polishes. We have always been careful to use only non-silicone products on nitro finishes. We previously used Stewmac Preservation polish for years, but they don't offer that product anymore. We recently had maybe what was a bad batch of Stewmac "Clean and Shine" that was softening nitro finishes so we trashed it and haven't purchased anymore. The first bottle we got worked great, but the s…

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I miss the old Gibson polish in the aerosol cans. That stuff worked really well to clean and shine old nitro finishes. I don't like their pump bottle polish they replaced it with. I'm currently usi…
Private member DiscussionGeneral

Decal suppliers

Any recommendations for custom decal suppliers? I thought I had seen a discussion here at some point about this, but I can’t seem to find it if it actually does exist. I used to have a guy I ordered decals from but I haven’t been able to get up with him even though his website is still open. I was thinking some of the collective brain trust here may be able to help me out with this.

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Rothco and Frost are THE BEST suppliers I've dealt with. The film they use is thinner and the print quality is excellent. Their gold and silver is true metallic ink, and the thinner film is easier to…
Private member DiscussionNeck Reset Database

Dental articulating paper?

Hello folks, I recently purchased some dental articulating paper to use for my neck resets, and to my chagrin it arrived as a smaller length than I anticipated. It is only 18 mm long, which is only enough for about 2/3 of the length of the mortise. I’ve tried to look up other brands, but none that I can find listed their dimensions. Does anyone recommend a brand or variety that is adequate length? Thanks!

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Private member
John - sometimes the articulating paper is almost too sensitive and hard to read. It will mark every bit of raised grain leaving you confused as to what and how heavy the contact is. After all, this i…
Private member DiscussionTools and Jigs

Drill bit set recommendation

I recently realized its probably time to retire my cheap set of jobber drill bits (Robert Oven standard issue) that are almost a decade old at this point. Does anyone have a set they like or a brand they would recommend?

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I think the Harbor Freight Sets are good value, they have a graduated Imperial set that's cheap. I started buying separate packs of the ones that I use a lot and break a lot (1/4" etc) on Amazon sepa…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Replace broken back brace Gibson LG-1

Hello, This is my first discussion as I am new to this group. I am starting a restoration project on a 1957 Gibson LG-1. The first job on it that I want to tackle is to replace a broken back brace. It appears to be broken in half right on the center line (see pic one before the brace was removed). I have removed it and am gluing in back together (pic 2), just to get it strong enough to use as a template for fabricating a replacement…

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Hi John, welcome to the Looth Group. Yes, Doug Proper's radius-sanding tool is wonderful - he should have invented it 50 years ago, and that really annoys me. However it is one of the most "why din't…
Private member Discussion3D Printing

F Hole Plugs for Archtop

I drew up and printed these F hole plugs for a customer a little while back, felt like showing them off here. The bottom diamond shaped piece has a M4 nut in it, and is super glued to the body of the plug at its two tips. An M4 screw threads into the nut through the counter-sunk hole in the top of the plug. The entire plug drops into the F hole, and then you can tighten the screw slightly to expand the plug so it clamps itself into plac…

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Private member
Great idea, and I love the idea of comically oversized F holes.
Private member DiscussionGeneral

Perspectives on string height

I'm interested in getting people's perspective on string height. I've seen recommendations for a standard string height based on the instrument type (such as https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/online-resources/neck-building-and-repair-and-setup/string-action-gauge-instructions/). But this doesn't take into account how the instrument is used, playing style, and personal taste. What would your recommendations be for the following sc…

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Private member
Hi Ian. I actually liked your previous response (and your new one ;)) ! I think that having a tracker document would be helpful. Maybe capturing (i) string height at the nut (or 1st fret), (ii) heigh…
Private member DiscussionElectric Repair

70s PBass refret

I have a 70s PBass with a maple “A” neck that could use a refret. It still seems to have the original frets. I tried a level and crown on the already low frets, but I think it needs refret. The frets in the money area are pretty low, .030-.025 and I’m concerned about removing them sideways, as I’ve never had a chance to do that. I understand from the fretorama with Joel Wilkins that when they are this low it increases the difficulty of…

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I've noticed they don't always come out easiest in the same direction either. I can't imagine why, but it seems some were driven in from the treble side and some from the bass side. So if you're havin…
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Help please! Black lacquer finish & Gluboost

Hello! Brand new member here following the recommendation of Rick at Gluboost. He suggested that I reach out to this group to get help with my restoration project. I'm actually looking to restore vintage dining chairs (6) that have chips on their black lacquer finish. Rick confirmed that Gluboost should be a good option for refinishing the chairs but I'm having the hardest using the product to get the results I want (sad photos attached…

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Ian Davlin
I can certainly do a consult. This is a fussy bit of work though and is the type of thing that, on guitars, has broken the soul of quite a few repair people over the years. I don't want to do any gate…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Fixes for a buzzing truss rod?

Hi Gang, I was finishing up a new guitar and discovered a rattle that I think is the truss rod. Strange that it did show up until now. I always rap on the neck to make sure the truss rod does not rattle before I begin finishing. Anyway, I finished the setup and was recording the final frequency responses (like Gore and Giuliano Nicoletti) and the rattle only happens when I tap the bridge with the sound hole blocked. Anyway, it sounds l…

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Private member
I've fixed many a loose rattling truss rod. If you wrap your knuckles on the back of the neck you can usually hear it. (or maybe you have the felt head hammer for resonance testing?) If there are finge…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Yet another bridge re-glue question...

I had a customer contact me and he told me that he has a Zager ZAD80CEOM and that the bridge is staring to raise at the back. He says the gap is about 1/32" and would like me to remove the bridge and reapply it. I have yet to see the guitar in person and I'm a bit hesitant to take it on. I've never performed this type of operation before, although I do have some theoretical knowledge of it, just not practical. Some of the question I hav…

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Nothing can be determined until the guitar is on the bench. The customer's 1/32" could actually be a 1/16" or more likely .010". No one can give opinions, advice or estimates until the guitar has been…
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Taylor 416 ce heavy blushing finish problem

Hello guys Someone get me this Taylor c416 to my workshop. Alot of blushing and milky finish . What are ur recommendations Shall I sand it ? Or any other tricks the client does mind the scratches. Note I measured the wood humidity is 15 %

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I send it with 400 600 1000 1200 till 3000 and polish it the cloudness didn't go . I think I HV to refinish it again ?
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Nitro burn

Hi All, I have a J-15 in with some finish burn on the back of the neck. I'm wondering what you'd recommend as a repair? Lacquer, Fill N' Finish, something else?

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It's not easy to tell in person either. I suspect it's gone through most of the finish but not all of it. There might be spots of wood at the centre. I'll have another look when I'm back in the shed.
Private member DiscussionShop Organisation

Shop humidity: Am I nuts to focus on dew point instead of relative humidity?

Not sure if this is the best place for this, but whatever. I need somebody to check my logic here--I could be completely wrong in my thinking. I'm about to start up my new shop in Ireland, and the humidity/temperature situation is VERY different than the Greater Washington DC region. I will also be unlikely to have as complete control over temperature and humidity as I did in our extremely tight, air-conditioned house in the US. I also k…

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Private member
Maybe ask other Ireland luths? @member Maybe your shop should be somewhat dryer than the dryest that your customers homes would be?
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

classicalguitartuners.com

I just wanted to put in a plug for classicalguitartuners.com and Zebulon Turrentine. I was looking for some single classical tuners for a 7 string project and found his website. I was a little confused at first because he catalogs all the available tuners including ones that he doesn't sell but he supplies Der Jung (from Korea) and Gotoh tuners among others. I believe he can also get steel string tuners. The service and shipping…

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Private member DiscussionAcoustic Repair

Wow, what a hole!

Long story short, Mom's sitting next to her guitar and POW, the bridge pops off taking part of the top with it. Now I'm trying to figure out how to fix it and I would like your feedback on my plan below. The hole is roughly the same size as the bridge. The top is a 3-layer laminate. The bridge, top, and bridge plate all came out as a single unit. The glue on the braces behind the bridge has failed, so the top will need to be re-glued…

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Ian Davlin
Man, I would seriously consider retoping this. Im not sure I've seen anything quite that bonkers.
Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Polyurethane Overspray to Cover Neck Break

I have an Epiphone explorer that suffered a vertical neck break in shipping. I'm in the middle of repairing the break a la Ted Woodford's remedy. My question is, what would be the polyurethane you'd recommend to cover the break? A couple of things to consider/questions I have: The neck color is not quite all the way black but the customer is fine with it being darker than the original color. The neck finish is satin What would be the best…

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Ian Davlin
Im curious about the issues with the point zero, I haven't ordered one in a while, but the last few I ordered served me great. Something might have changed.