The Hub

Hi all, I'd like to get some input on how to address this top blowout. For starters I own this, I got it as a project guitar, 71 D28. I'm not as experienced with acoustics as electrics and this is a big project but I got it to learn new skills and I'm confident I can do it with guidance. It had been stored in the case for many years under tension and was way too humidified. The bridge had pulled up I assume in stages. The center seam se…

I don’t have CNC capabilities so I could not duplicate Dave Slimmer’s version ( https://loothgroup.com/loothprint/bridge-clamping-cauls/). Got a 12x18x1/2 inch HDPE cutting board on Amazon for under $10 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D3LQVA), drilled a row of 1/2 holes about 5/16” deep with a Forstner, cut the HDPE into 5 sided chunks so I could orient by touch, and free handed the brace grooves on the band saw. The clamp swivel pads are 1…

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/wppages/bargainbag_spruce.php The air craft industry uses 1/4 sawn sitka and this is a box of their "Scrap wood" that is a good value to have on hand, (usually like 36 in long and various width) imo if anyone is in need. It's an odd ball source, but just spreading info. Be well.

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 ,…

I am repairing a damaged Stella parlor guitar. The original top was birch, plain sawn at 0.100 inches thick, ladder braced with multiple beefy braces and irreparably split, warped and generally separated from the sides. I want to keep the instrument ladder braced with a movable bridge and upgraded tailpiece, all firsts for me. I would be grateful for input on 2 issues. 1. The new top is Adirondack spruce that I’ve reduced to about 0.110…

I'm using hide glue on this 1st build. So far I've glued up the kerfing, back braces, and the top "X" brace. I'm using the 190 grade glue. Working time is short at best. I heated the top "X" brace surfaces (brace & top) with a blow dryer and that seemed to help, a little. How can I get enough working time to glue the top, and then later the back, without having to rush and creating a real mess in the process? Suggestions and reco…

So the first real "full build" I'm doing is a Stewmac 000 kit. I was wondering about the back brace shape. I'll was planning to taper the ends at the side joint to about 1.5mm. Should I do some scalloping of the braces? Suggestions and comments are welcomed and appreciated. Regards, Gerry Images

I am retopping a guitar and while it's open I want to reduce the mass of the back braces. Since the sides are in the way, I can't figure out how to cleanly cut the excess brace wood away; anything I've tried involves the handle hitting the sides and preventing a controlled, clean cut. Is there a tool - say a "pull finger plane" - that I can pull from the edge to the middle of each brace to facilitate this?

YouTube video on how to Glue a Cracked Top Brace With Hot Hide Glue 

Im 6'-6" with hands to match. I can squeeze my hands into most flattops, but a friend asked me to look at his 1930's Tiple. It has multiple back cracks that I can get to with props and TJ's crack system, but there are also plenty of loose braces. Looks like I've got to pop the back off, but I feel the long back cracks should be stabilized first. Would you hesitate removing the back? or is there a way to address the loose braces from out…