MIMF

Thanks, Barry, it might come to that .. probably easier in the bigger picture. Here's where I'm at... the crack is raised a bit higher than the rest of the top, so my scraper took that down a bit. Still about an inch of thin epoxy on each side of the bare spot.

Greetings all, I've usually shied away from finish repair, since I don't have the essential tools nor the skill set required to do a decent job on a vintage guitar of any value. Recently, I've acquired a '30s jumbo acoustic flat top by the Oscar Schmidt Co., branded 'Keystone State' (Weymann). It ca...

That's a Harmony, from the 30s, I've had a few like it, and am working on one now with similar inlays.
Tom

I've been using the coffee machine with success for a good number of years, but I made one simple modification to control the pressure by putting a brass 'release' or 'bypass' valve inline. That way I can dial down the pressure of the steam to preserve a delicate finish, or open it up to blast out g...

Six string guitars with tailpieces aren't typically 'notched', but on this guitar it is the most efficient way to get what you want. Otherwise, it would require a neck reset to get enough down pressure on the bridge to prevent the string slippage. Also, check your tuning, be sure it's up to A440 ten...

Thanks, Daryl .. I actually was messing around with it yesterday, and I simply put the shaft on a vise, and whacked it with a hammer a few times to flatten the tab a bit. Then I pressed the button back on in my vise. Seems tight, and works well.

If it loosens I'll likely go the solder route.

Tom

Greetings, I have a guitar with the 30s Grover 'Sta-Tite tuners with metal buttons. The button spins on the shaft. Normally, on a plastic button, I'd likely flatten the 'wing' of the shaft a bit and re-insert, or just put on a new button. Has anyone had success repairing the original metal button? ....

Nice story, you show lots of patience to a guitar many would dismiss! How'd that little Hoover work as a steamer?

Try Steve Kovacik, he sells lots of tuners at his website. Tom

http://www.guitar-repair.com

Thanks, Michael, I see the mahogany now in your first picture. Tom

Chris ... yes, they are fun guitars with their own unique sound, especially piercing for slide. The bodies like this are actually all solid birch, not mahogany, like you mentioned. Maybe you meant birch? They're usually birch body with a softish basswood or poplar neck with a dyed fingerboard and br...

You could also post it in the vintage section of http://www.umgf.com, lots of knowledge over there. Looks worthy for restoration regardless of the maker. Tom

Michael, they're not bar frets, just really tall and thin 't' frets from the old days. Today we might call them banjo or mandolin frets. Many players don't like them, because they don't round off too well, and impede sliding the hand up the fretboard because of their height. I don't think frets of t...

No steam makes life simpler, for sure. One other note on these catalog guitars with the punky necks, they often have so much relief from string pull that, after a neck set, there's a lot of buzz. What I've done is, if it's a really nice guitar, like yours, I'll pull the board, heat press the neck fl...

Hi All ... I've removed many of these catalog guitar necks over the years. With a birch body and dry hide glue, I find I can just work a smooth, rounded spatula under the extension w/o heat or any liquid. Works on spruce tops too, but you'll need to be a bit more careful. Often the neck will come ou...

Michael, I have a valve in line where I can let the bulk of the steam 'blow off' and only allow a gentle puff into the steam hole. This is the main reason. Second is the steam inside the body is basically air borne and therefore mostly benign to the glue. I also typically do a very short steam event...

Fred, I'm late to the party, but the Bruno should have the pocket right below the 13th fret just like a Martin or Gibson. No need to pull the tongue, and before I would ever do that, my second option would be to hit the pocket through the neck block on the inside. Tom

This mandolin came from one of the shops of the so-called 'Italian Luthier Guild' of makers working in NYC in the first quarter of the 20th century. Cerrito, Iucci, and DiAngelico (the most famous) are some of the names, but there were dozens of them. Many worked across the river in Jersy City at th...

Chris, it was a 'seat of the pants' creation, build around the dimensions of the stewmac dremel slotting guide, and the basic shapes of necks I'd slot. I'd made a few improvements over time, too. Not hard to make. Just use the slotting guide as a guide, as it were, for basic dimensions, and a trip t...

Hi Steve, glad the moisture fattened the heel up again, those punky neck are like a sponge. Yes, StuMac sells the carbon rods, but I've been buying them in more quantity and cheaper at dragonplate dot com. Here's a link to pics of the jig I made to hold the neck flat, and enables me to use my dremel...