Cutting F holes in existing guitar?

[Claude Diatomae]

What would be the difficulty level in cutting F holes into a hollow body guitar that doesn't have them (think Gretsch Country Gentleman but with no access opening in the back)?

[Bill Raymond]

It could be done. Depending on what tools you might have available it could be reasonably straightforward, I should think. But, I wouldn't do it. The Country Gentleman is a good guitar as is. It would be better to sell it and replace it with one with F holes, if you feel the need for them in your guitar.

[Claude Diatomae]

Thanks Bill for your reply. Yes I figured this would perhaps require some specific tools to cut the holes out having no access from the back.

[Neal Carey]

Out of curiosity why do you want to cut holes in it? And if it is a Country Gentleman you'd really ruin the guitar IMHO.

[Claude Diatomae]

Out of curiosity why do you want to cut holes in it? And if it is a Country Gentleman you'd really ruin the guitar IMHO.

Hi Neal,

I like the Country Gent and other Gretsch guitars but never could quite get with the painted F hole thing. I think *that* ruins the guitar for me. Painted F holes look cheap and cheesy to me. They do make a version of the Country Gent with real F holes but not in left handed. Hence the desperate measures one might consider to obtain what one wants...

[Andy Birko]

If you wanted to go through with it, the best way I could think of doing it would be to cut it with a small bit (perhaps 1/8") on a CNC machine. Use a downcut bit and multiple passes leaving perhaps .005 to .01" of the profile. Clean up pass at full depth, climb cutting all the way around.

[Steve Senseney]

I am not really familiar with how this instrument is made, specifically, how thick is the top plate.

If it is quite thin, you may need to reinforce the area where you cut the holes. This would be quite a bit more work with no access to the back.

[Bill Raymond]

The top should be ca. 1/8" thick, 3-ply maple.

[Michael Lewis]

Dremel. XACTO knife. Pocket knife. chisel. Laser.

Not a great idea, but whatever floats your boat. It will devalue the instrument for the market.

[Andy Birko]

Laser.

Probably not a great idea unless you want f-hole burn marks on the inside back as well.

[Claude Diatomae]

Would applying binding (and a layer of polyurethane finish on top) pose any huge difficulty in this scenario? The goal being to make the finished work look exactly as an original factory job.

Can polyurethane be applied neatly enough with a brush and polished for a seamless appearance with the surrounding finish?

[Mario Proulx]

Polyurethane has NO place near, much less -on-, a fine instrument!

Claude, I believe I speak for everyone when I say this:

Step away from the guitar, and stop contemplating all of this foolishness.

[Claude Diatomae]

Bonjour Mario,

The instrument is finished in polyurethane. I know this whole idea falls in the category of "illegal abortion". Just an idea I was contemplating... Not a done thing by any stretch. Harmless enough to discuss though.

[Mario Proulx]

What, exactly, -is- the instrument in question? A Gretsch would not be finished in polyurethane.....

[Bill Raymond]

If the instrument in question is indeed finished in polyurethane, then it must be a modern, Japanese-made Gretsch County Gentleman, not a "vintage" (pre-Baldwin) one.

[Mark Swanson]

If it was an import, then it would be finished in polyester. Polyurethane isn't used commercially as far as I know.

[Claude Diatomae]

It's a current production Japanese Gretsch.

[Mario Proulx]

Polyester....

[Bill Raymond]

You are no doubt correct, Mario and Mark. I usually confuse my poly-s. The Gretsch guitars website, however, does specify that the guitar has a "gloss urethane body finish".

[Michael Lewis]

If the holes are cut out VERY cleanly so there is no need for touch up on the top surface then the newly exposed wood could be sealed and bound but getting the binding done without disturbing the top finish will be a real trick. Not impossible.