A slight crack or dent isnt impossible to repair yourself. You can take it a step further by having some finish work done to make it look as good as possible if youre concerned about aesthetics. Unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle. The crack, which developed mainly as a result of the guitar drying out, is located on the lower bout, extending along the grain from the treble side of the bridge to the binding next to the heel block. Tj thompson is a professional guitar luthier providing specialty repair tools, guitar parts, and authentic martin and belly bridges. Most cracks we see here at finger lakes guitar repair are related to improper climate control or impacts with foreign objects. John also authored pgs guitar shop 101 column, hosted several pg diy videos, and is an authorized warranty technician trainer for taylor guitars. In an effort to avoid a repeat, and keep the new adhesive from pulling up wood fibers if removed again, this bare area of wood beneath the guitar is usually sealed with finish. How to repair a crack in a solid top acoustic guitar our. And those repairs are lengthy, expensive, and some guitar luthiers wont do them. Joshua snyder is a professional luthier, with over 20 years of guitar repair and custom work experience. Includes glue and brush touchup with appropriate finish.
They quickly darken in color to match the old spruce. Stewmac crack repair tools fixe cracks and punctures in acoustic instruments. Snyder custom guitars is a full service guitar repair shop. Its not beyond the realms of possibility that it could open again, running along the grain of the patch piece. The shop is run by me, mike christian, a 35year veteran of the musical instrument industry. The polyethylene wont scratch guitars, and glue doesnt stick to it. Dec 16, 2008 i am looking at used guitar to buy that has a crack split in the poly finish. Many old guitars will have some cracks but when properly repaired they present no. Taylor factory service centers and uv finishequipped service centers can repair cracks and, in many cases, make them disappear completely. Medeer 26pcs guitar repair tool kit wire plier,string organizer,fingerboard protector,hex wrenches,files,string ruler action ruler,spanner wrench,bridge pins for.
These prices reflect the opinionperception of the editor of. If a crack is several inches long, then several cleats may be necessary to reinforce the damaged area and add to the stability of the crack. I am looking at used guitar to buy that has a crack split in the poly finish. Like so many things in the art of lutherie, there is no one best wood, or best finish, or best glue, its about finding which one is the best for you, your guitars, and your style of building. Kovacik guitars frequently has vintage guitars, guitar parts, luthier materials and guitar kits in stock for sale and can handle the sale of your vintage guitar on a commission basis. Repair system for cracked guitar tops a matched set of clear lexan cauls loaded with magnets. Car interiors can get to over 115 degrees and down to 14% humidity during the summer months. In other words, the guitar area isnt perfectly flat and needs to be. Cracks in the body of your solid top acoustic guitar are often cause by physical damage to the guitar or shrinkage due to a lack of humidity. This video shows many more discoveries of preventive maintenance not performed and what can and does happen, plus gluing the cracked top and. Get the best deals on damaged acoustic electric guitars when you shop the largest online. Im assuming my best bet is to remove the finish to eliminate the cracks. Here is one, but if it looks like too much for you to take on, a good repair person can do this for you remember that many guitar headstocks are scarf joints to the neck and this is actually stronger than a one piece neck that if off grain.
Custom classical guitars with repair, restoration, and identification. Cleating installing small patches of wood inside guitar to reinforce repair as necessary. To repair these cracks the stress must be eliminated by removing the pickguard and reattaching or replacing it. Stewmac sells perfect tools for it, but when i want to get them to europe i pay the price of. The next step will be for the luthier to glue small wooden cleats inside the guitar that span the crack. Dubbed the crack master here in the shop, christian has a knack for making a dreaded guitar crack all but disappear. The action is a little higher than what it was but other than that the guitar is perfectly playable, what would happend if i left it.
The magnets hold everything together while you apply clamps. John levan has written five guitar repair books published by mel bay. Guitar center repairs is your goto spot for expert stringed instrument repairs, upgrades and servicing. Full guitar repair school course, esfir curriculum outline. Even if the side crack runs right a the edge of the lining, this splint will keep it. Consider that with steel strings on an acoustic guitar that the.
These cracks typically fall into the category of closed cracks cracks. Instrument repairs, maintenance and modifications guitar. The guitar specialist, masterful lutherie services for all fretted instruments. Luthiers matt spampinato and mason shelmire offer the highest quality services in professional custom guitar construction, repair, and restoration. Make an archtop just like the master weve teamed up with worldclass luthier and archtop artisan bob bendetto to help you craft your own archtop guitar. Knowing how to evaluate the seriousness of a crack will allow you to determine whether to call a repair person immediately or whether it might be ok to leave it alone for a little while. Guitar repair handmade guitars luthier school guitar. A cracked guitar side is a difficult fix, especially when the sides of the split are uneven. Nov 27, 2019 as a clevelandbased luthier doing guitar repair and restoration, i see quite a few instruments requiring crack repair. Most acoustic guitar cracks can be sealed with good adhesive or glue.
Luthier and instructor, robert obrien, address a question from a viewer in brazil about crack repair. Is it possible to fill with lacquer or would crazy glue work better. Located in scotia, ny, he provides all levels of guitar repair. Once cracked, the side is a bit more vulernable to breaking again, particularly in areas where the side is relatively straight and unsupported. Like when i did a repair to one of jimmy daquistos guitars a few years ago. Cracked acoustic guitar repair keith holland youtube. I am thinking that the crazy glue would fill and repair the split and could be sanded and buffed out. Long island guitar repair is a fullservice repair shop conveniently located on the south shore of suffolk brightwaters, right near sunrise hwy and the southern state pkwy. So, this time, instead of returning the guitar to the manufacturer for refinishing, i decided to fix the small check. I had to use this glue so that i could use the same type of binding material that jimmy used when he built the guitar originally, so it is an important part of the luthiers pallet to have on hand. There are a couple of cracks in the thick plasticy finish. One of the best repair people is frank ford he has several articles on headstock repairs on his page. Aliphatic resin is amongst the most popular woodworkers glue used in instrument building and repair today. Steve kovacik is also a cf martin authorized warranty repair service agent.
Im curious what sort of glue the professional luthier would use to repair the cracks. Whether you are in need of a professional set up, neck reset, sound enhancement or even refinishing we do it all and we do it right. Professionals will often repair a crack or ding for you, but it can cost you. Used to repair cracks in the partial backplane panel. It is very important that you know how to recognize this and what to do about it should your guitar start to show these signs of dryness. Acoustic guitar cracked top repair by randy schartiger guitar repair.
Luthiers mercantile is a onestop shop for the instrument. It doesnt seem like there are any cracks in the wood itself, just the clear finish. Most of the worst and hardestto repair cracks happen on a guitars top. Fender acoustic guitar cd100lh nat wsoft bagfor parts or repair only read. Once the crack is closed, it can be repaired like any other crack. Guitar repair and luthier denver, colorado colfax guitar shop. We recommend repairing promptly, to prevent the crack from spreading. We are equipped to handle all of your acoustic and electric guitar adjustment and repair needs. Luthier and instructor, robert obrien, shows how to fix hairline cracks in a brazilian rosewood guitar back and then repair the finish. Top and back crack repair cleats tj thompson guitars. Now you can upload photos with your repair estimate request. A washboard texture which looks somewhat like corduroy is one of the first signs of dryness. Spampinato guitars highest quality in guitar repair, setup. Its an american stratocaster, but he says he dropped it, which resulted in a body crack.
Combined with installation cauls and strong magnets, they allow you to glue both the crack and the cleat in one operation. Kovacik guitars and fretted instrument repair was founded in 1995 by luthier steven kovacik, who has been building and repairing guitars since 1986. Basic work like a restring, setup and intonation or extensive vintage guitar restoration. Other common repairs include electric guitar electronics, acoustic guitar pickup installation, crack repair, neck reset, bone nut and saddle, specializing in high quality fret work. Depending on the severity and location of the crack, a repair is as simple as stabilizing the wood and applying glue to secure it. Hello my name is lynne and i am a luthier one who builds and fixes stringed instruments. Top and back crack repair cleats pro luthier tools. Conversly, an open crack exhibits a gap when properly humidified.
You can even snap a picture from your phone from here. Repairing guitars becomes easier as you become more skilled at diagnosing the problem and replacing parts properly. Another common repair for vintage guitars, often from exposure to dry conditions. Here is a tutorial on the complete repair of a les paul example. This usually happens when the guitar is allowed to dry out, causing the two halves of the top to come unglued at the center seam.
Atlantas finest guitar shop, with over 25 years experience in playing and selling guitars, teaching guitar lessons in atlanta and guitar repair have enabled us to create an outstanding inventory of guitars which includes some of the finest guitars available worldwide by such recognized luthiers as collings, ramirez, kohno, martin, lowden, goodall, santa cruz, national resophonic, takamine. Here you see my way of repairing a typical top crack. Since the invention of the acoustic guitar, we flattopback repair peeps havent had a crack repair method that was designed for and suited to our needs. If you own an acoustic guitar long enough, chances are good that youll have to deal with the repair of a crack in the wood. Full guitar repair school course, esfir curriculum outline luthier school the purpose of this instructional block is to introduce the luthier school student to the various concepts concerning the dynamics and physical characteristics of electric, acoustic, and bass guitars via live demonstrations and extensive handson evaluations.
Guitar repair and setup at guitar tech luthier 612 8393800. Guitar and stringed instrument repair at hawkins guitar we specialize in the repair of stringed instruments from guitar to ukulele to mandolin repairs and more. Spampinato guitars, conveniently located in southeast denver, specializes in guitar repairs ranging from expert and precise guitar setup, to complete string, fret, nut, bridge, electronics, and pickup repair and replacement services, as well as crack and finish repair on all acoustic and electric guitars, basses and ukuleles. Here you will find photos and descriptions on various hand made and store bought guitar repair tools. Tips on repairing acoustic guitar cracks proaudioland. I purchased one of these spruce strips to repair a crack in the sitka spruce top on my martin om. Titebond original wood glue is quite common unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle.
To learn more about johns repair and restoration workshops for players. The guitar specialist is new yorks premier guitar repair and restoration experts located in westchester county, ny serving musicians from the new york, connecticut and new jersey area for more than 20 years. Click on the tool pages links below to look at a few tools, store bought and hand made, used in guitar repair. Welcome to precision guitar works we are a small locally owned and operated repair shop and custom instrument builder in indialantic, fl serving the melbourne area and space coast musical community. The prices listed below are labor estimates and do not include parts such as new strings, bone blanks, fret wire, etc. I have an applause ae28 electricacoustic guitar that plays pretty well, but doesnt look so great. Woodworkers glue is water soluble, has longer working times than hide glue and is very strong. A full time repairman can have as much training time and investment in tools as any mechanic. Located inside every guitar center store, our staff of experienced, certified technicians will keep your guitar or other stringed instrument in peak playing condition and help you get. But, when the check is small, and on a new instrument like this one, the repair becomes something of a necessity, just to keep the instrument in salable condition as a new guitar. Acoustic guitar cracked top repair by randy schartiger.
How to repair cracks in your acoustic guitar guitar alliance. One of the most common instances is actually not a crack at all, but a centerseam separation. These tools are for repairing stubborn cracks, splits and punctures in acoustic guitars. I keep a few of the spruce cleats taped in the window facing the sun for vintage guitar repairs. Dec 24, 20 most of the worst and hardesttorepair cracks happen on a guitars top. A blow or pressure from the outside is the most common cause for cracks in the thin sides of acoustic guitars. The thing is the grain of the patch wood runs longitudinally with the guitar side. What would happen if i leave cracks on an acoustic guitar bridge. Glue for repairing cracks i have a couple of instruments a uke and a violin that both developed new sound board cracks this spring as the humidity changed. Heres how to pull a crack together and glue it neatly and permanently. Luthiers tools, guitar parts, fretwire, timbers and more. The crack goes through the entire thickness of the body. Guitar tech luthier guitar repair minnetonka, minnesota.
Dropins welcome or call 720 6381944 for free diagnostic appointment or custom guitar design. Today we repair a crack in the side of an acoustic guitar. Thanks to the advent and availability of neodymium extra strong type of rare earth magnets, now we do. This will limit the possibility of the guitar sustaining more unexpected cracks or surface scratches. If you have a picture of your guitar s condition, upload it to our estimator platform and well be able to get you an even more accurate repair estimate. Glues used in guitar repair fret not guitar repair located. West seattles guitar repair shop serving the puget sound. The focus of the shop operation is the building and repair of flat top acoustic guitars, but the shop also offers repair and complete restoration services on vintage and collectible guitars. These may need to be filled with similar wood, and the repair will be especially visible. Dogwood guitars is a fullservice setup and repair shop. Crack repair what caused my acoustic guitar to crack. I received my training at redwing vocational technical institute 1984.
Fixing a cracked gibson neck silesia guitars guitar. I recommend using hide glue, which is mostly water. The violin design tool, three violin seam or crack clamps. Martins traditional topoftheline guitar, and from a distance it looks pretty good, particularly without the tension of being tuned to. Let us show you a very common repair that we do here at the shop. The interior caul holds a featherweight wooden cleat while the exterior caul pulls it into place over the crack. Close the crack our crack clamp uses a guitar tuner on a smooth polyethylene base. Top and back crack repair cleats tj thompson guitars pro. Specializing in guitar conversions, christian has been a professional luthier for 10 years, and graduated from the robertovenn school of luthiery. The way that gibson guitars are constructed with a tilt back headstock, and no reinforcing volute in the back of the neck.
Instruments are allowed to dry out in the winter months or left in cars during the summer. This will also dramatically eliminate the crack from spreading up or down or in any direction. You remind me a bit of big d also a youtube luthier who focuses on electrics. We stock australias largest range of luthier supplies ready. In episode 7, robbie explains how to properly repair a crack in a guitar back. Now, erring on the side of caution i decided to overengineer this repair. Repair prices as of april, 2019 maple street guitars. Need advice for repair of cracked headstock acoustic. Repair cracks in tops and sides of an acoustic guitar. It may take some work and a few tries, but with the right tools you can shine up your guitar and make even a damaged guitar body look new. Our approach is to properly humidify the guitar before cleaning, aligning, and gluing any cracks. Luthier tips du jour mailbag 3 crack repair youtube.
Nasty acoustic guitar side cracks haze guitars repair. Damaged acoustic electric guitars products for sale ebay. Whether you need a guitar setup or a neck reset joshua snyder can get it done right. The water will help to swell the two sides of the crack back together, making it much less visible. Luthier question, how to repair cracked poly finish.