• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: About repairing guitars

1) If you have a little crack in your guitar, can you repair it on your own?
2) I prefer to go to a luthier when something is wrong about a guitar.
3) I only know that they need to remove the back of the guitar.

This is a little bit selfish but I REALLY AM DESPERATE AND WANTED TO HAVE ADVISE.
THE STORY:
I have a MARTIN D45V. The day after I went to hospital my mother afraid for burglary (they did enter once in my house 5 years ago) she came back to my house, to take 2 very expensive guitars, and 1 is that MARTIN D45V.
The guitar was NOT in a case, because she was with 2 other guitars in a triple guitar stand. She took the guitar and probably while laying the guitar in her car the side of the Martin "touched" the door of her car resulting in a little point of impact with a "fracture line" about 15cm long.
The wood used for a MARTIN D45V is:
TOP: Sitka spruce
BACK: Solid Indian Rosewood
SIDE: Solid Indian Rosewood too.
Considering the market price here in Europe between 10.000$ - 15000$ (incredible for a piece of wood with 6 strings) I searched the web and I read that for such a high priced guitar, more professional luthiers prefer to place a NEW side inn stead of repairing the crack with that little hole.

CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ADVISE HERE, my mother is really sick about what happened and she has an insurance for those things?
REPAIR OR REPLACE? I prefer a replace using of course full Indian Rosewood 
THANKS

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: New Zealand
  • Registered: 2008-01-29
  • Posts: 53

Re: About repairing guitars

Hi
I have recently replaced the fret wires on an acoustic guitar using a book called Guitar Repair by Irvine Sloane described as a Manual of repair for guitars and fretted instruments I am a retired cabinetmaker and found the job difficult so you would need to have a few clues on woodworking or know someone that has.The book covers topics on warped neck,action and buzzing,refretting,cracks,fractures,loose braces,etc. In his acknowledgments he thanks the C F Martin Organisation and the craftsmen for their help Replacing a whole side seems to be a major job I would get more advice on repairing the crack

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: About repairing guitars

Thats a tough question,you are in a fix as the guitar is very valuable. I have repaired a few guitars with simple wood putty,but I would not do it too that guitar.I think I would see if martian would give you an opinion on which way too go.Good luck doc.           dino48

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: About repairing guitars

What I found, somewhere on the internet (I forgot the site), they say 2 different things:
1) If you have a normal acoustic guitar (price range = 1000 - 1500$) they can repair it.
2) If you have an extremely high priced guitar like the Martin D45V, (8000 - 12000$) they suggest or give the advise to CHANG the SIDE.
In both cases they have to remove the back of your guitar. Back and sides are often made, using Indian Rosewood NOT LAMINATED. If you look on the internet the top brands, like Taylor, Martin, Gibson, they are made with the same wood (not all of them, but a lot).
As written my mother has a special insurance, covering "incidents and accidents at home". She has to pay 200€. She declared the incident on the guy who has her insurance portfolio.
I would rather go for brandnew sides, using the same wood: Indian rosewood.
This is one of my "investment" guitars (has doubled in price on 2 years) and IS A PROFESSIONAL LUTHIER CAPABLE TO CHANGE THE SITES AN GIVING ME BACK
1) The INVESTMENT factor.
2) Having exactly the same sides, as the original? WILL THE SOUND BE THE SAME when the sides are replaced? of course using the same cm and mm.
Thanks already for your help.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Registered: 2007-12-24
  • Posts: 67

Re: About repairing guitars

I have repaired lots of my own guitars and built a number of them from scratch, but I would take an investment grade instrument to a skilled luthier. Repairing valuable instruments is similar to restoring fine art. A proper repair has little to no impact on value. A poorly executed repair greatly reduces market value.

This guy is an expert or repairing vintage Martins:
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html

While a new side might be required, many side cracks can be repaired with a silk, linen or parchment patch, soaked in instrument grade hide glue applied to the inside. The external void can be filled with a lacquer stick, color matched to the wood. These steps are 1. compatible with the original materials and 2. reversible should other work be required.

6 Reply by dino48 (edited by dino48 2008-11-12 04:14:48)

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: About repairing guitars

Hi again doc,what drew said is true,I have also always heard that the sound gets better on a guitar as the wood ages,so you might want too replace as little wood as possable. Another thought I do belive badeye is a luthier or has done alot of repair work on them. I would email him at his personal web site and see what he says. I also would keep it in a good hardshell case. That might be bootlegger not badeye.           dino

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman