How to re-attach loose kerfed lining?

[Rick Homan]

I am starting work on this old parlor guitar and, as you can see, need to re-attach the back near the end block where there was some water damage. But the kerfed lining is loose from the sides for about 3" where the gap is widest, so it will have to be re-attached first.

It seems a shame to take the back off for this, although that would also make it easier to re-glue the lateral braces on both the top and back.

I did a little experimenting with bending a large paper clip to make a hook to go inside and pull the lining back against the side, with the rest of the clip providing spring pressure against the outside.

I can't help thinking someone has already solved this one and, if so, I would appreciate knowing the solution. This being my first post, I should say I have played guitar most of my life, done my own set-ups for years, and recently built a StewMac 000; it is a musical success, but has cosmetic flaws.

Thanks in advance!

[Jim Bancroft]

The guitar has no binding, so it wouldn't be a big job to total remove the back, do the needed repairs, and reattach the back. That is probably what I would do. You could partial unglue the back enough to fix the loose linning, but if you have loose bracing too, I'd remove the back.

Jim

[Ronnie Nichols]

I understand your reluctance to remove the back. I feel sure you could probably work some glue in there and get it back together, but it looks like the end block area has been wet and there may be more damage in there than you can see. Since the back appears to be unbound, it may be relatively easy to remove it. You could see the damage and have a better shot at a permanent repair with the back removed. You can take a thin putty knife or an old cake decorating knife and heat it with a propane torch. If you work carefully the back may pop off without too much trouble. You may actually save some time by going this route. With the back removed you can check all the braces, end block, and linings. You also may be able to partially remove the back and leave the neck block area attached. You may be able to raise the back enough to do some serious repairs. When you start to glue the back on, cover the edges with masking tape and try to align the sides to their original positions. You may also want to put some masking paper on the inside to stop glue from running down the sides. After the glue is dry, clean off the excess with a wet rag. I've removed a lot of backs and put them back with only a minor finish touch-up in a few places. I hope your repair is successful.
Ronnie Nichols

[Rick Homan]

Thank you both! I am persuaded that removing the back will be worth it, both for further inspection and brace work.

[Rick Homan]

I followed Ronnie's instructions for removing the back, and indeed it took me only about 30 minutes, including getting the workbench set up. As both Jim and Ronnie suggested, this was time well-spent because all the braces -- top and back -- need re-gluing to a greater or lesser extent. That, along with re-attaching that bit of lining will be easy now.

So, I thought I would share the peek inside with you. It was cool lifting that back off and thinking that this had probably not seen daylight for +/- 80 years. The top is in good shape, probably because this guitar has a neutral-tension bridge. I have seen this on one other pre-war guitar and it was recently re-introduced on some models, I believe, by www.batsonguitars.com/. You can see this in the second photo: the end of the tailpiece shows on the right and then you can see the holes in the back of the bridge, and the step-down on the front of the bridge where the strings come through. There is a brass saddle on the step-down.

However, the top has a crack from the soundhole to the neck block. It is not a cosmetic or structural issue, because the fretboard extension covers all but 1/4" of it. Still, I am considering adding a thin, cross-grain spruce patch in case I have to reset the neck; I won't know that until I re-build the box, but I suspect I might have to because I can slip a piece of paper 3/8" under the heel. Any thoughts?

[Donald A. Fortune]

Hi Rick- Im totally amazed at how little bracing is on the top of this flat top.
Ya think while you have the bk off you should maby do some sort of "X"
bracing in there??
Is this thing a steel string guitar?? the cross grain patch that you are sugesting
would be ok if it was verry thin say 2MM. that way the top will still vibrete, and the structor thing will be solved.
I might be all wet in my comment because I am but a beginner at making flat top
guitars but Im learning as I go.
best to you and be sure to let us kno how it turns out ok???
Donald

[Rick Homan]

I think the lack of bracing is because of the neutral-tension bridge described in my previous post. The strings are stretched between the tailpiece and tuners, and they pass through the bridge; but they do not push down on the top as strings on an archtop do, and they do not pull up on the top as strings on a typical flat-top bridge. The strings are coupled to the top by the bridge but the top does not have to bear tension. I have seen these but have never had my hands on one, so I am very curious to get this one playable. I'll use silk and steel strings to start with. I'll let you know.

[Jim Bancroft]

Rick,
There are a few things I would probably do now that the back is off.
I'd probably add another brace under the bridge location, to help flatten the top. Many parlors, with ladder bracing, and a glued on pin bridge, have a flat brace or bridge plate that is probable 3/32" thick X approx. 1 1/4" wide, and ends maybe an inch in from the sides. Or, you could add a similar tall brace in the bridge area.

You could also convert to a pin bridge and eliminate the tailpiece. You would have to add a bridge plate, similar to above, and a new bridge.
The crack under the fingerboard may only need a patch near the soundhole for reinforcement.

If the heel is loose, I'd probably reset the neck, I'm sure it's a standard dovetail.
Good luck
Jim

[Rick Homan]

Thanks, Jim! I am really thinking about putting a pin bridge on this now. It is all solid spruce and walnut, and has that feather-light construction of early guitars. It could really be sweet.

There's a good photo of the kind of thing you are describing at www.stellaguitars.com; click on "Snapshot of a Restoration." It shows a new upper graft and wide bridge plate added.

And I will be re-setting the neck.

[Donald A. Fortune]

Hi Rick, I think the idea of putting a pin bridge on the top of your new adventure would follow this theroy-- A guitar top is like a drum and it is supose to vibrate, and anything that you do to stop that action is ging to hurt the sound of the guitar.
puting the strings in a tail piece will not stop the top from vibrating...
Just some food for thought-- best to you in completing your project.. lets see it when you "get er done"
Donald

[Jim Bancroft]

Glueing the bridge to the guitar top is not going to hinder vibrations. Why then are most bridges glued to the top, instead of the the tailpiece version?

Not trying to cause an argument, just don't understand where you are coming from.

Jim