Top Split Fix on an archtop?

[Steve Bee]

This is a 1988 Gibson L-4 CES that must have been in a hot, dry place...  Are these splits in the top candidates for fill/CA glue/epoxy or splints?  They are about .005" at the widest?

[Ned Knepp]

Humidify, humidify, humidify... then see what you have before you decide how to approach these.

 

Ned

[Steve Bee]

thanks Ned!!!  I will, I will, I will...

[Ned Knepp]

LOL.

If it's really dry, it could take a while ( a week... or two... or...). Waiting on this is ALWAYS a test of my patience but it usually pays off. You're definitely going to want/need to cleat these but they may tighten up pretty well which could alleviate the need to splint them. I find it much easier to blend a crack repair if I don't have to do that.

 

 

[FRANK]

yep Ned's right re humidify . gonna take some cleats to inside, I ve been using rare earth mags watch your fingers great for prepping the inside from the out side they even hold new brace /cleat material well while glueing .Id take my video camera pull the infer red lens out to reassemble it then place a small led light down the instrument and view the instrument through the camera this will give the viewer X Ray vision to view brace damage excreta from the top side with out harmful entry ... and there are ways of doing this repair with out opening up the instrument  the crack can not just be glued shut from the top side it will take in my estimation 2 or 3 cleats inside .

[Steve Bee]

I do not fully understand this camera thing you are describing...

[Matt Haugen]

Sorry, I know this is off subject, but is the bridge on this guitar backwards?

[Mark Pollock]

I was thinking the same thing - those saddles are truly in some novel placements.

 

Those cracks are pretty spectacular, but I agree, humidity should make life much easier. Out of curiousity, is it tuned to pitch, or are the stings slack in these pictures? Just curious about if the cracks channge with string pressure.

[Steve Bee]

see above

[Chris Rochow]

I'd humidify that baby for a good month first. I use a couple of old cat food cans with water,and a paper towel in the cans (keeps from 'splashing while inserting thru the sound hole). Seal up the hole with a inflated balloon, or a hole plug that used to prevent feedback. Be sure to tape over the pin holes too.

[Mark Pollock]

Probably not practical to put a can tin through an archtop f-hole. :)

 

[Steve Bee]

I am probably going to remove all the hardware and give it a good cleaning/going over...

[Kerry Krishna]

Mark, do NOT get anymore crap in the cracks! And be aware that if you are touching the edges of the cracks at all, each time you are taking off small flecks of lacquer too, so later, the crack will be more visible.