crunch a frantic phone call came in

[FRANK]

well a local music store is really testing my abilities here so I need your advice here lies a new Greg Bennett model acoustic electric that has seamed to have been dropped solid koa back sides and top it crunched out the abalone purflring 25%and has lifted the top as well about 1/4 pretty bad one so I am first going inside to look which I have not and try to get some photos of the bracing inside has anyone else taken on the task of something like this and can you lend advice please

[Christian Johnson]

This repair could be more than the guitar is worth. Ask the local store how much a new one cost at wholesale. The finish is polyurethane clear, not easy to fix. Regluing everything should not be that hard, but it will look repaired, right on the top where it is seen by everyone. I wouldn't do it. Not a high value guitar.

[FRANK]

thanks but these guys are paying cash it looks like a purfurling repair and supper glue maby a curfing repair

[Russell Vance]

I agree with christian Johnson on this one, the amount I would have to charge, to make a living wage, to fully repair this is more than the guitar is worth. Otherwize I end up working for peanuts just to get the job. The damage to the poly finish on this cheap guitar is difficult to repair as the cracks in the thick poly finish are there for good even with a liberal drenching of CA. Refinishing the area is also difficult to do well short of stripping the top fully and going again.
On the other hand, if the shop just wants a patch up and sell damaged approach do whatever with CA.
Rusty.

[FRANK]

well the shop wants is a playing instrument that has damage but has been fixed as good as can be i guess kinda like yea damaged goods but playable with that said I think I can rebuild the purfurling pretty easy with some abalone i have its about 2 or 3 inches that need to be rebuilt but as soon as I pull the old crushed reminisce out it will relieve the up pushed materiel and fill what I can with abalone back fill with CA ?kinda floating that way ?

[Russell Vance]

Sure, got the drift Paul - gap filling CA is what I would choose for this, don't forget to inspect the top all over - breaks of this nature sometime transfer the shock to the opposite side of the guitar top and split the grain in an area not necessarily adjacent to the damage. Also if the interior kerfling is in disarray at the area of the break a couple of layers of graphite fibre mat and epoxy just pushed into the area to conform to the side and back will stiffen up the side to top joint without resorting to lengthy and delicate repairs (I know this isn't exactly fine woodworking but we are being effective here rather than precise). Rusty.

[FRANK]

great idea

[FRANK]

ANY OTHER ADVICE BEFORE i CRACK THIS ONE OPEN PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN IN ON THIS ONE

[FRANK]

HERES HOW i FIXED IT PULLED OUT THE REMINISCE OF THE OLD ABALONE CLAMPED THE TOP BACK DOWN A SQUIRT OF CA GLUE INLAY MORE SHELL CA GLUE SAND FLAT BUFF OUT DONE YOU CAN SEE THE DOT MARKERS i USED ON THE ENDS WAS MABY AN HOUR FROM START TO FINNISH: