Dealing with water damage on an old parlor guitar

[Rick Homan]

As you can see in the first photo, this old parlor guitar took on some water at some point. The second photo shows the finish damage which resulted. Comparing with the photos on Frets.com, I would guess this is a candidate for Frank Ford's Cellusolve treatment, but I have not done this before so would like some confirmation or alternate suggestions. The third photo shows a stain barely visible on the outside of the back. Some of this staining is also visible to the left of the end block in the second photo.

This is the same parlor I asked about in the earlier discussion on Re-attaching kerfed linings. I want to thank Jim Bancroft, Ronnie Nichols and Donald A. Fortune for their helpful suggestions. Thanks to them, I properly removed the back, re-glued all the bracing and the linings, added a replacement brace and got the box back together. For now, I am sticking with the original tail-piece and neutral-tension bridge. I have gone slow re-setting the neck since it's my first, and am just about ready to glue it back in place. I did it all with hot hide glue, thanks to the excellent info on Frets.com. Thanks guys (including Frank Ford); I couldn't have done it without you.

[Jim Bancroft]

As for repairing the finish, first find out what it is. It may be shellac, as that what was used on most guitars until the mid 1920's or so. Try a Q-tip soaked in alcohol, on a small spot, if it softens the finish, it is shellac, if not, it's probably lacquer.

If the finish is crackled and flaking away, and it's shellac, a thin coat of shellac over this area will make it solid. Frank's description for reamalgamating lacquer will work otherwise. I would treat the finish as basic as possible, just to make it solid and attached, not make it look better, or destroy the vintage patina. The staining is probably not removable, personally, I wouldn't worry about it, it's part of the vintage look.

Jim

[Rick Homan]

Thanks, Jim, for another great tip! I tried a little denatured alcohol and it softened up right away. Must be shellac! This was truly a case of me not knowing what question to ask.

[Tim Mace]

Are those sides oak?

[Rick Homan]

Yep! Back and sides are solid oak. Should be pretty once I get it cleaned up. BTW, the neck is painted a dark (now) red/maroon, so I'm guessing not mahog, but who knows what.