Gibson J 50 structural repairs - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T10:15:52Zhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/gibson-l-50-structural-repairs?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A110126&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHi guys.
This thread hasn't r…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-02:2177249:Comment:1101262013-06-02T06:49:53.612ZPaul Verticchiohttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/PaulVerticchio
<p>Hi guys.</p>
<p>This thread hasn't really gone OT. Everything is relevant and everything suggested thus far is a viable option.</p>
<p>I think the subject of 'to re-set or not re-set' and the other repair aspects have been extremely well represented and described by all responders. </p>
<p>I think the 'advice' portion of this thread has simply run it's course. It's now time for Andrew to review the thoughtful and expert advice he's received. Then he'll decide what path he wishes to take, in…</p>
<p>Hi guys.</p>
<p>This thread hasn't really gone OT. Everything is relevant and everything suggested thus far is a viable option.</p>
<p>I think the subject of 'to re-set or not re-set' and the other repair aspects have been extremely well represented and described by all responders. </p>
<p>I think the 'advice' portion of this thread has simply run it's course. It's now time for Andrew to review the thoughtful and expert advice he's received. Then he'll decide what path he wishes to take, in accordance with his customer's wishes.</p>
<p>Besides, the quicker he gets to work, the sooner he'll be able to post pics of the completed instrument and probably have all of us drooling (again, in my case).</p>
<p>Best regards to all,</p>
<p>Paul</p>
<p>p.s.</p>
<p>Kerry: I'm with Eric. You? Rude? I've never witnessed it. I'm afraid you'll have to live with the reputation of a "great guy', my friend.</p>
<p>Eric: I had the same $2K-$2.5K value in my head also...for the repaired instrument. It's a pity. Prior to late 2008, it would have been valued at double that figure. Whatever the value...someone's going to end up with a very nice & cool guitar :)</p> I follow, and under the circu…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-02:2177249:Comment:1101252013-06-02T05:21:24.559ZEric Steven Johansenhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/EricStevenJohansen
<p>I follow, and under the circumstances you are referring to, I never would recommend a costly repair, but this guitar is different in my opinion. My comments are regarding the guitar in question only. Honestly I can't remember the last time I thought you were rude?</p>
<p>I follow, and under the circumstances you are referring to, I never would recommend a costly repair, but this guitar is different in my opinion. My comments are regarding the guitar in question only. Honestly I can't remember the last time I thought you were rude?</p> So not to be rude Eric, but d…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-02:2177249:Comment:1099612013-06-02T02:46:59.370ZKerry Krishnahttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/KerryKrishna
<p>So not to be rude Eric, but did you see the point of not doing a neck reset on a guitar that is worth as much as the repair? That was what I was trying to get across my friend. </p>
<p>So not to be rude Eric, but did you see the point of not doing a neck reset on a guitar that is worth as much as the repair? That was what I was trying to get across my friend. </p> I certainly do not want to ca…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-02:2177249:Comment:1101222013-06-02T01:46:00.821ZEric Steven Johansenhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/EricStevenJohansen
<p>I certainly do not want to carry this thread off course so I'll try to bring it back around to the subject guitar. A '53 J-50 properly repaired is at least a $2,000 instrument without considering this ones sentimental value. With that in mind I'd be doing a reset along with the other repairs. I've never done a back slip reset, but I have restored one, done on an old rosewood Martin, and after that experience would recommend that type of work only on a cheap guitar. I have to say my…</p>
<p>I certainly do not want to carry this thread off course so I'll try to bring it back around to the subject guitar. A '53 J-50 properly repaired is at least a $2,000 instrument without considering this ones sentimental value. With that in mind I'd be doing a reset along with the other repairs. I've never done a back slip reset, but I have restored one, done on an old rosewood Martin, and after that experience would recommend that type of work only on a cheap guitar. I have to say my perspective comes from years in the vintage trade and others experiences may be quite different from mine. To each his own.</p> No apologies necessary, good…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-02:2177249:Comment:1102162013-06-02T00:29:29.290ZAndrewhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/Andrew715
No apologies necessary, good info is indeed good info, and all or most of it becomes relevant in time. Also this forum seems to be pretty good about thread degeneration. That said, i think all the comments re resets are quite legetimate. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the person doing the repair; perspective is an important thing.
No apologies necessary, good info is indeed good info, and all or most of it becomes relevant in time. Also this forum seems to be pretty good about thread degeneration. That said, i think all the comments re resets are quite legetimate. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the person doing the repair; perspective is an important thing. First off, apologies to And…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-02:2177249:Comment:1100152013-06-02T00:06:53.004ZKerry Krishnahttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/KerryKrishna
<p> First off, apologies to Andrew the Original Poster that this thread is going off course here, but good info is good info however you can get it!</p>
<p>John's point about the cost of doing the bridge shaving VS neck rest is ( I think) THE point he is trying to make Eric, A $500 buck guitar plywood axe is not a $2000 Martin or Gibson, and he certainly is not talking about doing this on a valuable guitar. </p>
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<p>I think it is a totally legit practice if the guitar is worth $500,…</p>
<p> First off, apologies to Andrew the Original Poster that this thread is going off course here, but good info is good info however you can get it!</p>
<p>John's point about the cost of doing the bridge shaving VS neck rest is ( I think) THE point he is trying to make Eric, A $500 buck guitar plywood axe is not a $2000 Martin or Gibson, and he certainly is not talking about doing this on a valuable guitar. </p>
<p></p>
<p>I think it is a totally legit practice if the guitar is worth $500, and lifetime wise, is closer to being in the garbage bin than it is to being actually played. And many of us have played acoustics that had bridges shaved down 20 years ago too.I certainly know that I have...</p>
<p> If this process can give 20 years to the active life of a guitar, that seems to me to be as legit as it gets.</p>
<p> What do you think Eric?</p> I repair guitars for a living…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-01:2177249:Comment:1100142013-06-01T23:51:20.594ZJohnhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/John631
<p>I repair guitars for a living, The math would say that a neck reset would push an already expensive repair past what the guitar is worth. Slipping the back is probably a good alternative.</p>
<p>For the record I can talk a customer into a bridge plane for an extra $80 but I can't talk them into a $500 repair on a $500 instrument.</p>
<p>I repair guitars for a living, The math would say that a neck reset would push an already expensive repair past what the guitar is worth. Slipping the back is probably a good alternative.</p>
<p>For the record I can talk a customer into a bridge plane for an extra $80 but I can't talk them into a $500 repair on a $500 instrument.</p> The top is where the most mov…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-01:2177249:Comment:1099582013-06-01T22:26:07.133ZEric Steven Johansenhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/EricStevenJohansen
<p>The top is where the most movement occurs due to the many changes in moisture/temperature/string tension. That being said there are also changes in the body geometry and the neck itself to account for. Movement in the headblock is usually inconsequential unless the dovetail comes loose. I'll stand by my assessment regarding the reset because I can't count the many bridge replacements I've done due to shaving, when a reset was all that they needed.</p>
<p>The top is where the most movement occurs due to the many changes in moisture/temperature/string tension. That being said there are also changes in the body geometry and the neck itself to account for. Movement in the headblock is usually inconsequential unless the dovetail comes loose. I'll stand by my assessment regarding the reset because I can't count the many bridge replacements I've done due to shaving, when a reset was all that they needed.</p> Its my understanding that it…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-01:2177249:Comment:1099542013-06-01T19:03:28.388ZAndrewhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/Andrew715
Its my understanding that it isnt the dovetail that moves, but rather the body changing shape and affecting the plane of the fingerboard in relation to the top/bridge as well as the height of the bridge in relation to that plane. If the dovetail itself was shifting then it would seem there would be more guitars in need of resets due to loose or poorly fitting necks, which is not usually the case in my experience.
Its my understanding that it isnt the dovetail that moves, but rather the body changing shape and affecting the plane of the fingerboard in relation to the top/bridge as well as the height of the bridge in relation to that plane. If the dovetail itself was shifting then it would seem there would be more guitars in need of resets due to loose or poorly fitting necks, which is not usually the case in my experience. I guess we all have different…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2013-06-01:2177249:Comment:1101162013-06-01T06:39:46.804ZNed Knepphttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/NedKnepp
<p>I guess we all have different experiences and different opinions.</p>
<p></p>
<p>When I wrote what I did, I was thinking about a mid '50s J45 that my brother and I had. It was the first really decent guitar we ever purchased and we had to have a bridge put on it before we could play it.</p>
<p> It was a great "boomer" and we held on to it for a long time then regretted selling it when we let it go. The point is that we started using light strings on it when we first started playing it but…</p>
<p>I guess we all have different experiences and different opinions.</p>
<p></p>
<p>When I wrote what I did, I was thinking about a mid '50s J45 that my brother and I had. It was the first really decent guitar we ever purchased and we had to have a bridge put on it before we could play it.</p>
<p> It was a great "boomer" and we held on to it for a long time then regretted selling it when we let it go. The point is that we started using light strings on it when we first started playing it but later realized that it was a GREAT Bluegrass guitar with mediums. It didn't take long for the neck to move when we made this switch. It didn't move much but it DID move and continued to do so over the years. </p>
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<p>When we sold it the guitar was in need of a neck reset. Maybe, if we had continued running light strings it would not have needed it or maybe there was some other thing we did to this guitar that contributed to the cause. I don't think we made the wrong choice but the choices we made seems to have contributed to moving that guitar down the road to a neck reset. Now maybe the bridge could be shaved but the bridge wasn't all that thick so I don't know how much support would have been left to hold the saddle upright.</p>
<p>To me, if there is ANY chance that the guitar will need a reset, now would be the time to do it. Don't get me wrong, I don't underestimate the complexity of a reset but there is already so much to do that NOT doing the reset now would seem almost negligent to me. (opinions differ). It's like leaving the last paragraph out of that mystery novel. If everything else is being addressed, why not this too?</p>
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<p>BTW, I do have one guitar that doesn't seem to have changed in setup in any way that I can tell. It's a fairly high end Japanese guitar that I've had for just over 30 years. It's spent more than half of that with low string tension as it sits in a case waiting for someone to play it. I noticed changes, over time, in all of my regular players and I take very good care of my players. I also accept that idea that wood moves and guitars need neck resets. Again, just my opinion.</p>
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