Members bluzboy Posted March 4, 2013 Members Share Posted March 4, 2013 I picked up a nice-looking, used off brand solid-top with (laminated?) rosewood b&s at auction for little more than a song a few days ago. Bringing it home, however, I discovered a few problems...most, if not all, I suspect may be due to a severe lack of moisture. The action is definitely too low (and that's with three shims under the saddle), which results in some serious fret buzzing on all strings at the 11th fret and below (the high E string is particularly bad, and starts buzzing several frets above that). The truss rod was originally as tight as it could be, and has been loosened considerably...but to no avail. There are also several sharp fret ends.I know this guitar needs some work, but I'd like to try correcting what I can before deciding if it's worth bringing in to the shop. Getting it to a proper moisture level seems like a good place to start. I've already put in a soundhole humidifier, and another in the case's uncovered accessories compartment. I figure I'll leave it closed up for a few days and see if there's any improvement, but I'm wondering if there's more I can or should do. Also, what are the odds of the additional humidity alone correcting the fret ends?TIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted March 4, 2013 Members Share Posted March 4, 2013 Sounds like it needs serious rehumidification, which could take several days. My guess (and that's all it is) is that the sharp fret ends will be largely eliminated when you're done. A setup and new saddle (all of which you can do yourself) should take care of quite a bit of the rest. The buzzing is likely caused by little or no relief. However, there could be structural issues as well. Can you take some measurements and post them once you have it rehumidified? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted March 4, 2013 Members Share Posted March 4, 2013 Humidify it up good first before you do anything else. Leave it in its case with several good humidifying devices like sponges in baggies, Oasis, Snakes, etc. Monitor the humidity in the case if you can. Get a cheapo digital hygrometer at wallyworld and leave it in the case too.The humidifers may need some additional moisture.The guitar may soak up more than you think. It may take a week or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted March 4, 2013 Members Share Posted March 4, 2013 Don't be in too big of a hurry - it might take a month or more for the wood to absorb enough moisture to stabilize. A couple of sponge baggies in side the guitar, another in the case is about all you can do - again, don't over do it or you might damage finish.My limited experience says the sharp fret ends will not take care of themselves, but it's no big deal to file them and redress the ends. Cracks, if any, will probably close, but they will need some stabilizing.There was at one time a video at the Taylor site showing them rehydrating and then fixing a severly dry guitar. Also, google and read the Larravee article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted March 4, 2013 Members Share Posted March 4, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamesp Posted March 4, 2013 Members Share Posted March 4, 2013 Spend less time arguing on HCPP, and get yourself a nicer guitar, hippy. Can I get a Solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluzboy Posted March 5, 2013 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2013 jamesp wrote: Spend less time arguing on HCPP, and get yourself a nicer guitar, hippy. Can I get a Solution? LOL! I have plenty of nice guitars. But this one was too cheap to pass up. My thanks to all for the good advice (and a shout-out to Fretfiend for the videos--I'd been looking for those). I have two humidifiers in there now; will add a couple more tonight. I'll keep you posted on the progress (if any), and put some photos in a few weeks. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buzhard dakota Posted March 8, 2013 Members Share Posted March 8, 2013 I lemon or orange oil all my guitars, some say it is not a goog idea but it works for me. After all it comes from a tree. I am always looking for old junkers. My friends laugh at me and say why did you buy this piece of junk. And then when I'm done, they want it.In my opion it is better then moisture cause it keeps the wood alive.And it cleans them up nicely and a bottle lasts a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted March 8, 2013 Members Share Posted March 8, 2013 buzhard dakota wrote: I lemon or orange oil all my guitars, some say it is not a goog idea but it works for me. After all it comes from a tree. I am always looking for old junkers. My friends laugh at me and say why did you buy this piece of junk. And then when I'm done, they want it. In my opion it is better then moisture cause it keeps the wood alive. And it cleans them up nicely and a bottle lasts a long time. Well there you have it folks. Bob Taylor is all wrong. What he should be doing is smearing lemon or orange oil all over those dried out guitars. Damn! What gems of wisdom can be found here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buzhard dakota Posted March 8, 2013 Members Share Posted March 8, 2013 Where did I say Bob was all wrong. It's made out of wood.Go to a antique wood finish guy, ask him what to do with an old dried out piece of furniture.Doubt if he will tell you to get out the garden hose. He will tell you to oil it.You people ROCK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buzhard dakota Posted March 11, 2013 Members Share Posted March 11, 2013 Any how, I have only been using this new method for 25 years.No cracks, no warps, no hits, no errors.Only clean and shiny happy guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted March 12, 2013 Members Share Posted March 12, 2013 buzhard dakota wrote: I lemon or orange oil all my guitars, some say it is not a goog idea but it works for me. After all it comes from a tree. I am always looking for old junkers. My friends laugh at me and say why did you buy this piece of junk. And then when I'm done, they want it. In my opion it is better then moisture cause it keeps the wood alive. And it cleans them up nicely and a bottle lasts a long time. Bluzboy, remember that advice that you get on the internet is worth exactly what you pay for it - including from me of course. However1 - your guitar has the symptoms of a dried guitar and needs to be rehumidified as we have discussed before. Read the Larrivee article - one of the best I've seen.2- I know of no manufacture who recommends lemon or any other oil as treatment for their finish. Wood is not alive, it does not need "feeding" (and probably wouldn't eat lemon oil if it was alive. Some people use a very small amount of lemon oil on unfinished fretboards to make them nice and shiny - Taylor says that won't hurt their guitars because of the poly finish, Martin specifically says that if you get it on their nitrocellulose lacquer it can damage it (along with a lot of other chemicals). So, obviously its your guitar and you can put anything on it that you want, but might be worth getting some other opinions than the one above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buzhard dakota Posted March 13, 2013 Members Share Posted March 13, 2013 Pardon the loose use of the term orange/lemon oil. It is actually Old English Furniture Polish with lemon or orange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluzboy Posted March 14, 2013 Author Members Share Posted March 14, 2013 Thank you for the pointers, Freeman. That Laravee article sounds great, but I don't think I've come across the one you're referring to.Going into my second week of hydration: I have two humidifiers in the soundhole (a baggie with sponges in it, a sponge-filled perforated film canister, and a third in the open accessories compartment (figure it might add some moisture to the next despite finish. After the first 8 days, the fret ends felt notably better--though not there yet. The buzzing did not seem to improve at all. When played on the first several frets, though, the sound is pretty great, however. I'm just going to leave it like this (maybe add another baggie to the sound hole) and let it rest for several more weeks then see what happens.I may wind up taking it in if the buzzing can't be fixed, but I don't think it's a reset issue.Thanks once again to all who offered advice. I'll continue to keep you apprised of the situation. If I somehow get it totally repaired, keep an eye out for a puff of while smoke rising over the chapel.... That will be me lighting up a celebratory doob.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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