Jump to content

Sell or fix 'er up?


GeekRocket

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I guess to start off I should introduce myself; I'm a 20 year old college student who primarily plays electric but likes to fiddle around on acoustic from time to time, plays mostly for fun, and really has no intentions of gigging anytime in the near future. I joined these forums around five years ago but when HC underwent an overhaul I couldn't log back into my old account, I had to create a new one. So hello.

Anyways, I was 15 when my grandparents sent me $200 for Christmas and I decided to buy a steel-string acoustic from my local Sam Ash since I never owned that much money before. The one I settled on was a Carlo Robelli BWF414THCE (acoustic-electric, single cutaway, oval sound hole) mostly because I liked the color and it was cheap. While changing the strings recently, the bridge pin on the low E was stuck and I broke it trying to get it out.

The action is WAY too high and I'm afraid of sanding down both the glued-in saddle and nut. The preamp doesn't work anymore and the bridge has a few battle wounds as a result of my struggle of getting the stuck bridge pin out. I know that these problems are easy fixes for a good tech but my question is is it worth it to pay to have these done or should I just replace the pins, change the strings and try and see if I can trade it in or sell it online somehow in order to fund a new guitar? If so does anyone have any recommendations for a poor college kid to try out? Thanks, guys.

EDIT: For those saying I should sell it, would it be better to sell it privately or trade it in towards credit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by GeekRocket
The action is WAY too high and I'm afraid of sanding down both glued in the saddle and nut. The preamp doesn't work anymore and the bridge has a few battle wounds as a result of my struggle of getting the stuck bridge pin out. I know that these problems easy fixes for a good tech but my question is is it worth it to pay to have these done or should I just replace the pins, change the strings and try and see if I can trade it in or sell it online somehow in order to fund a new guitar?
Sorry. No easy or cheap fixes for that POS. Replace the pins, change the strings, and sell it... if you can... for whatever you can get for it... which probably won't be much. cry.gif

Then go buy yourself a Yamaha FG700S. thumb.gif You can thank me later. wink.gif

BTW, if you have a stuck bridge pin, take all the strings loose, stick your hand in the sound hole, and push the pin out from inside the guitar. whisper.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by GeekRocket
The action is WAY too high and I'm afraid of sanding down both glued in the saddle and nut. The preamp doesn't work anymore and the bridge has a few battle wounds as a result of my struggle of getting the stuck bridge pin out. I know that these problems easy fixes for a good tech but my question is is it worth it to pay to have these done or should I just replace the pins, change the strings and try and see if I can trade it in or sell it online somehow in order to fund a new guitar?
Sorry. No easy or cheap fixes for that POS. Replace the pins, change the strings, and sell it... if you can... for whatever you can get for it... which probably won't be much. cry.gif

Then go buy yourself a Yamaha FG700S. thumb.gif You can thank me later. wink.gif

BTW, if you have a stuck bridge pin, take all the strings loose, stick your hand in the sound hole, and push the pin out from inside the guitar. whisper.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by FretFiend. View Post
BTW, if you have a stuck bridge pin, take all the strings loose, stick your hand in the sound hole, and push the pin out from inside the guitar. whisper.gif
Believe me I tried that technique with a quarter for a while until I finally got it out from on top using a metal cooking skewer.

Quote Originally Posted by guildfire View Post
How much $ do you have to invest in a new guitar? 100 bucks would get you a better guitar compared to what you have now. Clean it up, fix the pin and sell it.
I have $250 that I'm willing to work with freely so I'd say my absolute limit is around $300. Of the hundreds of makes and models in that price range I suppose you could say I'm looking for a diamond in the rough (if that's even possible).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by FretFiend. View Post
BTW, if you have a stuck bridge pin, take all the strings loose, stick your hand in the sound hole, and push the pin out from inside the guitar. whisper.gif
Believe me I tried that technique with a quarter for a while until I finally got it out from on top using a metal cooking skewer.

Quote Originally Posted by guildfire View Post
How much $ do you have to invest in a new guitar? 100 bucks would get you a better guitar compared to what you have now. Clean it up, fix the pin and sell it.
I have $250 that I'm willing to work with freely so I'd say my absolute limit is around $300. Of the hundreds of makes and models in that price range I suppose you could say I'm looking for a diamond in the rough (if that's even possible).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

You can get a good guitar for around that with a solid wood top nowadays. Recording King, Yamaha, Ibanez Artwood (NOT Exotic Wood).

Fender and Washburn make solid top acoustics for low price (I don't personally like them, but it is subjective, just not my sound or feel).

Cort and Hohner make highly underrated guitars under $300. http://www.cortguitars.com/en/product/l900p Hohner Essentials



http://www.veelahguitars.com/ makes nice guitars for much less than you'd expect (if you can find one).



I wouldn't worry about fixing up that Robelli it is just not gonna sell for more than repairs sound like they'd cost.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

You can get a good guitar for around that with a solid wood top nowadays. Recording King, Yamaha, Ibanez Artwood (NOT Exotic Wood).

Fender and Washburn make solid top acoustics for low price (I don't personally like them, but it is subjective, just not my sound or feel).

Cort and Hohner make highly underrated guitars under $300. http://www.cortguitars.com/en/product/l900p Hohner Essentials



http://www.veelahguitars.com/ makes nice guitars for much less than you'd expect (if you can find one).



I wouldn't worry about fixing up that Robelli it is just not gonna sell for more than repairs sound like they'd cost.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Pine Apple Slim View Post
At that budget Id suggest forget electronics and go for the best acoustic tone and feel you can get.
Id suggest looking at Yamaha, Recording King, possibly a used Seagull could be had for that.
I'll second that--the part about forgoing electronics. You can add those later without hugely great expense, and in all likelihood you'll be much happier with the amplified sound you'll get from the add-on system than whatever system will come in a lower-end guitar.

And if gigging is not in the near future, there's really no reason to have electronics. Even if you record at home, you'll get MUCH better recorded sound from miking the guitar.

As PAS notes there are some very good guitars at the low-ish end. If it was me, I'd go used rather than new. But either way, play before buy. Good luck!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by Pine Apple Slim View Post
At that budget Id suggest forget electronics and go for the best acoustic tone and feel you can get.
Id suggest looking at Yamaha, Recording King, possibly a used Seagull could be had for that.
I'll second that--the part about forgoing electronics. You can add those later without hugely great expense, and in all likelihood you'll be much happier with the amplified sound you'll get from the add-on system than whatever system will come in a lower-end guitar.

And if gigging is not in the near future, there's really no reason to have electronics. Even if you record at home, you'll get MUCH better recorded sound from miking the guitar.

As PAS notes there are some very good guitars at the low-ish end. If it was me, I'd go used rather than new. But either way, play before buy. Good luck!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

OK, you the pin out. Do you want to try to fix it up - either to play or to sell? If so, I'd be happy to try to talk you thru a few basic setup operations. Before you do anything else, take some careful measurements for me - put a capo on 1, hold the middle strings down at 13 and measure the relief with feeler guages. Next, either measure the height of the low and high E strings at one, or put a capo on at two and tap them over one - you should hear a slight "ping". Lastly, measure the low and high E at 12 to at least 1/64 accuracy - use a good quality machinist rule or stack feeler guages. Post all of those numbers and we'll decide what needs to be done.

Next, how do you know the saddle is glued in (nuts usually have a very small drop of glue but saddles are rarely glued in). Try working it out carefully with a pair of diagonal wire cutters - working from each end. I just want to know if it will come out. Don't worry about the nut - I'm going to guess that it won't need much.

All we can do here is make it more playable - won't change the sound or fix the electronics. After that you can decide if you want to sell it, keep it, get something different.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I'd work with Freeman to get it playable. Nobody's gonna give you much for it.
I'd buy a new acoustic in your price range, fix up the Robelli to use as a beater- the guitar you leave out in the apartment on a stand, while your new git is in a case under the bed. Two guitars is nice to have around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Another thought if your Carlo Robelli has high action: I have a guitar in this condition (although much older and a different brand). Mine needs a neck re-set, but it is not nearly worth the cost, and is not going to sell for much of anything if I tried to sell it. So I'm keeping it for playing slide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Well, I spent my day going to every store in my area and nobody wants anything to do with it. A new guitar isn't totally necessary right now but as the old excuse goes, it would be a nice thing to have. If push comes to shove and I absolutely have to get rid of it (moving out, in dire need of cash), would it be better to sell it online via eBay or Craigslist or through the classifieds on this site? I would think that the people here have a better understanding of what they're getting into when buying a cheap-o. Thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I doubt anyone on evilbay would want it for much more than shipping costs.

OTOH, Freeman Keller is always looking for cadavers for his guitar repair experiments. I suppose he could at least offer it some hope of winding up in the hands of someone in true desperate need of a guitar, which does happen around here occasionally. There would of course be some shipping costs involved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by GeekRocket View Post
Well, I spent my day going to every store in my area and nobody wants anything to do with it. A new guitar isn't totally necessary right now but as the old excuse goes, it would be a nice thing to have. If push comes to shove and I absolutely have to get rid of it (moving out, in dire need of cash), would it be better to sell it online via eBay or Craigslist or through the classifieds on this site? I would think that the people here have a better understanding of what they're getting into when buying a cheap-o. Thoughts?
If you try to sell it on CL or evil-bay, at least be honest about the condition. I seriously doubt that any store will be interested.

I sometimes buy yard sale castaways and fix them up for the local music program - some have gone to needy players on this site. I like to know what I'm getting into when I start - usually these are moderate quality guitars that need a reset or some serious setup work, but not complete basket cases. I don't try to do electronics (even tho I am an electrical engineer).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...