Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 I got this Harmony Sovereign Jumbo on Ebay a while ago. It's got the typical loose neck in the pocket and high action. It needs the treatment. I figured I'd snap some photos of the work. Here's the victim. A Harmony Sovereign 1260. The finish isn't bad but the action is off. It came with nice tuners that replaced the originals. I got a decent deal on this one. $150 including shipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 oof...Action pretty high. I don't want to play slide guitar with this thing..... ....the back is nice...no cracks I'm always raving about these backs. One piece quartersawn Honduran mahogany. I never really liked how the tinted shellac they used never showed off the wood well. I'm probably going to refinish the back and sides to fix that and get rid of the scratched after I'm done. I'll leave the top alone though. I like the sunburst and it's rare on these models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 The saddle is almost down to nothing. I'll be replacing that with ivory once the neck is reset. I'm hoping to get it up taller so there will be lots of break angle for better tone and years of time before another is needed. This shows the inside a bit. No center seam. Looks like they washcoated some shellac inside for added measure. Hide glue for the back braces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Well let's get to it. I pulled the strings off. Time to pull the neck off to reglue it. I'll use this to pull off the 15th fret... that was quick..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 This hot iron will loosen the fretboard tongue from the soundboard.... And this jig helps me pull off the neck when steam is in there.... ...getting the old cappuccino machine ready... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 steamy steam.... pop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Now time to take the back off. I'm doing this for a couple of reasons. I have to repair some loose braces. I also plan on installing a pretty invasive pickup system in this guitar and replace the ladder bracing with X bracing. I also will use the back off as a way of creating a new neck angle when the back is glued back on. Anyway...time to break out the Xacto knife: ....off with the binding ...in goes the knife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 You can see the blade inside as it cuts between the kerfing and the back: here's all the binding off: ...more of the blade working around.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 I use a hacksaw more for the back/block areas: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 ...now the tail block..... ...cute...someone left their address inside..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Backlund Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Wow! That must be a 'later' Sovereign, I've never seen that sort of pickguard on one. When were the last U.S. 1260's made? By the way, do you ever 'part with' any of your reclaimed 1260's...I have the growing desire for a very playable example in the foreseeable future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 heat will get these braces off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 all gone..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Hide glue: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 I'm getting the side ready for the pickup too. Reinforcing the sides to accpet the electronics..... Notice I glued the necl on already after cleaning up the dovetail area....I'll reset the neck when I glue the back on. The dovetail just needs to be glued in solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 these electronics use an active EQ preamp, a soundboard transducer blended with a mic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 ...I'm leaving half the back unglued to set the angle.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 gluing this last bit I'm careful to set the neck angle by adjusting where the neck block attaches to the back...I use the string as a measuring tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 here you can see how the kerfing reglued to the inside of the back.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 I'll cut a new binding channnel and replace the binding.... But first cut a new saddle out of ivory...lots of height here now and the action is low even with all that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 I got lazy and didn't take many pictures of the refret I did....here's one somewhere in the middle of all that.... Here's the tool I use for the binding channel..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 channel cut..... ...binding on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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