Members Chordchunker Posted January 4, 2013 Members Share Posted January 4, 2013 Damn.. The top on my django guitar has a friggin` 1/8-1/16" wide split/crack all the way down the middle. Starts at bottom, goes THROUGH the rosette and ends at the fingerboard. So the entire top is basically in two pieces. Oh well. Guess I`ll play it until it comes apart. It started as a hairline. I picked it up yesterday and noticed how far it had spread. I keep a sponge in the case but it didn`t help.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted January 4, 2013 Members Share Posted January 4, 2013 Pretty easy repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EdBega Posted January 4, 2013 Members Share Posted January 4, 2013 http://acapella.harmony-central.com/...spuce-top-fix-... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 4, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 4, 2013 Repair? It sure looks like the top needs replaced. One of my bandmates is a luthier (ASL) but he is out of town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EdBega Posted January 4, 2013 Members Share Posted January 4, 2013 You know you're suppose to wet the sponge. Btw I used about six sponges in a contractor garbage bag to hydrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 5, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 5, 2013 I`ve had probably 100 guitars at least over the years and it`s the first time a top has split..BUT I was sort of wandering how many posts it would be b before someone said something like that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 6, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opa John Posted January 6, 2013 Members Share Posted January 6, 2013 Oh damn, CC. That doesn't look good.......and it doesn't look like an easy repair, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 6, 2013 I`m not sure how it could be repaired, but I`m no luthier. It looks horrible. Bummer as I really liked this guitar. Guess I`ll start saving my pennies for a new gj box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 6, 2013 These guitars are straight braced and the top is somewhat arched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 A good luthier could inlay a piece of wood into that crack and it would be stabilized, but I've no idea how "invisble" the repair could be made to appear. Shouldn't affect the sound, fortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EdBega Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Sawdust and glue ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philo426 Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 The joint didn't fail but the wood itself split.I wonder what could have caused that?Lack of humidification? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 I'd be really surprised if a luthier couldn't fix that. Humidity, glue, clamps, and cleats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Sorry to hear about the guitar btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 7, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 It started because the guy I bought it from put med phos bronze strings on it. BIG no no on these guitars. They use an almost silk and steel type string. I have been very ill and left it on a stand while I spent 7 days in the hospital. After the hosp. I laid in bed for almost a month. Next time I picked it up that is what I found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 7, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 You have to take the back off to cleat it as the oval hole is way to small to fit a hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 7, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Originally Posted by Terry Allan Hall A good luthier could inlay a piece of wood into that crack and it would be stabilized, but I've no idea how "invisble" the repair could be made to appear. Shouldn't affect the sound, fortunately. It goes the entire length of the top. The top is in two pieces.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Originally Posted by Chordchunker It goes the entire length of the top. The top is in two pieces.. Yes, I can see that...but it's still fixable and may not be too expensive to do so.Agree about the inadvisability of using a medium set...that's way too much tension. .046 - .010 is a much better range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opa John Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Sorry 'bout your health problems, CC. Boy, it's always something. Hope everything is ok now. Best wishes. Hope you're able to get it back to playable condition. Anxious to see some pix when it's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 7, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Originally Posted by Terry Allan Hall Yes, I can see that...but it's still fixable and may not be too expensive to do so.Agree about the inadvisability of using a medium set...that's way too much tension. .046 - .010 is a much better range. A proper set of Gypsy Jazz strings are almost like fiddle strings. Can`t imagine what that repair would cost. Guess I`ll wait until my luthier friend comes back from his trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 7, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks Opa..It plays fine, just looks ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordchunker Posted January 7, 2013 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 Maybe I`ll just smear some F-26 over it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philo426 Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 I have heard that those Gitane guitars require special strings to sound their best. Didn't realize there is a real danger of structural damage if you use the wrong strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted January 7, 2013 Members Share Posted January 7, 2013 CC, I have no direct experience with Gyspy style guitars, but I have read a bit about them. As you say, they are lightly build with thinner than normal tops (I remember hearing 2mm - normal tops are more like 3). They are ladder braced and traditionally have a funky fold in the top (called something like "pliage") which is apparently rather difficult to build. This leads me to believe that, in spite of what others have told you, a repair may or may not be "simple". There are several people on the two lutherie forums that build this kind of guitar - unless your luthier has experience you might suggest that he/she post some pictures and measurement at either OLF or MIMF before just starting a graft. Good luck and keep us posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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