Lets build a little................fire

[Samilyn]

1) Thanks to everyone. Ohioarrow said it well, your support is very much appreciated and valued. 2) Remember, this is just wood. There are many many more important things in the world - health, family and friends, loved ones and pets, homes and security, peace in the world. This is just a hunk of wood. 3) I'm going to try to fix it. I guess that will make for another thread, eh?

Yeah...right. A "hunk of wood" with a lot of heart and soul invested in it. How heartbreaking. :cry:

I'm so glad you're going to try to fix it. It's such a beautiful little guitar.

[guitarcapo]

Here's my recipe for the repair:

First of all I'd get the guitar in a place that has a humidity that the guitar will usually be exposed to. Then let all the cracks show up or not. It doesn't make sense doing some repairs and having another crack show up later.

Then I'd strip all the finish off the back. You might try and save the front and sides if there are no cracks there from refinishing but if not what the hell strip the whole guitar.

NO CLEATS NEEDED! Wick thin CA glue into the cracks. Sand over the cracks with 220 sandpaper allowing fine sawdust to work into the crack and bond with the CA glue in there. Wick in more CA glue on top of this. Sand and repeat. The crack will fill with a mixture of CA and sawdust and look exactly like a grain line. It will be stronger than the wood itself and never crack again and be virtually invisible under finish. The trick is that it's very hard to do all this with the finish around. But the upsdie is that no cleats are needed and when you are done there's NO EVIDENCE of repair.

This is an extremely easy repair. The tedium is mainly refinishing the back over the repair but that's not hard.

Wick in CA glue and sand with fine sandpaper over. Watch the crack disappear. Trust me. It will amaze you.

[Freeman Keller]

Here's my recipe for the repair:

 

 

Basically what I was planning to do. I think I'll throw a couple of patches on the inside since I did have a little trouble with back when I first braced it. I'll keep every posted.

[Dave W.]

Freeman,

Just picked up on this, my condolences. I have been in a similar situation with a non guitar months long project. I think I know how you feel, kind of a hole in your stomach. I was able to repair my dilemma, best of luck with yours.

[guitarcapo]

I would probably also recommend sanding the finish off instead of using a chemical stripper. That stripper stuff will work its way into the cracks and make sealing them up more difficult later. Probably I would even shoot a few touches of CA in before even messing with the finish to seal the cracks up some.

I've done this repair on lots of guitars like old Harmonys and just French polished over the repair with great results. It works best with the darker hardwoods and if there isn't a large gap in the crack.

[DeepEnd]

Truly sorrow to hear about that, bro... If it's too painful to contemplate keeping it, why not fix it w/ cleats and have a contest or something...maybe even an essay contest...and let that fine little parlor put a HUGE smile on somebody's lucky face? Or donate it to a good cause's auction...that lil' darling is too nice for firewood!

+1! That is 'way too beautiful a guitar to give up on it. Sorry to hear about what happened but good to hear you're going to try to fix it. You're right about priorities of course but these things still hurt and we're all here for you.

[DonK]

I don't even know what to say, Freeman. I'd be devastated, especially since I don't have the skills to even begin a project like that...if I did manage to get that far, it would only make my devastation worse. I'm betting you'll figure out the right fix, though.