View Full Version : Regrading a Pac-rim
Corbin Smith
Jun-20-2004, 10:16pm
I've got a Goldtone GM-70 and a Collings MT2H. Due to grad school tuition demands, I'm considering selling my Collings. One factor that will go into this decision is whether how feasible/desirous it would be to remove the back of my Goldtone and recarve it. I'd like some more volume and a bit more bass and while I'd never expect it to match my Collings, even a slight improvement might make it all worthwhile.
So my question is, what would be involved in this regrading(?) of the Goldtone? Is there any hope or should I leave it be?
Corbin
It's probably not worth the effort even if the back is solid and not a laminate or solid wood that has been steamed and pressed into an arch.
I don't envy you, having to part from your Collings.
Dennis Schubert
Jun-21-2004, 11:34am
No matter what you spend or do to the GoldTone, it will still be a GoldTone. On the other hand, the Collings may be more like money in the bank. If you plan to buy one like it in the future (or buy it back), it'll cost you even more. Been there, it's a tough call.
Corbin Smith
Jun-21-2004, 3:15pm
Well, it is a carved mando, all solid wood. It sounds like I might be overestimating the change a regraduation would make, huh?
Jim Rowland
Jun-21-2004, 4:20pm
Hello Livin':
If your mando is solid carved wood,and,if you are an experienced luthier with the required tools,you could make a significant improvement in all probability. Such a repair would require back removal,of course,and the re-graduation would probably require wood removal on both the out and inside of the back plus some alteration of the tone bars. If your top is too chunky you would have to,with great care and many measurements,regrad the top from the outside. You can see that we're heading for a refinishing, too, in the end.
A pro would have to charge you a wad of floose to do the work. If you think you could pull it off,you might try the "newspaper white glue newspaper" system I learned from Mario Proulx to temporarily attach the back for tentative stringup and testing before gluing it up for good. Might be that some of the cheaper hot rodding techniques would be the way to go.
Jim