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Thread: Potato Chip Guitar

  1. #1

    Default Potato Chip Guitar

    Here's a piece on my latest project. This is not the project I just posted on regarding neck re-set issues, that's awaiting a bridge replacement. Comments and critique always appreciated!

    It was possibly in the worst shape I’d ever seen any guitar in. The body of the guitar was actually curled like a potato chip. The back was off, split and warped, braces were missing, the guitar was split on the bass side from the endpin up to the hip, the shoulder was split, a section was crushed inward and the sides had lost much of their curve.

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ID:	126675 I thought the $8.00 price tag was just too much so I talked ‘em down to $5.00.

    And so began one of the strangest restorations I’ve done so far. The woman who sold it to me at the yard sale asked if I was going to fix it. I told her I wasn’t sure, but I’d try. And I guess it sort of became a challenge.

    Badly mildewed and filthy, I wiped it all down with a damp rag which caused the already warped, flat sawn birch back to go berserk. I wet it down fairly well then laid window weights on top of the back sandwiched between 2 pieces of plywood for about a week to level it out. When I took off the weights, I could see the splits in the back closed to the point where I thought I might eventually be able to glue and cleat them.
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    Several more wetting and weighing sessions made it possible and I eventually got the back in shape, glued and cleated together. I pulled off the already loose 2 remaining braces and cleaned and sanded them down to good wood. I then made new spruce replacement braces for the two missing ones and re-installed them all.
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    In the mean time, I tried weighing down the warped body and was surprised to see that it came back to shape fairly well and would also be glue-able. With time, it took shape, perhaps 4 or 5 weeks. Click image for larger version. 

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    I glued the end block back to the split side and was able to close and cleat the lower break. I also was slowly able to close and glue the shoulder break. If you look closely, you can see the punch in area in this shot.
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    The crushed area was all there but severely damaged and pushed in. I saturated it with Titebond, then gently pushed it back into place with a clamp and a curved caw with only a few small splinters falling out. These were later drop filled.

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ID:	126679 It left minor distortion on the outside that disappeared with sanding and touch up. All the kerfing was missing from the back and much of the remaining kerfing was damaged due to the side splits. Virtually all of it was loose.

    About the time I got the major bodywork completed, I began to contemplate modifying the guitar. Though the guitar was incredibly damaged, the top was intact. It was a decent parlor for a cheapo. Birch sides and back, walnut fingerboard and bound spruce top. Make that a 100 year old spruce top. I’ve been thinking about X bracing several old Washburn parlors I have and it occurred to me that this would be a good place to learn the process.

    I removed the old top braces, sawed new spruce braces and drew up an X braced plan. I wanted a scalloped, X brace, fairly light weight bracing, with a fixed bridge. I went with a Pre War Martin style X scalloped bracing modified to fit the small body. I removed damaged kerfing as well as kerfing where the new braces would go, installed the new braces and a maple bridge plate then re-glued all the old loose kerfing on the top and replaced missing kerfing with new. While I was at it, I trimmed down the large brace just above the sound hole to reduce it’s mass, but not it’s strength.
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    Once I’d completed the new top bracing, I replaced the kerfing on the the back. During this process, I kept the guitar in a body mold and checked to make sure the shape was close to the back shape because once I added the kerfing, the sides would be largely set to shape.

    I used an old stock Martin vintage style replacement bridge (no belly, just 1” x 6”) with a 2.25 “ pin spacing to fit with the neck width. I’d bought a 2 3/8 spaced bridge, but felt the strings were too close to the edge of the fingerboard.

    At this point, I was able to determine that the guitar also needed a neck re-set. I removed and re-set the neck, then removed the fingerboard to plane out a slight twist in the neck. I re-installed the fingerboard, re-used the original ebony nut, made new bone saddle but when completed, action was tight with a high saddle in order to clear a hump in the fingerboard at the neck joint. I then removed frets 12-15 and sanded out a hump in the fingerboard and re-used the original frets. This allowed me to lower the saddle and action significantly.

    I drop filled and french polishing the seriously damaged finish. During that the week I applied the french polish, I continually played the guitar and noticed that the tone “ripened” considerably, taking on a richer resonance. As a matter of fact, I composed a new finger style piece, “Ma Belle”, on the guitar as I worked it.

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    At every step of the way, I was never sure if this would work out but this old guitar constantly surprised me. The wood seemed to have “memory” and would go back to it’s original shape with a bit of gent persuasion, multiple clamps and a fair amount of time.

    The results are impressive. It plays beautifully with a clear, crisp articulate tone (that’s the birch) and surprising ring and sustain. I originally planned on flipping this guitar, but I don’t know .... it’s a very fine fingerstyle guitar. I might have to play it for a while first!

    I'll post a soundcloud link tonight so you can hear it.

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  3. #2
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Lotta good work there.
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  4. #3
    Registered User Steve VandeWater's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    That is quite impressive. I doubt too many folks would have seen the possibilities in your mangled purchase. Are you naming her Ma Belle too? Nice job!
    It ain't gotta be perfect, as long as it's perfect enough!

  5. #4
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    I like how you re-braced the top and put a glued on bridge while eliminating the tailpiece and floating bridge. I have a parlor project where I'll be doing the same thing.
    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

  6. #5
    Registered User mtucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Quote Originally Posted by Ginridge View Post
    The results are impressive. It plays beautifully with a clear, crisp articulate tone (that’s the birch) and surprising ring and sustain. I originally planned on flipping this guitar, but I don’t know .... it’s a very fine fingerstyle guitar. I might have to play it for a while first!

    I'll post a soundcloud link tonight so you can hear it.
    I have one almost identical that I found in AZ 30 years ago on the cheap, maybe $20. It has a few splits in the top, bridge and back but i didn't have it repaired. I kept it for sentimental value ...I believe it was nylon strung. It don't remember finding any markings on it … Have you been able to ballpark the year and determine the maker? When I first got it, I guessed maybe late 18 early 1900's and perhaps Washburn…?

  7. #6
    Registered User Jesse Harmon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Some one should give Willie Nelson your number. That's amazing.

  8. #7

    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    First, here's the link to a Soundcloud file recorded with the guitar.

    https://soundcloud.com/gin-ridge-rec...to-chip-guitar

    It's recorded with a B.L.U.E large condenser mic about 14" from the neck joint, no EQ, no FX.

    Glad to hear I'm not the only one crazy enough to do this, but a guitar like this is perfect for experimenting with. My best guess based on construction technique, tuning keys etc, 1915-1925. Regal or Washburn are very good possibilities, maybe other low end producers. The Spruce was nice (4 piece top, fairly wide grain) the birch, low quality with a good sized knot on one side. Definitely on the low end of the scale.

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  10. #8
    Registered User mtucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    i'll post a pic when i get a chance. The headstock and neck is the same shade red stain like yours, same rosette, binding, size and shape. Besides the action being high, I remember it sounding pretty nice win I last played it 25 + years ago. Are you using steel and nylon strings on it? Never mind, I just listened to your recording, nice going, sounds great. It likes de finger picking, don't it

  11. #9
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Nice sounding instrument. Sounds like it was made for finger picking the blues.
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  12. #10
    Registered User Cheryl Watson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Good tone, nice playing. Not many people have the knowledge or the patience to fix up a potato chip guitar like that.

  13. #11
    Registered User mtucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Dude, you're holding out on us! Not only do you know your way around this but Robert Bowlin is a wonderful guitarist and a favorite...love he and Maring together. This is probably one of the nicest renditions of one of the greats that I've ever heard..thanks very much.
    https://soundcloud.com/gin-ridge-records/shenandoah
    Last edited by mtucker; Nov-21-2014 at 7:44pm.

  14. #12
    Registered User mtucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    nice.

  15. #13

    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Thanks for the kind words. Robert is indeed a genius both as a player, and as I understand, an instrument repairman. On the track you posted, he's playing a magnificent 1936 Euphonon Larson Brothers guitar.

    Here's shot I took at the session.

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    As for strings, they're phosphor bronze, light gauge (Pearce, 12-53). This guitar does seem to love finger style and while I usually play with fingerpicks, it really shines best bare fingered. Interestingly enough, it does sound a great deal like the old time blues guitarists you hear as well as some of the early country records.

    I have a parlor project where I'll be doing the same thing.
    Jim, I'd love to see picks of your project as it progresses. You too, muckier.

    FYI, the red stain common to many of the cheaper parlors of this era repairs very nicely with Stu Mac Colortone Red Mahogany stain. I was very surprised and how easily it matched.

  16. #14

    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    That should have read "You too, mtucker."

  17. #15

    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Ginridge, you are a talented and patient person. Taking recycling to a new (and wonderful) level. I like the part about $8.00 being too much--reminded me of my old man, bless his soul.

    An old lady down the street went to live in a nursing home. Her house was a wreck, hadn't been painted in about 75 years, kinda looked like Boo Radley's place--a good wind would have blown it over. I figured they would bulldoze it and be done with it. Well, nope, somebody got it and has been working on it every Saturday for about 8 months--new roof, paint, porch, tore out the old cyclone fencing, removed the overgrown shrubs, new shutters, cleaned the trash out of the yard--I mean it really looks GREAT now. Makes our street look better. Anyway, congrats to people like you and them who have the vision to see the beauty in things rather than take the easy route and throw them away.

  18. #16
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Love it, great job, and it sounds great too!

  19. #17
    Pogue Mahone theCOOP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Incredible!!

  20. #18
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    According to Dan Quail there's an "e" on the end of potato. All kidding aside, great work. That looked like a goner to me.
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  21. #19

    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    pfox, I struggled with the "e" thing myself! By the way, great book on Other Brands of Gibson Guitars. It's sitting next to me as I write this! I was recently on your web site. Outstanding work! I may want to talk with you later when I tackle and old Gibson project that's in the pile.

    Tavy, I jumped on to your website and saw some of your work too. Simply amazing.

  22. #20
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Potato Chip Guitar

    Quayle?
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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