Check out the old "repairs" in this guitar

[Mark Gunter]

I thought this was an entertaining video, maybe more for amateurs like me to watch, maybe boring to the professionals on here, don't know -- but sharing because this luthier documents what he does well IMO.

It's a long video (21 minutes) so you can skip to 6:45 where the back comes off to see the old "repairs" someone had made in the past



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7daGYXk6Fo

[rcc56]

I've seen worse . . .
There was a fellow around here who used to open up old instruments, and re-glue everything with a hobbyist's hot glue gun . . .

[Paul Kotapish]

Interesting choice for the bolt-on neck. I'd be curious to hear some luthiers weigh in on that particular method, hardware, glue, etc.

[Charles E.]

I have used those bolts on a number of instruments, guitars and mandolins, they work fine. I have gone from the threaded screw inserts to an imbedded barrel nuts inside the heel.

[multidon]

That insert he’s using does not look threaded to me. I’ve seen those types of inserts with the prongs all over them and they are designed to hammer in. That’s why he had to super glue it in. I believe it would have fit loosely in the hole by itself the way he used it. Weber used to use screw in inserts but switched to the barrel nuts.

[Wrnchbndr]

I generally don't work on high-end instruments but I can't count the number of times I've done something "a certain way" on the off chance that someone else might some day get inside the instrument and comment on my work. The chances are virtually nil but I still consider it. To be scorned by another luthier 30 years from now just ain't something I want to happen.

[Mark Gunter]

That insert he’s using does not look threaded to me. I’ve seen those types of inserts with the prongs all over them and they are designed to hammer in. That’s why he had to super glue it in. I believe it would have fit loosely in the hole by itself the way he used it. Weber used to use screw in inserts but switched to the barrel nuts.

Don, those inserts with the prongs are definitely not meant to be hammered in, the prongs are meant to act as threads and they are to be screwed in, which is why there is a hex hole at the surface for use of a large Allen wrench to install or remove them. I don’t care much for them either, but when properly installed they have about the same rate of success as other threaded inserts IMO (based on decades of furniture repair). I’d hate to see someone try to hammer one of these into a hole and expect it to work.

[Jeff Mando]

First of all, title is total clickbait. I was hoping for Confederate gold inside and all I got was some sloppy braces and glue work.......quite a letdown, IMHO.

Still, an interesting video, but probably not for the reasons the luthier wanted. When I saw the "screwed on" pickguard, I thought wait a minute -- this is a budget instrument......why is the luthier spending time on this?

He later explains, "just to see if he could do it" and that financially it wouldn't be worth it. I never heard of a Hensel, but I see they were Canadian and do show up on Reverb. I saw one priced at $499 and that seems high to me. Reminds me of a MayBell body shape, prewar and all.....

The "new" braces look like drum sticks. In fact, I might try recycling drum sticks for this purpose! Truthfully, other than the neckset to make it playable. I don't really see that the sloppy braces and glue would have that much effect on the sound, as long as everything is solid. Not like we are talking prewar Martin, but I give the luthier credit for trying to make it the best it can be.

FWIW, I get scared when "luthiers" talk about sanding the top -- you only have 1/8 inch to start with -- there AIN'T much sanding that can be done -- especially in terms of correcting action.....

I probably wouldn't have done that much finish work on a vintage instrument, but that's just me. The shop where I work would have charged $800-1200 for this job, which is three times what the guitar is "worth"......sometimes the customer OK's such a repair for sentimental reasons. In this case, the luthier is basically just making a video and volunteering his time for the video, I'm thinking. And, doing a favor for a good customer. Nothing wrong with that. I've got too many paying jobs to spend that many hours on other peoples mistakes.....

I had to tell a customer that we couldn't fix his USA Gibson Les Paul double cutaway junior with a cracked heel/loose neck joint because somebody had attempted a previous repair with epoxy and the fact the guitar was a reissue and therefore not worth the hours (and money) required to remove neck, splice in a new section of mahogany, route out the damage, reset the neck, and then make it look nice. The reissues don't sell for that much in good condition, so usually that is what you are up against, pricewise......if it had been an original, it would have been worth it, of course. I told my boss, I could do the job for "x amount" and he says, "don't even give him a quote because he "might" say yes and then a month from now you'll wish you hadn't......

anyway, just my perspective....

[jascime@yahoo.com]

Arthur Hensel was a Toronto luthier from the 30s into the 60s. His guitars are supposed to be quite well made and sound very good. All hand made un small shop. They go for upward if $1000cdn here in Ontario and are a sought after collectable. Hensel also collaborated with a machinist named Brasher to produce wood bodied resonator guitars. Brasher held one of only 3 existing patents for an aluminum cone. He also made steel-bodied models. The DOPYERA brothers held the other two patents for what have become national and dobro. I have a hensel-brasher wood bodied 'artist' model. Sounds nice. Not as good as a dobro!

Js

[Russ Donahue]

I thought the video was interesting, the comment thread here fascinating...