| Author |
Topic: Replacing the back of a dreadnaught |
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
|
Posted 25 Feb 2006 8:03 pm |
|
If you need to replace the back of an old dreadnaught, can you use the back from another guitar? I'm thinking an old back on an old guitar wouldn't look as bad as a new back on an old guitar. If so, where could you find the back of a salvaged guitar? Do any dealers carry such salvaged wood?
Also, does anybody know what it costs to get a back replaced, whether with new or old wood?
------------------
"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix |
|
|
 |
Jennings Ward
From:
Edgewater, Florida, R.I.P.
|
Posted 25 Feb 2006 8:21 pm
|
|
I AM NOT TRYING TOBE CUTE OR SMART,, BUT I THINK
I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER DRINK, THEN FORGET IT AND BUY A NEW GUITAR....I . E. TOOOOOOOOOOO
MUCH WORK, TO ACHIEVE IMPERFECTION...
JENNINGS,,,,,,U PK;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
------------------
EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +
|
|
|
|
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
|
Posted 25 Feb 2006 10:50 pm
|
|
But it's Brazilian, and the back is so cracked that it's unstable, and I don't know if that puts the rest of the guitar at risk. It seems risky to play it as is, so I've de-tuned it.
I'm hoping a luthier could replace the back with a Braz back salvaged from some other guitar. But I don't know if people salvage backs off acoustics or not.
Even if I can't find a used Braz back (seems like a million to one chance) I could get a new back made of new Braz, right? Any guess what that would cost? |
|
|
|
Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
|
Posted 26 Feb 2006 12:34 am
|
|
If you are really into the idea of doing this, investigate Madagascar rosewood. Much less expensive, not endangered, some beautiful pieces available that give one almost the Brazilian look, almost exactly the same tone, and easier to work with-not as prone to cracking.
------------------
Mark
|
|
|
|
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
|
Posted 26 Feb 2006 5:05 am
|
|
| Most all local libraries have inter-library loan programs and you could certainly get them to borrow some books, so you could look through the "Guitar Player Repair Guide" and other lutherie guides to see what's possible and likely. Eventually of course you'll need to get a pro to look at it and evaluate it. Nowadays, there might even be somebody online who could give you a rough idea of what they could do, if you can take some decent digital pictures and send them. I wouldn't write off the idea of repairing or patching it up using at least some of the wood already there - some of the luthiers can work miracles these days (given enough moola, of course). Variants of superglue have revolutionized the industry. |
|
|
|
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
|
Posted 26 Feb 2006 8:01 pm
|
|
Dave,
Yeah, I'm beginning to think I'm kind of stuck with repairing the same back every few years, even though it will keep getting more expensive and look uglier.
Am I right in assuming that all good guitars try to use back and sides from the same sheet of wood, or at least back and sides that look like they could have come from the same sheet of wood? I don't stand a chance of finding any Braz, new or used, that looks like it could be from the same sheet as the original sides.
------------------
"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 26 Feb 2006 9:50 pm
|
|
| Making a back for the guitar is a whole lot easier than making the top. A good luthier should be able to easily do this for a reasonable price. |
|
|
|
Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
|
Posted 26 Feb 2006 10:26 pm
|
|
I don't understand why a cracked back would keep getting worse and uglier after repairs.
A competent repair person should be able to repair the cracks to make them relatively invisible, and install cleats to keep the cracks from spreading. You can see those from the *inside* only.
If the guitar has a Brazilian back, it's likely not a cheap beater. Why not have it fixed correctly?
If you absolutely have to replace the back, using a used back really makes no sense. A new back with aging toners and the "new" back will look old. Really good luthiers can even recreate lacquer checking to match other parts of the guitar.
You're not going to find a "used" Brazilian dreadnaught back. I may be a bit off, but I seem to recall decent grade rough-cut bookmatched and glued back sets going for $3k or so. I'd probably figure full replacement as a $4k or so job. You should be able to have it nicely repaired for under a grand unless it's crushed or something. Cracks are really no big deal. And future cracks are preventable by 1) proper repairs, and 2) a constant humidity level. |
|
|
|
Joseph Meditz
From:
Sierra Vista, AZ
|
|
|
|
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
|
Posted 27 Feb 2006 11:50 am
|
|
Joseph,
That's an incredibly good result. I'm just afraid that the back on mine is pretty much cleats and glue held together by wood.
dh (A Zonie) |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 27 Feb 2006 4:45 pm
|
|
| Is this a valuable old Martin? Does the guitar have a lot of sentimental value? It's a lot of work, and unless a really good luthier does it, the value of the guitar probably won't be enhanced much. Your best bet for a replacement back would be an old Kay or Harmony dreadnought, since you can sometimes find them for a couple hundred dollars. Still, a good luthier might charge $1,000 for a job like that, and that amount of money will buy a pretty nice guitar. |
|
|
|
Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
|
Posted 27 Feb 2006 8:39 pm
|
|
I just got off the phone with a luthier and asked him about this. He said it could be done, but was a lot of work, and probably not worth it.
Assuming the guitar in question is an old Martin, you could probably sell it to a collector for a lot of money, buy yourself a really nice new guitar, and have quite a bit left over. |
|
|
|
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
|
Posted 27 Feb 2006 9:01 pm
|
|
Boys, i want to thank you for helping me make a decision: It just ain't worth doing this financially.
I came asking for info to help me decide, and I got it. I thank you all for the help.
And now for something completely different: Here in Phoenix, Haggard's opening for Dylan. I guess that's the plan for a whole tour. i don't suppose Norm Hamlet (sp?) is still Merle's steeler. I used to take music lessons from Tiny Moore, who ended his career with Hag (after starting with Bob Wills).
------------------
"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix |
|
|
|
Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
|
Posted 27 Feb 2006 10:12 pm
|
|
Darryl-Norm is still Hag's steel player-but he hasn't played all the gigs in recent years due to some health issues.
Tiny Moore-what a great guy-only got to meet him once-he was something else!
------------------
Mark
[This message was edited by Mark Eaton on 27 February 2006 at 10:12 PM.] |
|
|
|
Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
|
Posted 1 Mar 2006 6:06 pm
|
|
Mark,
Yeah, the term "pickin' and grinnin'" sure applied to him. If you haven't heard them, you might try a CD by the Billy Jack Wills Band, with Vance Terry on steel and Tiny on mando (and banjo, guitar, bass, and fiddle). |
|
|
|
