Mike Hoenerhoff Elderly Instruments
Forum Replies Created
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Fiebings leather dye works great too.
Depending on the piece of rosewood and how dark you need to go sometimes potassium permangenate (sp?) will darken it enough to blend in and that works with oxidation. It can’t wash off because it literally changes the color of the wood.
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FYI to any would-be heat pressers here- the Aria one works great (it’s the main one used in our shop), and I’m sure I’ve used it on over a hundred guitars, but you can make your own pretty easily. Large chunk of square stock with a strip heater element mounted inside it. I think those two things cost me about $60 US if you have a metal supplier nearby that sells scraps. Then wire a plug on it and plug it into a variac, which I already had on hand but you can buy online for about $50 these days. You don’t need a good one. Then find the voltage that gives you the temp you want. Usually 160-180 Fahrenheit unless its made with really stubborn glue. Works best on hide glue construction necks. Will not work at all on a one-piece maple fender-style neck. Really needs a hefty slab fingerboard to work well.
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Man I feel like I’ve done more of these than I care to remember. Most come together great, others, meh.
The first thing I do is bag it up and humidify it really well for a week or so. This will swell the back closer to its original shape. The back shrinkage over the last 100 years is definitely a contributing factor. Then I have two cauls; one that fits around the neck joint and hugs the shoulders, another that cradles the bottom. Two long clamps to crank it into place, Bob’s your uncle.
I’m not in the shop today, but when I’m back I’ll post a pic of the cauls.
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It WILL require 3 pots and one switch minimum. And unlike standard tele wiring the pickups will be wired to the pots first and THEN to the switch. As Nicole mentioned you can do it with stacked pots -2 if you still want a tone control- and a mini toggle between the pots or a push-pull if you don’t use two stacked pots. But yes you can just hook up the secret pickup and pot directly to the output with an on/off switch sitch.
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Yes it is possible. You’d need the 4 pole super switch though, I don’t think it can be done with the 2 pole version.
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TJs method is similar to Ians and works really well; Dam up from the inside (he uses a flexible caul with a brace jack, I use that really hefty blue tape from glue boost- masking tape is not good for this as the CA will wick in and glue it to the plate). Then fill the holes with dust and CA. Redrill and ream. works like a dream and is very fast usually.
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I don’t have a catalog of examples, but it seems that I’ve seen more drastic Gibson x-brace failures when the braces aren’t fit well together. I have a 60’s hummingbird in right now where the one side has completely separated across the grain right at the join where the x comes together. There’s a pretty significant gap on this one. I think that gap allows for extra movement in that joint and makes catastrophic failure more likely.
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I’ve noticed they don’t always come out easiest in the same direction either. I can’t imagine why, but it seems some were driven in from the treble side and some from the bass side. So if you’re having difficulties try both directions.
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Fwiw- If I wasn’t required to do warranty work, I wouldn’t be doing it. For all of the reasons Doug stated above.
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Yessir. We used to have some actual Martin stuff but I just made my own by dissolving some old celluloid pg into acetone. The Martin stuff was lighted in color. I used a tortoise pg so mine is more the color of dark tea. You want it pretty thin; about like water. Brush on and let flash off in 4 directions (one direction, then 90 degrees, then 45 degrees, then 90 to that). Takes just a few seconds to flash. Then stick it together and clamp.
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Celluloid glue worked perfectly. Bond seems very strong. Also zero squeeze out using this method.
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Went with the celluloid/acetone option. It’s in satan’s hands now. Will report back.
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I had thought of that but I don’t think it’s going to be strong enough. It’s got a pretty good upward cup. I’ve been heating it up gently and pressing it flat but I don’t think it’s going to get 100% flat, so I’m going to need something with some pretty hefty strength.
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Yeah the 151 stuff has too much water in it and will cause cloudiness in your finish. Even some brands of 190 have more h2o than others. The one pictured above is good; the guys at Northfield mandolins say they get a brand called “Diesel” from Indiana that they like.
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Any animal glue shrinks; it shrinks like crazy and if I understand correctly that’s one thing makes it so strong as a wood glue. But it’s terrible at gap filling which is pretty important when fretting. Unless your frets are fit perfectly, in which case glue isn’t really all that necessary. CA doesn’t shrink at all so it fills gaps very well.
