Luthier Tips du Jour - Murphy's Law

[sirgreggins8824]

i'm an amateur builder but want to do repairs as well. how strong should the magnets be?

[OBrienGuitars]

@sirgreggins8824 My magnets are very strong but they only have to be strong enough to do the job.

[sirgreggins8824]

@OBrienGuitars the reason i ask is b/c homdepot and walmart have magnets. but i dont know if they'd be strong enough to do the job. 

[marsdwarf]

Love the tips, and the humour!

[ChineseProletariat]

Which types of coating will not be compatible with CA glue? I have a Les Paul and a Strat that have finish cracks in them and I want to fill them and polish them to look new.

[Vargsy]

Thanks for the great video, learned lots of these tricks at Roberto-Venn, of course a split acoustic side like that would be firewood IMO. ...although it's true that CA glue is the closest thing to magic on the planet. Also, I found that a nail head heated with a torch ( held with pliers) on a wet rag will allow you to focus your steam injection a little more aggressively.

[OBrienGuitars]

@concussedcarneous Finishing is much harder than you think. Urethane must be finished with urethane. Sand back and respray, sometimes CA glue can do small touch ups but will always be visible. There ain't no short cuts.

[OBrienGuitars]

@concussedcarneous I recommend you find a professional in your area that can do a repair for you.

[OBrienGuitars]

@concussedcarneous You must refinish the neck. Sometimes you can touch up the area with CA glue and or lacquer depending on what your finish is. Stop jumping off the amplifiers while playing.

[yoheff988]

my flamenco guitar just developed a top crack between the bridge to the end of the guitar (pretty devastating), the crack is about 4" long.

what I'm doing is trying to swell back the wood, I put a small glass of water in the guitar, closed the sound hole, and let it seat there in the case until it closes back (hopefully it will work, then I'm planning to super glue the crack, do you think that the glue will hold without clits? I really wouldn't like to add any wood from the back.

[OBrienGuitars]

@yoheff988 Super glue will darken the crack. If the humidity trick works then come in from the inside and put cleats to secure the crack. Sometimes that is all that is needed.

[BorysPomianek]

Really nice video for fixing stuff but the possibility that some people actually do this when building new guitars scared the living shit out of me - I am thinking about ordering another instrument from a small run builder and I would just walk out of his workshop if he handed me a brand new guitar that I waited a year for with "fixed" sides because he run out of sides the day he was fitting them. I have the same reaction to people using drills to turn the tuners to save time - wheres the rush?

[martinaxman]

I tried to use the steam method on my sound board. Instead of hot metal, I used hot water from the tap. Held the wet rag there for a few minutes and removed it. The wood recovered pretty well (three tiny spots), but the finish is all murky and mottled, probably from the pressure on the fabric as I held it. It's a nice Martin and someone told me a fine sand would take the visible damage away, but I'm terrified. Is this possible, or would I end up making it worse? Thanks.

[OBrienGuitars]

@martinaxman Without a pic it is difficult to say but I think the moisture from te rag clouded the finish.

[martinaxman]

@OBrienGuitars thanks. I'm wondering what I can do about that.

Any ideas?

[0adireita]

3:04 that was soooo strange... but helpful at the same time

[sweetsweetjanice]

Hi, I'm fixing a crack in my Guild bass. Thanks so much for the great and thorough tutorial! Are you using some sort of a buffing compound? If so, what do you suggest?

[OBrienGuitars]

@sweetsweetjanice I use menzerna compounds on my buffing wheel and Mcguire's liquid when doing it by hand

[dieconashi]

@OBrienGuitars Thanks!

[GameLevelEditor]

Wow your like a magician for guitars! Excellent tippage!

[t0umart0u]

Erf, I just cracked my side and remembered this vid. It helped a lot, so do all you other vids. Thanks a lot for sharing, it's trully appreciated :)

Take care,

Matthieu

[OBrienGuitars]

@t0umart0u I am glad my instructions helped. Happy Building!

[OBrienGuitars]

It will be very minor, if at all. I don' t think my ear could hear the difference. haha

[OBrienGuitars]

If it is on the centerline and a clasical guitar it is difficult to use cleats as tere is usually a fan brace there. For steel string guitars definitely use a cleat along the seam on the inside.

[A1EXAND3R]

@OBrienGuitars Fantastic. It is a steel string. Do you think the cleats will effect the tone a lot or do you think it will be minor? thanks for your help

[A1EXAND3R]

would this method also work for a hairline crack on the front of the guitar at the center book-match joint? would you still recommend that I make cleats for it? thanks in advance. You videos are fantastic btw.

[guitarshreder777]

cool video

[jrtruthguy]

Thanks for being so kind as to share your expertise. Greatly appreciated by all.

[OBrienGuitars]

I appreciate your gratitude. It means a lot to me. Happy Building

[Tupperwears]

Great videos, always helpful. You are doing a great service to the community!

[OBrienGuitars]

Thank you and Happy Building!

[MunkyRider]

Great video. I especially like the dented top and the soldering iron. Never thought that could be done.

[infectedgoose]

Fantastic, as always!

[MoGiMaL]

Hahaha, thanks :O)