# Repairing acoustic guitar



## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

I got this acoustic free from my school. It's a Yamaha F-310. Here's the damage...

The body isn't too bad









The only problem with the body









Bridge detached









Here's the real damage though, there's a crack in the neck so it can't keep any tension. I haven't seen it but my teacher said it bends when the strings are on/tight I think









I'm pretty sure a cracked neck has to be replaced, which is not going to happen. A new neck is more than the guitar itself. Ideas?


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## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

Edutainment said:


> I got this acoustic free from my school. It's a Yamaha F-310. Here's the damage...
> 
> The body isn't too bad
> 
> ...


The neck can be glued. Just apply pressure to the neck to open the crack fill it with glue and then clamp it closed.


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

Really? Like regular wood glue or what? Would the glue withstand tension of the strings?

EDIT: This guy's site says to finish the crack so you can get glue all up in it... http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/crack.htm. Do I have to?

MORE: Problem. More than one crack.


















Fretboard's not cracked though.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

id use titebond- its available at many hardware stores- i have a neck crack like that on one of my guitars that has resisted all attempts to repair.
what i would try is puttin a bit of string pressure on the neck, dont tune it to pitch, just enough so that you can see raw clean wood in the cracks. use titebond red label, but mix it with water so its kinda runny. trickle it into the cracks, be generous with it, allowing it to seep thoroughly in there. keep wiping off excess, then add more, until your sure its packed in there good, then relax the string tension. let it dry a few days at least before putting any string tension on it, then try it out. if it doesnt hold then, you likely need to grind it out a bit and add some splints, lengthwise against the cracks. but try the glue and see what happens- titebond is good stuff.
also, dont try to loosen the truss rod at all or tighten it- leave it as until you are sure the glue is dry and you are tuning it to pitch.
for the bridge, remove the finish, if any within the old footprint, titebond it, then clamp or weight the bridge down real good and wait.
good luck


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

I'll be updating this as it happens. Here's the progress with pictures: http://radtacular.com/projects/acoustic.html


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

good luck with this, and i love the website repair log, thanks for sharing it-
i always get too carried away to remember to take pics lol.


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## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

Titebond should work well. You might also want to try a glue syringe. You can get them at lee valley. Like fraser said the point is to get the cracks opened up a bit and get the glue all the way in. If it doesn"t work the worst you will be out is a couple of bucks for a syringe and few drops of glue. Let us know how you make out.


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

I already did it before you said that. I thought of the syringe after I'd done it. It probably would've worked better. I attached the nut and bridge with Titebond too. We'll see tomorrow at 3 how it worked.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

i dont know why the syringe didnt occur to me when i was posting, i use them pretty much everytime im using titebond, i like to water down white glues, helps it seep into pores and remote places. also a syringe makes for a real clean repair. i get mine from my mom, she is a nurse:smile:


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2008)

I'm like *fraser*. No pic's till too late.









I'm curious though. By adding water for viscosity,
does this affect the bonding properties in any way
that you've noticed? The syringe is good idea too. 
I use the one you get with those ink-jet refill kits.


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

Yea I've done that a few times. I'd have my camera at the ready but forget to take pictures. I finally did it though :tongue:


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

It's been 24 hours. I don't have any acoustic strings but the neck seems solid. I may need to reglue the bridge as it's not completely flush with the body. What would be the best way to take it off?

EDIT: I used Titebond so the bridge seems to be on there pretty tight. I think I'll just get some acoustic strings and see how it plays.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

if the bridge isnt flush, itll likely start pulling away, may not come off for years, but when it does, it could take wood with it. while its still not strung up, i would fix it right- you can take a flat bladed scraper, like a wide putty knife- i like to boil a kettle of water, and hold the blade of the scraper over the steam till its hot, then gently work it under the areas of the bridge that arent flush- i just keep repeating, as the glue heats up itll break down. you want that hot moisture thats on the blade from the steam to do the work, not the blade-
then after removing any glue from the guitars face, and the bridge, tape a peice of sandpaper over the are where the bridge sits, then work the bottom of the bridge back and forth on the paper. it will take the shape of the guitar, promoting a better fit.
when gluing it on, i clamp a straight peice of wood down over the top of the bridge, using two clamps- but you can just use lots of weight- anything, as long as its sitting flush all around


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

Thanks for the tips, I plan to start the ungluing, and subsequent regluing this week, hopefully tomorrow.


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

Problem. I read this somewhere "For regular Titebond, heat is all you need. It's hide glue that also needs moisture. If you used Titebond II or III, all bets are off." Please tell me he's wrong. How can I do this without tearing any wood or something. I want to minimize the damage to the body, and pereferably the bridge, but a new one's only like $15 and I may replace it anyway.

EDIT: Thank God. On the same site, in a different thread, I found this: http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Rec/rec.woodworking/2006-08/msg03993.html

EDIT:

Hey check it out. It worked! It's very clean too. It looks like when I got it.


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## bscott (Mar 3, 2008)

There seems to be a lot of issues with the guitar and if the repairs don't work are you going to give up or continue to try and make it a useable guitar??
The Titebond you want to use for the guitar is Titebond 1 NOT 2 or 3. A lot of custom guitar makers use titebond 1 to construct new guitars. 
If you are going to continue repairs I would recommend 2 things. First get the guitar repair book by Dan Erlewine. Indispenible if you are going to continue repairing your guiatr. Erlewine is the acknowledged master at repairing and setting up guitars. Second go to the kit guitar builders forum. You could get a lot of advice from people who build guitars for fun and as a profession. There is a LOT of knowledge there to be had for the asking.

Brian


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

So far all I've been going on is Google and forums. I was gonna get Titebond original (red label) but III is all Lowe's had. The neck seems pretty solid though. If it doesn't work out... I don't know what I'll do with the guitar. It seems like a waste to throw it out, and I've seen guitars in worse condition repaired.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

if there was no loss of wood at the neck crack, and no sign of the truss rod sticking out, then the guitar can be repaired pretty easily- how pretty the repair is depends on the skill of the repairman, but its something id figure that a beginner can do to the point of functionality with the aid of the internet- and the bridge is dead nuts simple just needs to be set flush when glued on-
if you cant find titebond red, do you have a canadian tire nearby? i get my titebond there, but if they dont have it, try using the 'mastercraft carpenters glue' it has a blue label. i find it does well at structural and bridge repairs. i used it to reset the neck on an acoustic guitar that i converted to bass, and its withstood the big ass strings for 4-5 years now with no drift in the action.
the key is to take your time and do it right once.
bscott's recommendation of the erlewine books is excellent. better than excellent. ive noticed that erlewines methods have altered a bit since his guitar player repair guide book, but it is an awesome source of knowledge.
ive owned that one since 1990, and its the only guitar repair book ive ever owned- i even have notes ive added all over, and wiring diagrams etc. added.
best thing is for you to take your time- 
in any case i wouldnt throw it out- enjoy repairing it, enjoy the frustrations, enjoy the failures- but mostly learn from them. if your initial repair fails, fix it again, using your newly gained experience.
i think it will fly wilbur-
:food-smiley-004:


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

just looked at your photo essay- make sure you clean all that old glue n stuff off both the bridge and body- soften it with a rag wettened in hot water, then scrape with putty knife or razer-
rough both surfaces a bit with some sandpaper, maybe 400 grit, before you glue and clamp it- i use 2 bar clamps sometimes, on either side of the body, forcing a long peice of wood down over the bridge. but a couple heavy bricks would work too- long as the guitar is on a solid surface- if you see excess glue squeezing out from under the weighted or clamped bridge, you are likely good. if the glue is still wet you can remove excess with a wet rag- or wait till later and use a razer blade-


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

laristotle said:


> I'm like *fraser*. No pic's till too late.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


larry, sorry m8, i missed your post somehow lol- i believe that it helps the bonding process, as the water helps carry the glue deeper into the wood, it seeps better into the pores and the little cracks, and works its way around the irregular bits of broken wood. i have no proof or scientific evidence of this, but one thing is for sure, if your trying to penetrate a crack, if your glue is runny, itll find its way to the bottom better. once the water dries, your left with just glue- exactly as straight glue, long as its water soluble- once its inherent water dries, its just the bonding agent- 
but itll take longer for it to dry- i let things dry well before trying-


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## Edutainment (Jan 29, 2008)

Should I get Titebond red label because it holds better or because it's less permanent? The only reason I got III is 'cause it's all Lowe's had and I'm impatient but Home Depot and Canadian Tire are only 5 minutes away so I think I'll go pick up some red label. What about the Titebond hide glue? Is that any good? I don't plan on getting it, just curious.
On the weekend when I first glued the neck and bridge, I misguidedly glued in the saddle. I didn't know it was just supposed to sit there  and it ended up being way too short on one end. I thought I'd have to replace the bridge but I just put the bridge under a little desk lamp for 5 minutes and the saddle came out easily with pliers. I do, however, need a new saddle. Do you think Long & McQuade would have saddles? I know I've seen tuning machines and string pegs there. It would be convenient since I go there for lessons on Wednesdays. If not, where do you think I could get a saddle other than online? I was thinking of making a trip to Strings Attached in Streetsville. You think they'd have 'em there?

So far this has been pretty cool. I'm learning as I go along.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

red label is just better for this- it has a track record of success, ive never tried the other types- but if your going to canadian tire, and they have no red label, look for the mastercraft carpenters glue- ive used it and it works good-
id imagine l&m would have saddles- but ive never been there. the worst case, they will sell you a blank, then you shape it to match the original, with any action adjustments added to it. thats why its important to keep the old saddle. you want to make it tight, so you need a bit of pliers grip to remove it, but not glued. you will need sandpaper now too- various grits, id get 1 sheet each of 1500, 800 and 400, unlikely that any store bought saddle will fit or sit at the correct height for any given guitar


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## bscott (Mar 3, 2008)

Titebond II and III are water soluble and that is why you do not want to use it. Humidity, as well as a good dunking will affect the glue. Titebond I comes apart with GENTLE application of heat. You can use a heat gun or others have used an iron with a cloth between the iron and the wood. You do not want to apply the heat directly too hot or too fast as it can negatively affect the wood.
Here in Ottawa the only place I could find Titebond I was at Busy Bee Tools. No one else carries it although they carry Titebond II and III. 
As I mentioned in my previous posting go to the kit guitar forum and the luthiers forum. Tons of information and advice from pros and people who build guitars for the love of building them.

Brian


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