# GTA Acoustic Neck Resets?



## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Hi guys,
Where should I take my sisters 1960's Harmony Sovereign to get a neck reset? Don't want to ship it, so a place within driving distance of Toronto is what I'm looking for. Any recommendations?
Thanks alot. MJF$#


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## Guest (Feb 27, 2016)

Twelth Fret, Toronto.
Folkway Music, Waterloo.

Not cheap though.
Scrolling down the 12th fret repair rates,
a neck reset could run $500.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Thanks for the links. Yeah, that's pretty steep. I was at Paul's Boutique today and they figured maybe $250-300. I don't know about the quality of their shop though. Any other thoughts? - Capsule Music or Shy Boy?... Lil Demon?


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2016)

can you post pics?
give us an idea of what you're up against?


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Be warned, Folkway might tell you to hang it on a wall and wont commit to a firm price (been there). My opinion is that if they don't feel its worth doing, its a wall hanger. Perhaps some Martinesque snobbery

$250 sounds cheap, I'd be wary. Sometimes you get what you pay for and $500 + seems right in my books unless its a job taken on by a school of lutherie or something as training material

Try 12th fret.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

No, no pics. I was just over at her place yesterday, but didn't think about taking any shots. She didn't have a ruler, so I don't even know exactly how high the action is. At this time of the year, it's playable - pretty good action at the 1st few frets, but fairly high in the 12th fret area. I didn't have a straight edge with me, but I'd like to see if the belly has a bulge. Perhaps it could be gently steamed and lowered a bit to lower the action.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

fernieite said:


> No, no pics. I was just over at her place yesterday, but didn't think about taking any shots. She didn't have a ruler, so I don't even know exactly how high the action is. At this time of the year, it's playable - pretty good action at the 1st few frets, but fairly high in the 12th fret area. I didn't have a straight edge with me, but I'd like to see if the belly has a bulge. Perhaps it could be gently steamed and lowered a bit to lower the action.


I'd put money on it being the neck. 90% of Sov's need doing. Is it an H 1260?


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Scotty said:


> Be warned, Folkway might tell yo to hang it on a wall and wont commit to a firm price (been there)
> 
> Try 12th fret.


I imagine the 12th Fret would do a good job, but $500?! She can't spend that much on it.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

No, this is the slightly smaller H-1203.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I hear you. Even though the neck sets on these guitars are supposed to be easy to get apart, there's a bit of work involved in getting the slop out of them. 
Harmony used a sloppy dovetail joint that they pretty much poured a pile of horsehide glue into. 
There will likely need to be some careful trimming and contouring of the heel and possibly shimming of the fretboard if you dont want a bend in it at the body
(As the neck pulls back, the fretboard lifts)

I'm no luthier, but I'm certain it is no 5 hour job

There's lots of videos showing Harmony neck resets on the net if you are unfamiliar with the process


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

And there's this site for those who brave tackling things themselves. (though many feel it is hack lutherie)
http://harmony.demont.net/kamikazie.php


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Thanks man.
I'm a member on the Harmony Discussion Forum (same organization that's in your previous link) I may feel up to steaming a belly bulge down (which lots have successfully done on that forum), but I won't attempt an actual re-set. No way Jose...


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Cool, no prob

Some good harmony goodness for the M snobs to turn thier noses up at. I really dig the playing in these vids;


















I'd send mine to James Ralston if he wasn't so far away. Too sentimental for me to have it get lost

Edit...sorry to hijack your tech question...thought the vids might inspire spending the bucks if you cant fix at the bridge


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## Guest (Feb 28, 2016)

What I've done on a couple of (cheap) acoustics was to steam 
off the bridge and sanded the underside an 1/8" to lower that. 
That's if you can't file down the saddle.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Update: I got a couple of more ball park figures.
Capsule figures they can do it for $250 and Shyboy/Tex said $400.
$250 sounds about right, so I'm thinking about Pauls's and Capsule. Has anyone had any repairs at either place? If you prefer to reply in a PM - that's fine.
Thanks a lot.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

fernieite said:


> Update: I got a couple of more ball park figures.
> Capsule figures they can do it for $250 and Shyboy/Tex said $400.
> $250 sounds about right, so I'm thinking about Pauls's and Capsule. Has anyone had any repairs at either place? If you prefer to reply in a PM - that's fine.
> Thanks a lot.


If you choose one of these shops, please update us on how it works out? I need to get mine done too


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Hi Scotty.
What guitar do you have? Hey, you can go first if you want?


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

fernieite said:


> Hi Scotty.
> What guitar do you have? Hey, you can go first if you want?


Hey, no guinea pig here! Too much sentimental value. It's a 58 Sovereign H1260. It was my Fathers and my first guitar.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Nice! And completely understandable. Just thought I'd try...


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

No harm! 
Does Capsule have a retail store again? I cant find any info on their site


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Yeah, it's a small place in the basement of a building. You have to go around back to find the entrance. Here's the address and hours:
Capsule Music 985 Dovercourt Rd. Toronto,M6H 2X6, Ontario, Canada 

Monday - Closed 
Tuesday to Friday - 10-3 
Saturday - 11-5 
Sunday - Closed


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Update: 

So, I took the guitar into Shyboy/Tex yesterday and left it with Tony. He determined that the bridge is starting to lift at the back, the bridge plate has lifted or popped in the middle and there's a belly bulge behind the bridge, as a result.

He's going to remove the bridge, steam and clamp the belly bulge to flatten the top and then re-glue the bridge plate and bridge. 

There's a possibility that this may lower the action enough and a neck re-set may be avoided. Stay tuned...


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Final update: Neck re-set was needed. Job well done. Plays and sounds incredible! Recommended.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Btw, the action is great all the way up! 5/64ths and 4/64ths at the 12th fret, with room to shave the new bone saddle if preferred. The original nut was left intact.

I now have a set of .012 - .054 Ernie Ball Earthwoods and this thing sings! Man, I love this guitar!

Ps. Yes, I added tuner bushings to the headstock. I like em...


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Fantastic, thanks for sharing the outcome. Can I ask if the final price remained at $400 for the reset?


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Don't use capsule. I've experience there. I love Paul's, but don't take structural repairs to them either.

There is a reason 12th costs more; they do it right and don't cut corners. Learned my lesson with a bad refret on a vintage bass.

One place I would also trust (they recently refretted another instrument of mine) and is cheaper is The Canadian School of Luthiery on Carlaw in Leslieville. I'm on my phone otherwise I'd provide linkage.

Edit: oh I see i'm late to the party. Hope all went well.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Scotty said:


> Fantastic, thanks for sharing the outcome. Can I ask if the final price remained at $400 for the reset?


No, it was $450. Btw, this is _MY_ H1203 Sovereign (1958). My sister didn't want to spend the bucks. Her 1960 H1203 is fairly playable.

Here's a picture of both of them. Mine's on the right. It now has a great looking pickguard too. See my thread in the Acoustic section, under celluloid pickguard. 
Beautiful celluloid pickguards!

Man, I love this guitar! Old growth mahogany back and sides, spruce top and Brazilian rosewood fretboard and pinless bridge. Sounds fantastic! 
I used to have a 60's H1260 for many years, but I prefer this body style. I can't tell a difference in the sound.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

fernieite said:


> Btw, the action is great all the way up! 6/64ths and 4/64ths at the 12th fret, with room to shave the new bone saddle if preferred. The original nut was left intact.
> 
> I now have a set of .012 - .054 Ernie Ball Earthwoods and this thing sings! Man, I love this guitar!
> 
> Ps. Yes, I added tuner bushings to the headstock. I like em...


Sorry to dig this up again. I think I'm gonna but the bullet and do the same thing this winter.
Did they have to shim the neck at the body, or does the fretboard take a dive towards the soundhole? 
Did you change the tuners also? 
Is the nut bone?
Hows the sustain now?


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

Hmm, I'm not sure about whether he had to shim the neck at the body or not. There is a thin shim under the fingerboard by the soundhole however.
The tuners are original, as is the nut. (bone) The saddle is new and is bone as well.
It has amazing sustain!
Hope it goes well for your old 1260!


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Shim at sound hole is what I meant. I fugue mine will need the same. I hope to keep the original saddle configuration (mine is pinless) and new tuners are a must. Hope they can match up a similar looking style


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

I kept the original pinless bridge as well. It's a beautiful dark Brazilian rosewood (as is the fingerboard)
Too bad your old Waverley's need to be replaced. You can't lube them up and get them to work? Lot's of guys on the Harmony Board have liked the Stewmac replacements. I've heard they pop in without re-drilling anything and look the part.
Golden Age Restoration Tuners for Solid Peghead Guitar with Square-end | stewmac.com


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