Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm trying to figure out the best way to make this
BRW work for my new guitar. First problem,
There is a chip out in the center of the back. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but
when you view the other photo's, there is no room to remove stock. I thought of a center strip, or maybe even a three piece back.

These next three pics show some sort of "grainy filler" where there was once a knot. What is the best
way to fill these large holes? Also take notice of
the fragile crack on the left side. I heard the simplest best way to fill the pores on this is CA.
Did I hear that right, or did I hear wrong? As a fairly new builder, I would prefer something fairly
easy to fill. All my other guitars have been Indian Rosewood, and I've used the LMI stain/filler,
which worked great. Will that ruin the colors of the BRW? Thanks in advance for your help.


Mark Hanna38975.6818865741

Can You use it to make a smaller body style?

Al

Thanks Al for the response, but as it is, it's a small jumbo, and I'm trying to keep it that size.

BTW, I don't know why this posted so distant apart. Maybe the way I sent it. I'm still new at this. There's 4 photo's, one seems to be way off to the side.

Welcome to OLF!! Terry Stowell38975.7143634259

It is kind of hard to tell from the pics, but one thing you might consider is cutting out that knot that is filled and replacing it with wings that you get from the unused waist stock. If you can get a good grain / color match that might look better.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Mark,

Look to remove a bunch of hard returns or tabs etc between the pics, leaving only one return between each one.
You can go back and edit this.
If you've done this by linking to the pictures,
maybe try to just load them instead.

Try also using some hard returns in your text so that it doesn't extend way out.Don Williams38975.6475

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=Terry Stowell] WHoa! Okay there it is.
Hi Mark, could you plese reformat your post? Log on, and click "Edit" and click enter after each photo line [found between brackets like this.jpg]
add some text about the problem click "enter"
[add another photo.jpg] click enter
add some more text click enter

etc.

It's easier on the eyes!

Welcome to OLF!! [/QUOTE]

I fixed it about as much as I could.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

dude you're quick! I was just about to delete my post, cuz it's getting betta every time I look.

Have a great weekend Brock

Welcome to the club Mark. Good to have you on board!

Mark, you need to crop those photos...that's your problem.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Sorry guys, I think this is better, I didn't realize I could format again. I think I have it now!

Well, now that we can see it without getting a headache...


That filler looks like it needs to come out. I would remove it carefully, and replace it with a piece from up in the waist/upper bout area as Brock suggested. Just slice it off clean and then add the wings to both sides. It will look much better. Strike that...WAY better.

That's a nice piece of wood, you may as well get the most out of it.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Don, do you mean take waste from the top area, and glue it as you would the center seam? If so, would that require a strip inside like a center strip would have making 3 strips? or would you not need the inside strip?

What I meant was cut the knot out in a straight line and join a piece there from the area left over when you profile it. You should have quite a bit left over in the waist area. If you can get a good grain and color match it may be nearly invisible.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

That's a great idea Brock. What do you recommend for a filler. I heard CA was easy to do, and helps prevent any further unstable cracks in the wood. Does that work well under the nitro-lacq.?

If you flip your template around, won't the knot holes fall outside the guitar pattern?

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Joe thanks for the reply, but the board tapers and becomes narrow toward the top

A three piece back looks like the best soulution. Very accepted, even classy looking at times. And you get out of the nasties on this set.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Mark, here is what I mean. Slice off the edges of the lower bouts in a vertical line (imagine the board was more narrow. Joint these areas. After you join the center seam of the two plates cut out the profile of your guitar a little over sized (I realize you are now missing part of your lower bout).

Now, take the unused material from the waist of the guitar and see if you can get a good color / grain match. If so, joint it and glue it to the area where you need it in the lower bouts.

(I can provide a pic if you need me to)

Regarding your missing piece in the center seam, I would just trim it back a little on both sides enough to use a center strip and glue it up with a center strip in place. That will work ok, and look fine.

Regarding what glue to use. I have recently switched to epoxy for BRW.
Brock Poling38975.872337963

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Instead of cutting these pieces off in a vertical line cut them off following the grain in one of the darker areas. You have pieces left over at the upper bout area that also have this dark grain. Overlay your lower bout piece on this cutoff and move the cutoff around until you have an excellent match. Scribe the cutoff to match the pattern of the lower bout and glue it together with epoxy. Take your time and fit the pieces exactly and you will have a invisible fix. This will also work for your center seam problem. Been there, done it. Just take your time, you will be amazed at the results.

Dean

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Dean

Brock,
Thanks for your input, I'm going with that. When you said you switched glues, to epoxy, are you referring to the glue joint, or for filling pores?

For the glue joint for the plates. I am using the West system products now.

For pore filing I have always used epoxy. I have tried most of the brands out there.

For the fissures and cracks that happen with BRW, I use CA if they are small.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com