Very Busy

Sorry to let things go so long with no new posting. Have some new students, and preparing things has been using all my time.Here's a few photos, Dan with his gold Top LP style, First time painting this finish. Albert with a very special 7 string, and the J-200 style of Dani is coming along very nicely . Another Hofner neck reset. this joint is very diferent then the other Hofners I've done lately. You can compare it with the guitar photos of a few months ago. P:S: Yes this was a bitch to remove. You can see the two holes(one in the joint, the other came out in the bottom of the joint) where I injected steam. Same method as a gibson re-set. Not Fun!!

More fiesta

A few more shots of 12 day guitar

Fiestas

Since we are a cultural association, I became involved in making a guitar for the fiestas of our barrio. The plan was to raffle of the guitar the last day of the festival. I worked on it two days in the plaza, and 10 more days in the shop, with some help from friends.Varnished with nitro, not alot. These are some photos of the 12 day wonder. Came out with a very nice sound, but I don't know if I'll do it next year

Hofner Mania

Ivasion of Hofner basses. This not long after the guitar that I re-set. And three of the four also are here for neck resets. Like they have a self-destructive clock built in. The first one was the same straight neck joint as the guitar had, but the german one has a neck joint with a tongue like a Gibson. Complicated. I'll get started next week with it.The bass in the photo was made in Spain.

September

September almost gone, and haven't posted anything. Waiting to load the last round of photos. meanwhile, I'm preparing a guitar for the fiestas del barrio. Going to give a small demo on guitar building, and then raffle off the guitar. Here's a few more photos of associates work. David acoustic, Sergio with a fine Tele type. Also a few more shots of the bass neck fitting. Thanks

Hofner Guitar

She came in with the neck pulling out from heat, and really bad glue. It was like glued in with rubber. Although it looked like an easy removal, I had a hard time getting it loose. Cleaned up, well shimed, and glued, really very little retouching was necessary.Afterwards had to have a compleat fret job to correct a bad backbow. Now she looks and plays great!

Double Bass Repair

Sorry that I've been a little lazy with the blog these days. Been on a little vacation to my parents home in N.J., and working hard on a couple tough projects. Bass repair almost done, I'll give you a look at the neck block reconstruction. Made the new neck block out of mahogany because I didn't have a piece of spruce big enough. Maby someone trained in Cremona would call this blasfamy, but it works very well on our guitars. The white piece of maple at the bottom is a very large button and top bout reinforcement. Thing really can get torn up when these babys fall over.

more j200

J200

This J200 had water damage, and had been very poorly repaired. The luthier took off and replaced the back o.k. but didn't do anything to the top bracing except stuff glue into the open spaces, letting it dry without clamping. The guitar came to me because the bridge was pulling loose. what a suprise we got when we started looking inside. Photos are of some tools I used, spatulas, glue syringes (right and left hand), to clean out the mess and close things up properly. Was a hard call, but I decided to do the work without opening the guitar again. Bridge plate r&r (came right out). bridge reglue, and alot of cleaning and regluing braces.

more stuff

As usual, some tough repairs. Smashed contra bass this time. Has to be opened up for interior reconstruction. Fender 5 made by Luis, Finally getting the decal tecnique down.

.Also a great photo of action out on the patio!

Thinline Tele

Roger has really done a lovely job with this one. And as it's the first sunburst I ever painted, I want to take a little credit myself. Ash body with maple top, doesen't weigh too much, and sounds awsome, with pickups wound right here in the shop.

Well, They have changed the format of my blog. almost couldn't figure out how to post. DAMM, I was just getting used to the old one. Anyuway lots of things happining as always. S.G. done and the thinline tele of Roger also. going to post one at a time to make sure this works. First the S.G.

Spring!!

Paint done on S.G. Now to get this baby together!!! Also Manu getting his double cut LP ready for frets

March 2012

Also more students projects, Sergio almost done with his classical. This guitar has strings, and sounds beautiful. Just needs final polishing. Rose inlay is a true work of art. Dani getting started with a jumbo acoustic. Rogers' thinline tele. Thanks Eveyone!