Official Luthiers Forum!

I was fortunate enough to get a 1933 L-00 at a local auction for $41 - however - the back was splintered, there was a hole in the side, and the top had half a dozen cracks. It looked like someone smashed it over a bedpost. I had never done a repair before - just built 4 guitars. I got advice from at least 2 knowledgable people that they would trash the body and sell the neck (which was still very nice) and many more said I should let a professional do the rebuild.

Well this was my only chance at owning one of these fantastic guitars, so with mouse in hand, I did my research. With help from many, and some on this forum, I was able to reconstruct this instrument. My daughter, who owns her own repair shop, says it sounds just like it supposed to sound, and that is the most gratifying part of this.

Here is the short version:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/14732771744/in/set-72157650428685680

And here is the way-to-long version:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/sets/72157646344222304/

Thanks to all who have helped. This guitar has a surprising amount of volume and power and is clearly the best guitar I own - better than my Martin 000-28. And at 82 years old, it doesn't need to be broken in!

Ed Minch

That was an excellent project. You pulled it off beautifully!!!

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Incredible save......great pics/tutorial.....thanks.....

That's a fine job Ed, one to be proud of.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

That's a tutorial on how to take a guitar from the trash can and give it a new life! Nicely done, Ed!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Great Job Ed!!!

Really interesting being able to follow the progress through your very detailed photos. A true labour of love and a fantastic ending, very well done.

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http://www.bobmatthewsguitars.co.uk

Nice save! I found that to be totally inspiring!

Thanks all - a high point for me

Ed

Looked through the short version. Amazing amount of patience and perseverance with excellent results. Would love to play it.

Nice one! What's that thing worth now???

I, too, would like to know what it is worth - I am thinking $1500. If that is the case, then $200 cash outlay and 150 hours of time means I would make not much per hour. It was clearly a labor if love. But now I actually HAVE one of these great guitars!

Ed

Well, it looks like it was well worth doing, regardless of working for peanuts. That was a really impressive recovery of a tortured instrument!

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Really Fantastic!!Thanks for the link to the "long version". Enjoyed seeing the whole process.