Official Luthiers Forum!
http://luthiersforum.com/forum/

Alvarez RD8C
http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10137&t=51957
Page 1 of 1

Author:  Ricklt [ Mon May 20, 2019 7:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Alvarez RD8C

I got this guitar for practically nothing. I am continuing to try to learn. I know it's not a high dollar guitar but it will do to learn on. Am posting a picture so you can see what I am talking about. This is on the top. Would like to try to fix it just for the experience. Any suggestions would be great. Someone has sanded on this some.
I was thinking about using my Dremel with a router bit to take off the first layer of wood, to inlay a new piece of wood to cover this. Maybe contrasting wood. Let me know what you think please.Image

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Author:  Hesh [ Tue May 21, 2019 4:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Alvarez RD8C

No. In the commercial world no one would ever attempt to fix cosmetically a plywood top nor would any sane client ever wish to pay for the repair.

If you want a "mule" (a learning instrument) that will have lots of opportunity to learn modern repair methods on an instrument intended from the get go to be "serviceable" seek out old Harmony Sovereigns on eBay or wherever. They have proper dovetail neck joints, solid spruce tops, solid wood back and sides, they used HHG in assembly and the construction methods are as Martins and others are today. Lots of real value in learning to do a plethora of repairs that will be commercially viable meaning requested, economically justifiable and in real demand.

There you just got some advice from the trenches of a very busy commercial repair shop.

I'll add that some folks will always wish to experiment and toil with things that will be one offs. More power to them but if you are asking about something that is a "learning" experience with the emphasis on you want to develop chops for something that you will likely be asked to do again instruments that we get for nothing may have similar value... unless they are and were built to be serviceable.

Good luck.

Author:  Johny [ Wed May 22, 2019 1:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Alvarez RD8C

I think the best course of action is to let it be as is.

Other option if you really want to cover this scar is to get creative with a pair of cissors:

https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_S ... lanks.html

Author:  Freeman [ Wed May 22, 2019 4:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Alvarez RD8C

How is everything else on the guitar? Neck angle, frets, action, anything loose or broken?

Author:  Ricklt [ Fri May 24, 2019 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Alvarez RD8C

Everything else is very good

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Author:  Freeman [ Fri May 24, 2019 10:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Alvarez RD8C

Ricklt wrote:
Everything else is very good

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk


Then play it and don't worry about it. Maybe someday it will be Trigger or Hansard's guitar

Author:  philosofriend [ Fri May 24, 2019 10:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Alvarez RD8C

The contrasting wood would sure stand out.
Cutting down with a dremel and then making a patch to fit that would be quite a hard job.
To get some experience, I would make a very thin spruce patch that tapers at the edges to fit into the pit. To shape that patch I would use double stick tape to tape it to a scrap board, then scrape or sand the spruce. With a sharp scraper you can make extremely thin pieces this way. This would be faster than fitting an inlaid patch.
After glueing it in I would level the patch then see how well I could disguise it by spraying a sunburst.
Just my two cents, but I think my way develops skills more likely to be used in the future.

Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/