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I recently experienced somewhat of a disaster while working on new flamenco blanca build. I wrecked the engleman top while routing the top bindings/purflings channel. I won't go into the gory details as it is too embarassing. After beating myself up for a couple of days I would like to move on and get a new top on the guitar so I can finish it up for this summer's trip to Spain.

I've never removed a top from a guitar so I wonder if anyone could share or direct me to a method/ procedure that works well. I would like to damage the underlying structure of the guitar as little as possible because I hope to put on a new top without major reconstruction. Having said that, I also need some help with a method for putting a top on a guitar with the back already on. I have always put the top on before the back with the guitar face down on a solera in the Spanish method.

All help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

So you destroyed it routing for binding?
I feel for you.
I would use the largest bearing you have and route around the edges in light passes until you just kiss the linings. John Greven has an excellent retop tutorial on his site.
As for retopping a classical, you best hear from a classical maker...

I had a top crack on me and screwed up all efforts to repair the crack acceptably so I ended up replacing it. I did about as meddlingfool described. I then used a hot iron and thin putty knife and worked my way around the top releasing the bond between top and lining. It went surprisingly well. As I remember, the tricky parts are where the brace ends are inlet into the lining. I don't recall exactly how I handled those...sorry. Good luck.

I remove them as noted below by others. As far as putting on a new top not a problem. I guess don't understand the problem you have putting on a top with the back on. why would that be of a concern. More of a concern is the work of the neck if it is on and how you want to approach that. Put the box in a mold (if use one) make a top, get some glue and glue it to the box by whatever method you use,re-do the neck or fretboard (however you work that out if applicable) finish it. Why again is the back on a concern as to putting on a new top?

Thanks to all for your input.

Stan,

It may not be a problem. It's just that I've never done it. Always glued top and linings to sides in one operation with the guitar face-down on the solera. Put the back on last using go-bar deck. Just wanted to see if there were any peculiarities with the opposite approach.

Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

Is it a typical Spanish heal construction? That will complicate things considerably. The neck or at least the fret board will need to come off.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Hi Brian,

Yes, it is typical Spanish construction. However, fortunately, the fretboard had not yet been installed.

Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

If you don't have the fingerboard on, it's duck soup. Just rout off the old top. I did it on my # 5 guitar for the same reason you need to. Messed up purfling channel. There is a pictorial in my Guitar 5 photo bucket album. http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii30 ... %20Guitar/ Somewhere around page 16 for the rout off and repair series. There is also a slide show on the last page of the album, Titled : Re-topping #5.

I don't show the actual routing, but my top sits inside the sides, vs on top of the sides. I used a 1/4" down cut spiral on a trim router with a bearing guide. Just used a standard base, resting it on the top, and cutting with a less than full depth on the first pass. I just kept adjusting the depth of cut and the bearing depth until I snuck up on it, and once I got the top off, I cleaned up the bits with a chisel, cut out the rosette, sanded the Spruce off the back and inset it in the new top. It all went very well.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I have a similar repair to make. I will need to remove the fretboard, but I am assuming it will come off with some heat.

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Greg Hatcher
North Carolina