DIY top replacement (started off intending to be a neck reset) * Now finished and playable again :)

Andyjr1515

Looks really good.  The braces are nicely carved and I agree the spruce looks real quality - tight and even! =D>

Not that I would ever get between a man and his ink bottle, but it would look great in natural too  

If you do go for ink, try the Diamine site - fantastic range of colours, quick postage and very reasonable cost.  Worth getting some samples - remember that the colour charts can be way off what it actually looks like on wood and that the varnish will deepen the colour a lot.  When the ink is still wet is probably the best guide of what it will look like when it is varnished - once it's dried and prior to varnishing it will look completely different...

DartmoorHedgehog

Thanks Andy.  I like the look of stained wood and fancy giving it a go.  I'll test it on some offcuts first though, don't worry

Andyjr1515

DartmoorHedgehog said:

Thanks Andy.  I like the look of stained wood and fancy giving it a go.  I'll test it on some offcuts first though, don't worry

No problem 

Just PM me along the way if you want any tips and tricks...

Andy

DartmoorHedgehog

Here's my dodgy go-bar set-up under the computer desk.  Worked quite well once I found enough canes that didn't snap

Andyjr1515

Perfect

DartmoorHedgehog

What do people reckon about this for the size of the bridge plate?  

@WezV suggested making it a bit bigger than the original - this paper template is about an inch or so taller, with the bridge in the middle (the old one had the bridge right at the bottom edge).

This look about right, or too big?  You can see the bit of maple I've got is quite big, so I could even go a bit bigger if needed.

Andyjr1515

That looks fine to me @DartmoorHedgehog

DartmoorHedgehog

Wow, that was quick!  Thanks @Andyjr1515

WezV

i would probably just increase the size of the existing one back behind the bridge a bit, 5mm ish, 10 at most. 

 too big will be a tone killer, but you clearly need it a bit bigger than it was originally.  

DartmoorHedgehog

Ah, OK. Thanks @WezV.  Perhaps I'll reduce my pattern a bit then.  I've gone a bit more than 10mm in each direction at the moment.  I presume by "behind" the bridge you mean away from the neck, towards the tail block.

WezV

yeah, don't want to do too much

DartmoorHedgehog

Bit more progress this weekend.  New top is now fully braced and ready to be stuck onto the body - making sure I get the neck angle right - most scary bit so far I reckon.  But first I need to get some more threaded rod and lengthen my spool clamps - I made them when I did the ukulele and just realised they're just too short to reach across a dreadnought

Andyjr1515

That's looking really really good @DartmoorHedgehog   =D>

DartmoorHedgehog

Got the top ready to fit now, pockets for ends of braces fit nicely and cut a step in the end of the fretboard to allow for the slightly thicker top.  Should get some threaded rod today to make my spool clamps longer, then I can stick the top back on

On the subject of sticking the top on, this is where I need to make sure the neck angle is right.  Presumably I should set it slightly "too high" to allow for a bit of movement when the strings are on... but how much?  Or should any flex be taken up by the truss rod, so I don't need to allow for it?  It's not THAT critical because I'm going to reuse the original adjustable-height bridge, but I certainly don't want to end up with it too low again after all this!

In the mean time I've been playing with some ink staining on a spare bit of wood.  As @Andyjr1515 mentioned in one of his posts, it comes out much darker on wood than it does on paper.  Neat ink was much too dark, but diluting with water (I tried up to 8:1 water:ink) makes a good range of colour.  It actually looks even darker to the eye than it does in the picture - the three darkest samples look almost black, and the best compromise is probably 4:1, still a nice rich colour.  Even the 8:1 is still a strong colour - powerful stuff this ink (it's Diamine Imperial Purple if anybody's interested).  

Andyjr1515

Hi @DartmoorHedgehog. Good progress! Remember also that it will darken with the lacquer. It will be close to the colour it comes out when the ink is still wet, but the best way is to brush a coat or two of clear varnish on the sample and that's pretty much the shade it will end up as...

Andyjr1515

Nice colour, by the way

DartmoorHedgehog

Thanks Andy.  There is varnish across half of the samples (where it's smudged the ink).  The picture doesn't show the strength of the colour too well even though I tried to edit it to make the brightness as close to real life as possible.  It does look darker where the varnish is, but also "less black" if that makes sense - it's darker but the colour is more obvious.  The neat ink is way too dark, but diluted about 4:1 looks really good.  My daughter plays a purple violin that I'm secretly (or not) quite jealous of, so I'm trying to emulate that colour.

The varnish is Ronseal satin that I've used before on various things, including the ukelele.  I prefer satin finish to gloss on guitars, so I'll probably use that all over as I've got loads left.  Not sure whether to brush it on or try the cloth method though.

WezV

its look good.

the neck angle is a bit of a gamble at this point.  going for a flat top means the bridge should be slightly lower than it was before and might need to be thicker/higher.  also it may have a curved bottom at the moment and need flattening off for the neck top.

Essentially, before you glue the top on clamp it all in place and spend some time doing some measuring.

chances are once you get it in spool clamps to measure you will find its not too far out or close enough that a new saddle will get you there

if its way out,  there are still a few things that can be done before the top is glued on

if the neck angle is too great a new bridge or a shim under the existing one .  If its too low then it may need a shim under the fretboard to create neck angle (tapered is best but flat will work).   both fall in the "how to do a neck reset when a neck reset isn't possible" camp, of course a neck reset is still an option on this too, but i am guessing that's still a worse case scenario for you

if you have enjoyed this I would recommend a stew-mac guitar kit next

DartmoorHedgehog

Thanks @WezV.  I was assuming I was going to have to sand the bridge flat to fit the flat top, but it appears to be flat already - so the old top must have been flat I suppose.  I think I'll be able to vary the neck angle a fair bit just by flexing the body as I glue the top on and clamping it in place - the sides are pretty flexible with the top off - so I reckon I'll be able to get it to work with my old bridge (possibly with a new saddle, as I'd cut it down quite low to work with the old wonky top and even with the adjustment it'll probably be a bit low).  I know adjustable acoustic bridges aren't popular with tone hounds but it always sounded fine to me before and it makes things less critical when setting up, so I think I'll stick with it.

Not sure if I've really got the acoustic guitar building bug enough to build a kit!  I may be tempted by a Fender-style electric sometime (probably Telecasterish) but I've got five guitars and lots of other musical instruments so I don't think I really need any more at the moment (just bought a bari sax so need to make up some brownie points!)

I'm finding this project interesting though, and it's going fairly well so far I reckon - might make get it back to life again in time for a recording session in a few weeks, which would be nice.  I'm not quite out of the woods yet though - need to sort the cosmetics out after I've stuck the top back on...  staining, binding and finishing.  It WILL work though - I'm feeling quite confident now  Scariest thing will be stringing it up :O

DartmoorHedgehog

Top is now clamped up and gluing back on.  Pretty sure I've got the neck angle about right  [-O<

Ran out of clamps (needed to be closer together than I anticipated), so a bit of improvisation with cable ties has taken place!