The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Build and Repair

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 09-14-2017, 02:29 PM
Henning Henning is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Umea, Sweden
Posts: 301
Default Loose strut in classical guitar

Hello, very simple I have an old classic Japanese Aria AC-8 where the mid strut is loose. I can feel it with my hand inside. It has just five struts in traditional sun feather pattern. The mid one is loose. How should I get the glue there?
I could pour it on the sides and bend it back and forth a few times hoping it to get in the right places. But...
Well, do you have some better ideas, please?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-14-2017, 03:01 PM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Dartmouth, NS
Posts: 3,127
Default

A hypo-syringe with slightly watered (10%) glue in it. Use a clamp while drying for best results. WIpe up with slightly dampened cotton ball(s).
__________________
----

Ned Milburn
NSDCC Master Artisan
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-14-2017, 03:05 PM
Henning Henning is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Umea, Sweden
Posts: 301
Default

Thanks for your reply. Iīll probably use white wood glue.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-14-2017, 06:42 PM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,307
Default

This is typically a very inexpensive repair at a Luthier's shop. Bread and butter work for those guys.

Be careful with this. Most people do not have the special clamps required to clamp braces inside the guitar. Without the proper clamping - you will leave a big mess of glue but the joint will not hold.

The cautions - beyond a poor joint - are cracking the top or putting dents in the top when trying to make do with typical woodworking clamps.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-15-2017, 04:19 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Edinburgh, bonny Scotland
Posts: 5,197
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Truckjohn View Post
This is typically a very inexpensive repair at a Luthier's shop. Bread and butter work for those guys.

Be careful with this. Most people do not have the special clamps required to clamp braces inside the guitar. Without the proper clamping - you will leave a big mess of glue but the joint will not hold.

The cautions - beyond a poor joint - are cracking the top or putting dents in the top when trying to make do with typical woodworking clamps.
Using miniature "go-bars" ...just straight dowels pared at the ends and wedged between the back of the guitar and the loose brace would be preferable to any sort of clamp IMO. Effective gluing in this situation doesn't need a tremendous amount of force.

If you were paranoid about cracking the top doing this, it is a relatively simple matter to clamp two external cauls, one on the front and one on the back, to counteract the force exerted by the "go-bars".
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-18-2017, 01:32 AM
Henning Henning is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Umea, Sweden
Posts: 301
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
Using miniature "go-bars" ...just straight dowels pared at the ends and wedged between the back of the guitar and the loose brace would be preferable to any sort of clamp IMO. Effective gluing in this situation doesn't need a tremendous amount of force.

If you were paranoid about cracking the top doing this, it is a relatively simple matter to clamp two external cauls, one on the front and one on the back, to counteract the force exerted by the "go-bars".
No fear for cracking the top as it is laminate. Realizing I have to (preferably?) remove the eventual rests of the old glue and donīt want to make matters worse by thereby breaking the strut loose.
Just thought Iīd use some ice cream sticks, flower dowel pins as "go-bars" or similar.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-18-2017, 08:27 PM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Dartmouth, NS
Posts: 3,127
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Henning View Post
No fear for cracking the top as it is laminate. Realizing I have to (preferably?) remove the eventual rests of the old glue and donīt want to make matters worse by thereby breaking the strut loose.
Just thought Iīd use some ice cream sticks, flower dowel pins as "go-bars" or similar.
You can inject glue and reglue without removing the existing glue between strut and soundboard.
__________________
----

Ned Milburn
NSDCC Master Artisan
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-25-2017, 02:57 AM
Henning Henning is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Umea, Sweden
Posts: 301
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ned Milburn View Post
You can inject glue and reglue without removing the existing glue between strut and soundboard.

Thanks, but isnīt that a matter depending on what glue was used in the first place?
What about the small cracks in the top on the sides of the bridge, please, should I just leave them or put some cleats on the backside of the top too?
I donīt exactly know where they are located yet. The bridge is some what bending upwards. It is not coming loose.


Regards

Last edited by Henning; 09-25-2017 at 03:09 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-25-2017, 05:18 PM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Dartmouth, NS
Posts: 3,127
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Henning View Post
Thanks, but isnīt that a matter depending on what glue was used in the first place?
What about the small cracks in the top on the sides of the bridge, please, should I just leave them or put some cleats on the backside of the top too?
I donīt exactly know where they are located yet. The bridge is some what bending upwards. It is not coming loose.


Regards
If it is 70's Japanese build, the glue used might be an issue. If you try it and it doesn't work because of the original glue, it is then a less than trivial task to remove the brace, scrape the glue, and replace or reglue the brace.

Regarding top cracks near the bridge... Top cracks SHOULD BE FIXED ASAP whenever possible, no matter where on the top they are. This isn't too difficult, but there are a few ways for newbies to screw up.

If the bridge is solid and geometry is acceptable, the bridge needn't be removed. For your guitar, I cannot judge need to remove bridge or not from just a few words on the screen, however.
__________________
----

Ned Milburn
NSDCC Master Artisan
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-25-2017, 06:16 PM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,307
Default

Take it to a local luthier/instrument repairman...

These things you mention are easy fixes for the professional who has the right tools and equipment.

Unfortunately - these repairs become exponentially harder and more difficult if you mess with it first.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 10-22-2017, 02:14 AM
Henning Henning is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Umea, Sweden
Posts: 301
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Truckjohn View Post
Take it to a local luthier/instrument repairman...

These things you mention are easy fixes for the professional who has the right tools and equipment.

Unfortunately - these repairs become exponentially harder and more difficult if you mess with it first.
As the estimated value of the guitar is from $100 - $200 according to this thread, then rather towards one hundred then 200 bucks too, the costs for repairing it is somwhere between $125 - $250. It is not an option to leave it to a shop. If not being too sentimental, it is better to simply throw or give it away as a 'toy' or maybe keep it as a wall hanger then let a shop repair it.
So I guess I'd rather stick to the original idea, i.e. do it myself.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Build and Repair

Tags
gluing, loose strut

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:17 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=