Making a 00 deep body into normal body depth

[jared1177]

My 4th guitar that I built a few years back was a 00 deep body. Around 4.5" deep. 12 fret and short scale. Carpathian spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides.

I've decided that the tone is a bit too loose. I have not under-braced it in anyway. I would like it to be a bit more punchy. I have currently been using light gauge all this time and haven't thought to try mediums yet, maybe that could be an option.

I'm thinking however the deeper body with the 12 fret short scale is giving it this lack of punch. Maybe a bit too much air within the box.

I retopped this same guitar a few months ago with success, as I didn't like how the top turned out.
So now I'm thinking about popping the back off, and bringing the depth back to the norm of around 4".

Has anybody ever heard of slimming down a deep body? This may be a first.

[srick]

There is/was a company called "Shabby Chic Guitars" (they still have a website) that would take Asian guitars and modify them after the fact with Manzer wedges and bevels. I. Think they used a REALLY big bandsaw! You might want to look them up.

Best,

Rick

[Alan Carruth]

Yup; cutting off the back and reducing the side height should help. I'd go around the sides with a marking gauge to help preserve the profile. Cut off the back, clean out whatever liners are left and replace them, profile it, inlet the braces and replace the back. The main issue is preserving the outline so that the back actually fits.

Would enlarging the sound hole be a reasonable alternative, or first step?

[jared1177]

Originally Posted by Alan Carruth

Yup; cutting off the back and reducing the side height should help. I'd go around the sides with a marking gauge to help preserve the profile. Cut off the back, clean out whatever liners are left and replace them, profile it, inlet the braces and replace the back. The main issue is preserving the outline so that the back actually fits.

Sounds like a winner.
To make things cleaner though I was thinking to take off the binding first, then heat up my flat knife and break apart the back from the sides by separating it at the kerfing joint.
And following the profile with the marking guage, get the radius right with the blocks.
Then it should just be a matter of putting on new kerfing, scoring the kerfing so the back braces will fit, and glue back up.
Only thing is this guitar has a K&K pickup, so the endpin will be off-centered. Which shouldnt be that big of a deal, or if the strap doesnt hold well I could always plug the hole with rosewood and drill a new one.
It's my build, so its not like I'm decreasing the value of it or anything.

[jared1177]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Would enlarging the sound hole be a reasonable alternative, or first step?

No, bc quite frankly... I just dont like the way the deep body fits in my arms. I'd like the flatter profile better.

But nice thought though.

[redir]

Just fill it with an inch of concrete... Boom done!