Carter Vintage

jb83 · #1 10-04-2018, 12:33 PM

I’m planning to leave my 1945 J-45 in Nashville this weekend to have some loose bracing and a couple of cracks repaired. I was thinking that d leave it with Carter Vintage. Can anyone recommend them? If not then, where would you recommend that won’t tell me I’ll have a 6 month wait?

mirwa · #2 10-04-2018, 06:05 PM

The problem is, really good repair shops with good reputations are typically always full and always booked out, so its not unusual to have to wait.

The risk is some of the fast repair shops may have it done in a day or so but you may regret it

Case and point. had an enquiry last week for some damage repair, told them to bring it up in a week or so for me to look at, i spoke with them 5 days later, it had already been repaired, well lets say they stuffed his guitar up beyond my ability to now fix it within a 500 dollar budget

Steve

Monsoon1 · #3 10-04-2018, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirwa

The problem is, really good repair shops with good reputations are typically always full and always booked out, so its not unusual to have to wait.

The risk is some of the fast repair shops may have it done in a day or so but you may regret it

Case and point. had an enquiry last week for some damage repair, told them to bring it up in a week or so for me to look at, i spoke with them 5 days later, it had already been repaired, well lets say they stuffed his guitar up beyond my ability to now fix it within a 500 dollar budget

Steve

Steve I wonder if you could give me a rough idea about how much it would cost to replace a soundboard.
I have an old Fender Villager as well as a one of a kind Fender Shenandoah (custom shop ordered with micro tilt!), and as is typical of those guitars the soundboards have extreme cracks in them.

mirwa · #4 10-04-2018, 06:51 PM

First my quote is mute for you as I am in another country and do not do international work, except for manufacturers, I make up discontinued parts for them on occasion.

The soundboard is the biggest most expensive thing to get changed on an acoustic guitar IMO, I charge between 800-1300 for new tops.

But, here is a photo of one of my jobs

Before, this is actually how I received it, the other luthier after a year acknowledged it was beyond his skill set, the owner picked it up like this and gave it to me, with all the spares the other guy had cut out.

After

Steve

Monsoon1 · #5 10-05-2018, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirwa

First my quote is mute for you as I am in another country and do not do international work, except for manufacturers, I make up discontinued parts for them on occasion.

The soundboard is the biggest most expensive thing to get changed on an acoustic guitar IMO, I charge between 800-1300 for new tops.

But, here is a photo of one of my jobs

Before, this is actually how I received it, the other luthier after a year acknowledged it was beyond his skill set, the owner picked it up like this and gave it to me, with all the spares the other guy had cut out.

After

Steve

haha, I love the inlay at the waste.

silverspear · #6 10-05-2018, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirwa

First my quote is mute for you as I am in another country and do not do international work, except for manufacturers, I make up discontinued parts for them on occasion.

The soundboard is the biggest most expensive thing to get changed on an acoustic guitar IMO, I charge between 800-1300 for new tops.

But, here is a photo of one of my jobs

Before, this is actually how I received it, the other luthier after a year acknowledged it was beyond his skill set, the owner picked it up like this and gave it to me, with all the spares the other guy had cut out.

After

Steve

oh wow, did you actually replace the top, or did you cleat the top with cut out pieces of spruce?

mirwa · #7 10-06-2018, 12:21 AM

Now that would be impressive, splinting fresh wood into the top to get it back to its original.

No, made a whole new top for the guitar and reused the removed rosette / inlays and bridge that a previous luthier had taken off, they originally started to replace the top becuase it was sanded to thin for a respray and apparently when it was strung up, the wood started to tear out along its grain

Steve

silverspear · #8 10-06-2018, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirwa

Now that would be impressive, splinting fresh wood into the top to get it back to its original.

No, made a whole new top for the guitar and reused the removed rosette / inlays and bridge that a previous luthier had taken off, they originally started to replace the top becuase it was sanded to thin for a respray and apparently when it was strung up, the wood started to tear out along its grain

Steve

very beautiful job done nevertheless!! but I wonder how did you estimate the new top thickness for that particular bracing? I assume you reused the braces as is?

mirwa · #9 10-06-2018, 02:30 AM

Just like any builder, when we make a new top without any referenece thickness then we use the oilcan method, thin fresh joined top to around 3.3mm then flick it between your fingers, thin the top down until it starts to oil can,that is it creates a whooshing sound as you flick it back and forth.

Steve

mirwa · #10 10-06-2018, 02:50 AM

Sent you a pm showing every step involved in changing a guitars top

Steve

HHP · #11 10-06-2018, 04:29 AM

Only experience I have with Carters repair is a mandolin I bought from them a few months ago. In looking at the photos on their site, I asked about a spot I was seeing thinking it could be a reflection. Walter checked and said it was playwear on the lower bout and he offered to knock a bit off the price and have their repair shop see if they could touch it up. I agreed not expecting much since it was a sunburst. Took a few extra days to get to me but I cannot even see where the damage was originally. They blended the touch up perfectly.

Given the level of instruments they deal in, and the clientele they service, I imagine their repair shop would be quite skilled.

jb83 · #12 10-06-2018, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHP

Only experience I have with Carters repair is a mandolin I bought from them a few months ago. In looking at the photos on their site, I asked about a spot I was seeing thinking it could be a reflection. Walter checked and said it was playwear on the lower bout and he offered to knock a bit off the price and have their repair shop see if they could touch it up. I agreed not expecting much since it was a sunburst. Took a few extra days to get to me but I cannot even see where the damage was originally. They blended the touch up perfectly.

Given the level of instruments they deal in, and the clientele they service, I imagine their repair shop would be quite skilled.

Thanks for the response-this thread was really getting off-topic.

silverspear · #13 10-06-2018, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirwa

Just like any builder, when we make a new top without any referenece thickness then we use the oilcan method, thin fresh joined top to around 3.3mm then flick it between your fingers, thin the top down until it starts to oil can,that is it creates a whooshing sound as you flick it back and forth.

Steve

very insightful! thanks for the link!

silverspear · #14 10-06-2018, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb83

Thanks for the response-this thread was really getting off-topic.

I apologize!

pcf · #15 10-12-2018, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb83

I’m planning to leave my 1945 J-45 in Nashville this weekend to have some loose bracing and a couple of cracks repaired. I was thinking that d leave it with Carter Vintage. Can anyone recommend them? If not then, where would you recommend that won’t tell me I’ll have a 6 month wait?

John, i tried sending you a PM but your box is full. find me.