Rebuild 12 String

[Palo-Kai]

Hello, I need your help, please.
I have a 1970’s ‘non-functioning’ Westminster made in Japan, 12 String.

I want to take it apart and rebuild it into a smaller guitar, a travel guitar. The body shape will be a trapezoid 7” across the top, 14” across the bottom, 11” tall and 2.5-3” deep. I will put a piezo or sound hole pickup just so I can hear something in my headphones.

Question: what do I do to straighten the side boards?

[Howard Klepper]

Palo, between reading this and your "white spots" thread, I think it is time for some tough love. This project is a mistake, and you don't know what you are doing. It would be easier to build the guitar you want from scratch than to shrink and reshape an old laminated 12-string. And building it from scratch would not be easy.

Your willingness to try is admirable, however.

[oscarvan]

Yeah, what he said. From your question we deduce that you need to take a few steps back.

What you are proposing is not realistic. One doesn't "straighten the side boards"..... You could certainly use parts of the guitar to incorporate into a new design..... Heads and necks with fretboards are a bear to make, and re-using what you have is certainly doable. The body you may have to start from scratch though, and connecting the pieces WILL have to be done right, as there are some serious forces in play (ha ha), especially on a 12 string.

So, my suggestion is to start watching Youtube vids on how to build guitars. Maybe build a kit, make some sawdust and get some glue on your hands. Learn how guitars are built and THEN figure out how to do what you want to do.

There's another forum where people do a lot of this..... maybe you can find a kindred soul or two there. http://www.projectguitar.com/

[Palo-Kai]

I’m going to go with, “Big people are always courteous.”
These comments might have been hurtful:
There's another forum where people do a lot of this..... maybe you can find a kindred soul or two there.
we deduce that you need to take a few steps back.
What you are proposing is not realistic.
One doesn't "straighten the side boards
connecting the pieces WILL have to be done right
Learn how guitars are built and THEN figure out how to do what you want to do.
I think it is time for some tough love.
This project is a mistake, and you don't know what you are doing.

It could be called, “Ugly.” I’m going to call it, “Battle Scarred.”
After all it is 50 years old and my rebuild put plenty of scars on it.
How’s it play? With my $11 pickup, good, really good. It’s got some buzz on the A strings, but lots of people on this forum have written they have buzz on their guitar strings.



Concerning the straightening of the side boards, a very kind young woman who is an experienced guitar builder on another guitar builder’s forum said, “Also, to flatten your sides, just use a clothes iron set on the cotton setting. Sit it on the top of the curve of wood with just the weight of the iron. You'll see and feel the wood relax as it "unbends". Just go with the wood, with gentle pressure. It happens pretty quickly after the wood is hot.” I didn’t straighten them out super flat, but they did straighten out using her advice.

I am very proud of how I built this. Measure twice then measure again. Draw it out. Go slow, take your time, patience. Let the glue dry. Let the lacquer dry. Look at the mistake, think about it, then fix it. I made some mistakes, let’s say 10 and the finish is not great but then it’s the first time I did this. I’m proud of this guitar and can’t wait to make another one, it will be better, learning from mistakes.

[hat]

Looks like you got'er done! There's only one way to learn, and that's by doing. The advise given you was all meant with good intentions, by good folks with good hearts, on a good forum! But it's good to that you chose to go against the grain!

So, now that you've been bitten by the bug - what's next on your 'project' list?