cmarr6 Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 I have posted in the Gibson Acoustic section about this unique looking J45. I guess this is the place to post on it's repair and restoration. From what I have found out, I think it is a '65 J45. It has some very unique adornments that appear to be original, but in all my research I have not found one anywhere close to this one. It has been abused and has suffered some damage. It has a crack running the length of the back and all the back braces are loose. The bridge is cracked and coming loose. I now have the bridge removed and am making a new one exactly like the old one. I am going to retain the bolts for the adjustable bridge, but make a bone saddle that fits in the slot and makes contact with the top to eliminate the adjustable insert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Have been following the thread in acoustics - will now keep checking on your progress hereabouts! I have taken a liking to your guitar (except for the overly thick pickguard) and hope it turns out well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Please keep us posted on this entire process. I'm really curious about how you will approach some of these repairs. It's a unique guitar, for sure. Wish we knew the back-story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted April 2, 2016 Author Share Posted April 2, 2016 I didn't see this section before. Thought it better to post the repairs in here. I wish there was a way to find out the back story. But I have come to dead ends everywhere I checked. If anybody has any info or places I can go to maybe find out more let me know. All the "experts" say this can't be original, but everything I see on it appears to be. Maybe its a one off, special order for somebody or something? Wish there was a way to find out more. But in the meantime I'm going make repairs and get it back in playing condition. Maybe someday we'll find out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted April 2, 2016 Author Share Posted April 2, 2016 Here's the ebony that will become the new bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Making that bridge is going to be a tedious job, but I don't blame you for doing it. You're right, that guitar has some unlikely features, but as you say, the evidence supports what many of us though was unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 Yea, it may take a little work, but it looks like fun, huh? I am going to orient the grain so it doesn't cross right through the peg holes. If you look closely at the old one, it is evident that it split right with the grain and that they made it with the grain going right through all of the peg holes. If I orient it a little differently, so that the grain runs at an angle to the peg holes, maybe that will prevent splitting in the future. I also thought about recessing a piece of plywood into the underside of the bridge to help support it, but don't know if I am going to do that. That is a trick that some builders use on the tailblock. The tailblock has a tendency to split after years of use because of the strap button hole. I do that on my guitars, but I'm afraid the light colored plywood would be easily visible through the peg holes. On the tailblock, it is completely hidden. Don't know if I want to do that. I could always use some dark colored stain to hide it, but that might wear off eventually. Any thoughts on this anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted April 8, 2016 Author Share Posted April 8, 2016 New bridge starting to take shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted May 28, 2016 Author Share Posted May 28, 2016 Just thought I would update the progress on the J45. The new bridge is almost done. Just some final shaping and sanding. Got the guitar all cleaned up and all the braces and the crack in the back reglued. Sounds pretty solid now. One problem I'm having, and maybe you guys can help, I'm not sure on regluing the pick guard. It is about half way off right now, but not sure if I should just try to apply some glue and clamp it back on? or if I should go ahead and completely remove it, clean it up and reglue it or maybe use some of the sheet adhesive that newer guitars use. I'm afraid of the dreaded pick guard crack that is such a problem with glued on pick guards. But it hasn't cracked yet so maybe it would be okay? Any advice would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 30, 2016 Share Posted May 30, 2016 If were me, I would probably try to remove it, clean it up, and re-install it using an adhesive sheet, depending of course on what you find underneath it when you get it off. In theory, I think the adhesive sheet would provided a more flexible bond between the plastic guard and the wood top, which probably have significantly different expansion properties. Rigidly gluing it might be asking for trouble. Not sure what adhesive might have been used on the pickguard originally, since it is a non-standard installation. I actually used rubber cement on a pickguard I installed back in about 1970, which stayed put perfectly until it was removed a few years ago to replace it with a more original guard. The adhesive sheet may offer similar flexibility, which may reduce the change of a top crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbones007 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 What an interesting piece and great project. I personally would carefully remove the pick guard utilizing a very thin flat tool and hope it doesn't crack. Will you be rounding the flat edges of the bridge like the original? That will take a very steady hand. Please keep us posted on the progress of your efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted June 4, 2016 Author Share Posted June 4, 2016 The bridge is finished and ready for installation. I am going to put a clear finish on it first. It appears the original bridge has some kind of finish applied. The pick guard is about half way off and I can see under it and it doesn't look good. I don't think I could get it cleaned up very well without damaging the finish around it. I don't know what kind of adhesive was used to apply it but it appears hide glue was used on everything else (the bridge and braces). The adhesive under the pick guard seems to be something much thinner. I think I will just use a long thin knife and get as much adhesive (yellow glue) under it as i can and clamp it back in place. Then install the bridge, make a bone saddle and string her up. Can't wait to see what she sounds like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 The bridge is finished and ready for installation. I am going to put a clear finish on it first. It appears the original bridge has some kind of finish applied. The pick guard is about half way off and I can see under it and it doesn't look good. I don't think I could get it cleaned up very well without damaging the finish around it. I don't know what kind of adhesive was used to apply it but it appears hide glue was used on everything else (the bridge and braces). The adhesive under the pick guard seems to be something much thinner. I think I will just use a long thin knife and get as much adhesive (yellow glue) under it as i can and clamp it back in place. Then install the bridge, make a bone saddle and string her up. Can't wait to see what she sounds like. Mind if we have a look under that 'guard with you? Good looking replication of the bridge. Looks like the job is in good hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 Sorry, already reattached it. Should have taken some pics. It also appeared to be an original installation. What i could see anyway. Didn't see any evidence that something else had been there before. I am preparing to reattach the bridge right now. Will post some pics when completed. Trying to decide if I should put a finish on the bridge or not. The original appears to have a finish on it. Am doing some test pieces first to see what they look like with different finishes on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Sorry, already reattached it. Should have taken some pics. It also appeared to be an original installation. What i could see anyway. Didn't see any evidence that something else had been there before. I am preparing to reattach the bridge right now. Will post some pics when completed. Trying to decide if I should put a finish on the bridge or not. The original appears to have a finish on it. Am doing some test pieces first to see what they look like with different finishes on them. There's no reason to put any finish on ebony. It's almost as hard as iron, and polishes up nicely. Be sure to scrape all that old glue off the top before gluing the bridge back on, and be sure to clean any glue out of the barrel nuts for the adjusting screws before the bridge glue sets. I would probably just run the adjusting screws through the barrel nuts a few times to clean any glue out of the threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarr6 Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 I am happy to say the J45 is done and singing beautiful music again!!!! I did put a finish on the ebony. I usually don't as, like you say, it looks good plain, but the old one had a finish on it and I wanted to match it as close as possible. Its pretty shiny now but I'm sure it will dull with age and use. I took the barrel nuts out and had to clean out the recesses a little get them back to vertical. The were leaning forward a little as a result of the sting tension. So I took them out and cleaned out the recesses so the sit level, then put them back in. I did scrape off all of the old glue from the bridge area before reattaching the new one. Everything went as planned and it is back in working order. I put the old adjustable bridge back on it to see how it sounds before replacing it with a bone insert.But the adjustable bridge started to lean forward again just like the old one so I played it for a while and then detuned it until I get the bone insert done. It sounds very nice but I think there is definitely some sound loss as a result of the adjustable bridge. I will let you know how the difference is. I just got the piece of bone today so will get to making the insert and see what it sounds like. I will let you know the results. Wish I had a good way to get some authentic sound recordings to see if I could record the difference. I will have to rely on my ears I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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