Chief's Log: Storedate 5.22.12.1

This ‘60s Gibson B-25 had a variety of things wrong with it, but here’s a “targets acquired” shot of all the spots getting cleats...

...and then the cleats going on. I don’t understand filling cracks but not cleating them, but it probably also had something to do with the Bridge Doctor install and loose bracing also found under the top…

Here's the silly "Bridge Doctor" setup as it was when it arrived -- high action, too.

Here's a 1910s Gibson mandolin I did a refret on...

It’s really common for Gibson A mandolins from the 1910s-1920s to have their fretboard extensions detached from time and pressure.

Clamped!

In the case of this mandolin, I had to plane the board and refret it with the pickguard on as the nails holding it into the side of the fretboard were truly stuck. The celluloid shrinks around the nails which can make it dangerous to remove pickguards on these from time to time.

Getting there!

Here’s an almost-new Larrivee parlor guitar bridge pulled-off to reveal why the bass side wasn’t staying put — no glue! Oh well. It’s clamped-up, now.

Here’s a recent Epiphone flattop that had an ugly break in perhaps the best way possible, really, for repair. 

Here's my clamping block -- with two thin "rails" so it grabs the treble/bass sides of the board sort-of evenly. It's good-enough evenly, rather.

That little "simulated fret" spacer at the nut position is so that my clamps will press evenly at that part of the board.

What you can't see under the mass of blue tape is that I've stuck some wedges in between the curved "neck rest block" and the side of the neck to force all the jagged pieces back up flush to the side of the neck.

It clamped-up fine and cleaned-up comfy and smooth for playing, but aesthetics were quite secondary. I just filled quickly and then leveled and buffed-out so it felt smooth.

Too-low original saddle on this Martin getting some buzz?

Here's a fresh, taller, "winter" saddle for my buddy Fin.

Lastly, since you've made it this far, here's a quick video demo of a "guitar organ" sound a customer and I happened-upon while playing with pedals -- octave up and octave down sent through a Leslie pedal. Yip!