how to do a vintage 45 conversion

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tippie53
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how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by tippie53 »

This is an opportunity for you guys. I am going to do an article on how to do one of these older style conversions. Would anyone be interested. Let me know and if interested how would you like to see the information presented .
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
ruby@magpage.com
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Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

I might like to see photos of the victim, and photos of an actual Martin 45 series showing the difference. Then any disassembly needed, installation and explanation of each of the unique parts - eg rosette or binding with pearl - including sizes of each component.

I look forward to it

Ed
Ed M
tippie53
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by tippie53 »

I am in the process of writing the article that will appear in ASIA guitarmaker but will post here very soon.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by tippie53 »

Vintage 45 Body Pearl Installation
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars
Once you decide on converting an old guitar to a more “vintage” spec you have to decide what you are doing and plan accordingly.
#1 are you using period material? Ablam ect. So let’s start with this looking at it from a period standpoint. In this case we will assume the body is ready. The rosette depending on the period can be done a number of ways but I will be looking at this as a CF Martin prewar era guitar circa 1920 era.
This means that the material will be solid schell. On the top it was a stronger color schell, abalone schell was used. I have. The sides used a less colorful schell. The width of the schell was also different on the back, sides, and top. On the top the width was .0625 and the sides and back were .049 in.
Just how accurate you want to remain to the era is up to you but the glue I use is often duco and tite bond for ease of working the material. So let’s now list the material needed to do this.
SCHELL
I will use the most colorful schell I can find to do the rosette and top. This will be blue abalone if I can find it. Products like Ablam can be used if you like the convenience of working with longer pieces. Also the purfling of this period was a wood fiber product for the black material and maple, pear or other light wood for the white material. I prefer to make the purfling using the spec of the period. The B/W would be .010 the B/W/B would be .010/.010/.020 so we have a heavy black compared to a thinner black. This helps to define the purfling against the binding. The amount of material is about 60 inches of pearl for each side and back the top would require about 20 inches more because of the fretboard extension and rosette.
The other point you need is to bend the side purfling in sets. We have a right and left along with a top and back. So when you bend this be sure to set it up as such.
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John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
tippie53
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by tippie53 »

here is the full article
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John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
MaineGeezer
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by MaineGeezer »

Check your spelling....
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
tippie53
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by tippie53 »

I had auto correct messing with me LOL
Yes the spelling on shell is fixed. this was a first edit so any help will then accepted
jh
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Danl8
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by Danl8 »

Love it!!

Sent an editorial suggestion by PM.
tippie53
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Re: how to do a vintage 45 conversion

Post by tippie53 »

thanks so much for all the help I decided to use a friends skills . He is an editor so you will soon see a corrected version. Too many errors for me to fix. Typing at night when your tired and having poor editor skills don't help. I do want the information to be valid and useful.
so again to all that sent me some advice thanks I did find it helpful.
jh
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
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