Don't let setbacks get you down

[jread]

We all like to share our best work but here's a doozy for your Saturday entertainment.

Wondering why my top looked weird after I put the binding on and then I realized I simply forgot to radius the top x bracing! The guitar top was flat as a pancake which bothered me a lot. I would have considered leaving it but the angle of the neck area was going to be way off causing me to need to shim under the extension if I wanted to keep it that way. NOPE!

I have built enough guitars now that I couldn't live with that mistake so pulled the top off. I wanted to practice removing a nice top anyway to see if one day I could re-use a top after taking it off, perhaps even rebracing it. Well, no. I'm NOT ready for that. I did get the top off in relatively good shape but there is damage so am making a new one. The important part was keeping the sides pristine which I did manage to do.

I routed off the binding then used my extension heating blanket to loosen the fish glue and remove the top. I think it could be done without any to damage with more practice and skill. But, I have another top so just am going to move on.

Just sharing because we all have lost sleep over crap like this but on a new build, nothing is impossible to fix, even if that means starting over. Plus, I have a bit more practice under my belt.

You can see in the photos that I neglected to radius the x-braces. I usually do the tone bar as well. The others remain flat.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

We are right there with you. I've not done what you did here but I've had my share of boo boos. I used to kick myself unmercifully over such little things. I've come to the place now to just expect I'll mess up somewhere and just try to live with it.
Perfection I'm sure will continue to elude me.
If I ever sell another guitar it will be too soon. Ha!
But I do enjoy building so I'll continue to build.

And by the way that (I think its) Koa is amazing and fixing the top is for sure worth the effort.
Build on!!!

Kevin

[jread]

Thanks Kevin. I know we've all done it, but I think I've finally stopped stressing over it. It's just a few more hours in the shop and experience gained. With new builds, it's just a matter of materials and hours. I can't imagine doing heavy surgery on a vintage treasure. Still not ready for that!

These back and sides are Walnut and yes the grain is amazing. I found a guy on ebay that has these from trees he cut and sells them a few sets at a time. It's really a nice set.

The new top is already glued up and ready for rosette and bracing. I'll be back on track soon.

[tippie53]

you can learn more from a failure than a success each mistake teaches you more of what not to do . The Asian culture tells us the difference between an amateur and an expert is that the expert made all the mistakes .

[nkwak]

I am right there with you. The problem is that I excel at making mistakes and making mountains out of molehills. Here was last year’s catastrophe:

1: I sanded through the herringbone:

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2: I opted to route it out and dropped the body:

[nkwak]

3: then I tried to remove the top but couldn’t not get it to let go of the tail block:

IMG_0201.jpeg

4: so I had to make a whole new top - which was actually this build’s third:

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After that things went fine but I’m still not done. I’m still futzing with the dovetail. The guitar is otherwise 95% done.

[jread]

Ooof!! I had one fall from ceiling hook onto the concrete floor. ended up replacing the top on that one too.

[MaineGeezer]

I sanded through a $70 Petros Purflex celtic rosette....One of those times when one says "gee, that's too bad" (or words to that effect) and goes to have a cup of tea.

[phavriluk]

A very wise move. Go have a cup of tea, read your book, and come back tomorrow after a good night's sleep. The fix will get done faster and the results will be better. We unpaid builders have the option to shut down the shop and regroup.

I'm happier when I back up from a mistake to somewhere that has eliminated the mistake and then work forward. When I'm done there's no workarounds staring back at me.

[jread]

A very wise move. Go have a cup of tea, read your book, and come back tomorrow after a good night's sleep. The fix will get done faster and the results will be better. We unpaid builders have the option to shut down the shop and regroup.

I'm happier when I back up from a mistake to somewhere that has eliminated the mistake and then work forward. When I'm done there's no workarounds staring back at me.

Absolutely agree. Work arounds seem a great relief when you are new builder so you can move on and "save the build" but I've regretted every one of those moves and now just have a bigger appreciation for why we ue "reversible" glues.

The new top went on great and I'm just waiting for more purfling to show up in the mail and I'll be back to where I was.