would you take on this challenge? - repair question

[darren]

Now I think that I could fix that top crack, but would that sunburst help, or hurt, hiding the repair?



What do you think John? Brian?

[Darryl Young]

I'm not a repair guy but I will speculate. The black may help hide the repair but it's a bit of an art form to match the sunburst and keep it looking nice.

[Ben-Had]

If I'm correct (and I think I am), that is a poly top and not lacquer. Very hard to hide a crack well in poly especially one that long. Look what he has to go thru just to fix a small chip:

http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0174.html

[B. Howard]

I would have no problem with that repair. I would most likely charge more than my standard per inch price due to the finish though, if the finish was to be repaired. It depends a lot on what the customer is wanting and expecting from the repair. That is a fairly inexpensive guitar ($500 new) and most people would simply want a structural repair with no finish work, or minimal touch up. How difficult it will be will depend on if it needs splinted or not and if the bindings and/or purflings are damaged.

[Ben-Had]

There may be a loose brace or 2 as well.

[darren]

Thanks for the feedback.

I may buy this guitar as is, just for the repair experience, and flip it. (obviously at no real profit, other than the experience...) I haven't held it but photos indicate bindings and purflings are intact.

I'd check for loose braces, side condition (can't tell but looks like a drop caused the crack), splint/glue the crack, fill with CA and buff it out.

So, my own expectations are the only ones to be met.

[darren]

its $99...

[Ben-Had]

I did a lot of that when I started to get serious about repair work. It really helps and I was able to get more for everyone than I paid, so it was my time and great learning experiences. I have one more left over that I cut the neck off at the body and I am going to make a new neck and cut an M&T to get it back up again but I'm getting lots of work in now so it will have to wait.