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| 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=37714 |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Sorry for the long time between posts... been busy with other stuff.  I have begun to install the frets... but fretting over the body has proved to be difficult. I used a block of wood as a support and its clear that it's inadequate for this job. So I will need to wait and find some lead (which is difficult in Taiwan because guns are illegal in Taiwan) and make myself a "fret dolly" before I break something. |
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| Author: | Clinchriver [ Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:01 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Tai Fu wrote: So I will need to wait and find some lead (which is difficult in Taiwan because guns are illegal in Taiwan) and make myself a "fret dolly" before I break something. I've never seen a "lead" gun? Are wheel weights illegal in Taiwan? Plumbers use lead, try a plumbing supply house. |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Clinchriver wrote: Tai Fu wrote: So I will need to wait and find some lead (which is difficult in Taiwan because guns are illegal in Taiwan) and make myself a "fret dolly" before I break something. I've never seen a "lead" gun? Are wheel weights illegal in Taiwan? Plumbers use lead, try a plumbing supply house. Well I only say that because most people would go to a gun shop to get lead shots, but those things are unobtainium in Taiwan (and very useful for a variety of things). I can get wheel weights and blocks of lead, however I feel antsy about melting/casting them because of lead poisoning... however we solder stuff all the time and that has lead too... |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:26 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Making the bridge today....          Not quite done, need to cut the saddle slot, and then profile the top of the bridge. This will be a tailpiece bridge but I can't make it really narrow like a real tailpiece bridge, because there are holes in the soundboard since the guitar used to be a pinned bridge... so the bridge needed to be large in order to cover them... |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Dressed the frets:  Installed the tuner backward (oops)  Almost finished  finished pyramid bridge 
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Tia, FWIW I always make the body frets wider and glue them in so as not to break anything. They still need to be hammered but just not as hard, just a tap or two. I use a block of steel for that purpose. |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
jfmckenna wrote: Tia, FWIW I always make the body frets wider and glue them in so as not to break anything. They still need to be hammered but just not as hard, just a tap or two. I use a block of steel for that purpose. One fret had to be glued down, because it just would not stay in the slot no matter what. I wicked CA into every fret after that... the fretboard wood is of an unknown rosewood looking material, but its very splintery... it doesn't take much to chip the fingerboard. I hate it with a passion. |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Almost finished, just need to dial in the final setup (the owner requested a much lower tuning than standard tuning, so much adjustment is needed). The bridge isn't glued down, but held in place by the string, so I can move it to correct the intonation.  This is what it looks like before: 
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| Author: | Quine [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Check out a scuba shop next time for led shot. Most sell bags of shot for the weight belts Nice looking restoration |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Quine wrote: Check out a scuba shop next time for led shot. Most sell bags of shot for the weight belts Nice looking restoration They have solid blocks of lead for weight, but not shot bags. I have seen steel shot bags though... |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 9:19 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Tai, you've done VERY well on this project. Color me impressed! |
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| Author: | cphanna [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 9:37 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Tai, I think you did a great job, too. The customer ought to be very happy with it. I love that well-worn, obviously vintage look. I'm glad you were able to keep it looking that way. Good job on the bridge, too. Patrick |
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| Author: | Rodger Knox [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
If you've got the bag, sand works nearly as well as lead or steel shot, and it's cheaper! I bet you can even get it Taiwan 
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Yeah yeah just take a trip to the beach, you can write it off as a business expense ![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up") Good job Tia you have risen a guitar from the dead. ![[clap]](./images/smilies/smiley32.gif "adulations") I think it's a good idea to tune a 12-string down a bit in most cases especially one that has been through that. BTW I have a late 1800's Washburn mandolin that I refretted and the fret board is very similiar to how you described. It flaked really easily. |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Well done! |
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| Author: | Tai Fu [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
jfmckenna wrote: Yeah yeah just take a trip to the beach, you can write it off as a business expense Good job Tia you have risen a guitar from the dead. I think it's a good idea to tune a 12-string down a bit in most cases especially one that has been through that. BTW I have a late 1800's Washburn mandolin that I refretted and the fret board is very similiar to how you described. It flaked really easily. Yes, it's been tuned almost a whole octave down. The owner provided some really heavy string and tuned it dropped A (everything dropped about 8 1/2 steps) |
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| Author: | cphanna [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Hey, Filippo, Very nice looking tool--as are all of your jigs and fixtures, etc. But how about showing me how that thing works? Seems like something needs to go inside the axe via the sound hole, but I can't figure out from the angle of your picture what is going where. Sorry to be obtuse. Patrick |
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| Author: | Colin North [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
Just click on the link in his post. |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:53 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 string "Oscar Schmidt" restoration - finishing touches |
I really like how the color of the sound board came out. Well done Tai. |
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