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A friend of mine teaches guitar for some low income kids. Their guitars are cheap and when the guitars get damaged the families can't afford to replace them. Occasionally he asks if I will attempt a repair, and since the guitars are cheap, I usually give it a shot, figuring that if i destroy it, I can afford to replace it.

If anyone wonders what the difference is between the $300 guitar and the $79 guitar here are a few observations from the cheaper guitars:

-not taking the time the level the inlay dots on the fretboard before the glue dries

-not sanding the top braces

-using a pinless bridge with dowels, but not checking to see if they just drilled the dowel hole through a brace. It is ok to sell a cheaper guitar without expensive woods, etc. But to sell a guitar with a destroyed brace is pure fraud. It is amazing what society tolerates of corporations.

-drilling every single one of the bridge pin holes too big, so they all pop out when first tuning the guitar. You learn to press on the pin until the tension comes up, or buy the over-sized pegs.

-careless neck angle setting that will not allow lowering the action. You can only sand the saddle so much before you start getting break angle problems. I do have to say that my brother's $1000 Martin has the same issue. That one really makes me angry.

The difference is $221.
Do me get a prize for being the first correct answer?

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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It is good to know that there is still someone who will fix the $79 guitar for kids who would otherwise be without one.
Kudos to you!

Not really qualified to answer, but thought I'd share my little story.

I once bought a brand new guitar (in Laos) for £6.50 (and I barely haggled)! A classical that was so overbuilt it has put up with steel strings for years with no signs of damage. "Splinter-zone" bracing, epoxied fretboard, uncomfortable neck, horrible tone (nylon or steel), worst tuners I've ever seen, horrible green sunburst without much sign of a clear-coat. It's a nightmare guitar but it shows how cheap the unit prices can be direct from source. (And it's the one I learned on, so I'm going to make a nice neck for it and keep it around for memories.)

A luthier I know working in India was once approached and offered £8 a unit for his guitars!

Ya but ya gotta remember that in India £8 is a lot of dahl.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Ya Flipo...guitars are like people ~ some are more reparable than others.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Bridges glued right on top of finishes... or something like it. I've done bridge reglue for many of those guitars where when I removed the bridge it popped easily, but it looked as though the bridge was placed onto the guitar while the finish was still wet or something. I have no idea what kind of glue they used.

As for unsanded braces, On nearly all of the cheap sub 100 dollar guitars the guitar of course have nicely machined (not sure if sanded) braces that don't look bad... they just have horrible runout.

Plywood top (that's a given) that you can actually build a house on top of, and in fact you can stand on it without damaging it. They can actually handle string tension without bracing.

Mahogany type wood as bridge plate that wears through very quickly. The matter is made worse the fact that they are cross grained (as in the grain follows the bridge) causing a weak spot. Much of the bridge popping loose was actually caused by the failed bridge plate. This is seen on more expensive (300 dollar) guitars by the way.

Neck "glued" to the wet finish in some way, and it can be popped loose simply by slamming the guitar to the ground. The body survives intact by the way.

On 1000 dollar guitars: EQ panels mounted to a solid side without reinforcement, so the side cracks from any slight pressure. Additionally the finish was ultra thick, and sometimes peels off.

By the way as for the bridge pin holes being too big, I've not noticed any problem with this and when I drill the hole really small (like 4mm starting hole and reaming until the pin fits nicely) the string ball would not fit into the hole! I had to enlarge the hole some more so that the string ball would actually go in but once the string ball is where they need to be (slotting helps) the pin shouldn't be popping out. I had to start with a 5mm hole from then on but it meant only top part of the hole is at the right angle.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

True. But he's from Essex so he has the odd Sunday lunch, too!

If it takes 100 hours to make a guitar, how do companies produce them at less than 100 dollars each (probably more like 20 dollars each)? I mean at that price the worker must be getting 5 cents an hour, if that..

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Because they produce them in 9 hours in a factory surely?

I've read that it takes Taylor 10 manhours to produce a guitar. I suspect the lower priced guitars have less than that.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

by not taking a 100 hours to make a guitar?

have one of those here now....the frets are made out of for all intensive purposes, coat hanger wire. Same greenish coating and yes they rust quite nicely.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Well it is the only way...

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

If Essex really is the only way, we're all in massive trouble!

Hahaha - too right!
Said by a former Essexonian from Sarfend...

(That was a British TV joke, btw in case anyone was wondering )

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

The $79 will be painted red with a sweet cowboy decal applied. The $300 one will be finished with a boring sunburst.
I choose the pretty one!

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Funny, I thought the only difference between a 79 dollar acoustic and a 300 dollar acoustice was the emblem on the headstock...