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Post by alexkirtley on Apr 29, 2019 23:12:15 GMT
I've just bought in this 1960 Harmony H-162 for a full re-build. This will be getting a neck reset, adjustable truss rod installed, bridge replacement and back removed to allow for a full re-brace of the top to a martin style X-bracing. These guitars, after conversion, can rival a vintage Martin 000-18, you get the aged woods and vintage sound without the cost.  |
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Post by alexkirtley on Apr 29, 2019 23:37:46 GMT
The bridge was a replacement, that was not only planed down to account for the neck angle, but also severely lifting, it came off like it was stuck down with Plasticine The neck too was loose, I removed the fretboard and a small amount of hot water was enough to break loose the small amount of glue holding the neck in, some really bad wood filler was shoved in the gap caused by the loose neck, which aided in repairing precisely nothing. All came apart very cleanly aside from one unfortunate spot of damage caused by the pallet knife, easy to sort out however I wonder who the last person was to see those numbers! 
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Post by alexkirtley on Apr 29, 2019 23:44:21 GMT
Then the last I managed to do today is get the back binding and back of the guitar off to reveal the original (very heavy) ladder bracing, you could probably have just about driven over this thing, there wasn't even any bridge belly on the top, so next step is out with that bracing, in with the X-bracing  |
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Apr 30, 2019 5:49:42 GMT
Very interesting stuff, Alex. I'm looking forward to seeing (and hearing) how you get on with this  |
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Post by andyhowell on Apr 30, 2019 6:45:01 GMT
Yep, an interesting project.
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Post by Onechordtrick on Apr 30, 2019 6:55:43 GMT
Very interesting stuff, Alex. I'm looking forward to seeing (and hearing) how you get on with this Me too. Plenty of pictures please! |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on Apr 30, 2019 14:12:33 GMT
Interesting, though if it was me I'd be tuning the top with the ladder braces left on, rather than changing them to X bracing. There are tons of 'vintage' X braced guitars out there, but fewer of the 50+ year old ladder braced ones, I think it would be a shame to take away its character. I think for a really good bluesy guitar you can't beat a ladder brace.
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Post by andyhowell on Apr 30, 2019 14:46:07 GMT
Interesting, though if it was me I'd be tuning the top with the ladder braces left on, rather than changing them to X bracing. There are tons of 'vintage' X braced guitars out there, but fewer of the 50+ year old ladder braced ones, I think it would be a shame to take away its character. I think for a really good bluesy guitar you can't beat a ladder brace. Well, Collins have recognised that with their ladder braced Waterloos! |
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Post by earwighoney on Apr 30, 2019 14:46:32 GMT
Interesting, though if it was me I'd be tuning the top with the ladder braces left on, rather than changing them to X bracing. There are tons of 'vintage' X braced guitars out there, but fewer of the 50+ year old ladder braced ones, I think it would be a shame to take away its character. I think for a really good bluesy guitar you can't beat a ladder brace. Yeah, I agree with Colin as well, from a personal perspective. There are a lot of X braced guitars, well pretty much most guitars are X braced! Aside from some vintage offerings, some of the Waterloo guitars are ladder braced. Seems a shame to lose the ladder bracing when there are few ones around, especially ladder braced 000's! |
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Post by andyhowell on Apr 30, 2019 14:50:07 GMT
When the Waterloo Guitars hit Brum I remember spending some time playing both the X braced and the ladder braced guitars. I preferred theX brace in the sense that it was more versatile but the ladder seemed more authentic (and no don't expect me to explain that :-) Perhaps, Amit can comment. I think he may have had both! |
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Post by Amit on Apr 30, 2019 16:14:39 GMT
When the Waterloo Guitars hit Brum I remember spending some time playing both the X braced and the ladder braced guitars. I preferred theX brace in the sense that it was more versatile but the ladder seemed more authentic (and no don't expect me to explain that :-) Perhaps, Amit can comment. I think he may have had both! Personal preference here, but I've 3 Waterloo's, a WL-14 ladder, a WL-S (ladder) and a WL-12 mahogany (X braced). My absolute fav is the WL-14, it was an earlier one and has a massive neck, it just sounds incredible to my ears. I tried the X braced version of that guitar too and felt the ladder just had a bit more character, nicer mid-range. I reckon the key to their ladders sounding so good is the overall lightness of their construction. |
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Post by alexkirtley on Apr 30, 2019 23:55:29 GMT
I'd been doing this guitar to give myself a good 000 player, I love the look of it, but I'd not really been after another ladder braced guitar, I've got a 1960 Gibson LG-0 which satisfies all of my ladder braced blues needs, the back would have to come off anyway to sort the bridge plate, it's loose in the middle, but I'd like to X-brace it and get it gigging, It'd get more use that way
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Post by andyhowell on May 1, 2019 9:31:31 GMT
I'd been doing this guitar to give myself a good 000 player, I love the look of it, but I'd not really been after another ladder braced guitar, I've got a 1960 Gibson LG-0 which satisfies all of my ladder braced blues needs, the back would have to come off anyway to sort the bridge plate, it's loose in the middle, but I'd like to X-brace it and get it gigging, It'd get more use that way fair enough! |
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Post by alexkirtley on Jun 14, 2019 16:38:18 GMT
I Haven't updated this thread for a while so this will be a bit of a speedy run thorough to the end, the guitar is now done, strung up and sounding brilliant!, I certainly don't regret the work, it's a huge improvement in sound The X bracing replaced the original ladder bracing   The bridge that came on the guitar I don't believe to be original, but it was also lifting and had been shaved down to nothing, so out with the old...      Then the neck reset, adjustable truss rod fitted and all put together, it's become a really great guitar completed photos and videos coming later |
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Post by alexkirtley on Jun 14, 2019 20:38:18 GMT
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Jo whoever he is.
