@@johnwayne8114 I have seen far worse restorations by so called Luthiers. And ended up with a fine sounding Guitar .. What exactly did he get wrong in your expert opinion.
Don't let the armchair luthiers and other critics discourage you. This is not a collector guitar nor a guitar of much value. Why give a luthier $100s to waste on it. You made it look great, sound better, and many years more life to live. 👍🏻
At 10:10 you can see the makers stamp, this of course is after cracking it open. Hope it helps Muusikariistade = Instruments Töökoda = Workshop T. Olbrei & Ko = Tönis Olbrei & Companion(s) Tallinnas = Tallinn Hermanni T. Nr 1 = Street name and number EESTI = Estonia Tönis Olbrei was a piano maker, his brother Jann and August Kraemann, a builder, merged their companies and started making pianos, harmoniums, mandolins, guitars and other musical instruments in 1905. So I'd say that guitar is from earliest 1905 or a bit younger like up to 1915 or so.
I would have thought that if it was made in 1905 it would be marked as Reval and there would be no mention of Estonia. I would imagine the guitar was made after independence and dates from the 1920s.
As a guitar repairman/builder, I gotta say that you broke a few rules in this restoration, but I honestly don't think it's value or performance were compromised at all. The guitar is a folk instrument, built and repaired by regular folks with all kinds of approaches. It's your instrument, and I think it's a honey!
The guitar had a factory stamp on the inside mate. Someone in the comments mentioned the name (Russian?) famous for pianos & instruments. Carved ebony bridge, figured flame mahogany? & Ivory tipped tuners (not bakelite) hardly seem like a folk instrument made by common folk to me.
@@ReasonAboveEverything l know how to read fella...he said..'a folk instrument BUILT & REPAIRED by regular folks'... This example is a proper made instrument, crafted by an Estonian company. Look at the quality tonewoods used... Ivory tuner buttons is hardly regular folk built.
I feel like the body restoration was top notch, but the neck and bridge still need to be seen by a luthier for a proper bone nut and saddle, and a refret. Right now, it's just pretty furniture that happens to play music, but it could be brought back to being a mighty fine instrument.
Reading many of the comments it is refreshing that this "restoration" is a labor of love by a very talented woodworker. Love takes on many forms. The title was not "watch me build a better guitar." many of the techniques were irreversible and so it is with love. The guitar is better off having received the love and attention.
That's why professional guitar builder/repair people are called Luthier's, great work but so many OMG! what are you doing moment's. But I applaud the effort, so many would have just tossed it away.
You need to remove the steel strings from this guitar. This guitar was made before steel strings were in common use. it was designed for gut strings that have a much lower tension on them. This 7 string guitar will have somewhere around 160-180 lbs of tension on the neck and bridge with steel strings. Gut strings would have a tension of around 90lbs with 7 strings. You will find the top will warp, the neck will warp, and eventually the bridge will rip off.
It is braced like a classical guitar but has a metal saddle and plain metal machine head rollers along with a curved fingerboard, which is extended in a pattern typical of jazz guitars. Moreover, if it was made as late as 1940, steel string guitars were much in vogue. I wouldn't be so sure that it was designed for gut strings and it predates nylon strings. I'm a retired luthier, by the way.
These are interesting comments to me, I used to do furniture restoration for a living for a few years, working for a real professional. I (or he) wouldn´t know what to do and how on restoring musical instruments. I have inherited a violin and a mandolin that my grandfather (r.i.p) made in the past, they are at least 70 yrs. Should I take them to a professional in musical intstruments for a restoration? I like that they look their age and probably no one is ever going to play them (don`t know anyone who could) but it would be nice to have them in working condition. Thanks
@@76blackwidow If your grandfather made the instruments using conventional methods, I would take them to someone who specialises in violin repair. However, if they are unlikely to be played in your lifetime, keep them as they are and leave it to the person who decides it's worth spending money to get them playable. It is not a good idea to take them to someone who is going to slap PVA glue on them (there is a professional guitar repairer on TH-cam who is doing this with fiddles, insisting it is ok as the components can be removed with heat - this is bad practice, as the hide/bone/hoof glue used on violins sets rock hard and affects tone positively - PVA does not when it comes to bowed instruments - and violin tops are glued with a weaker glue and are best removed without heat). There are no doubt furniture makers who are aware of instrument making techniques, but don't assume that they all do.
@@Weejie2011 Couldn't he do anything better with the front. Looks like hell. Sitka spruce??? Looks like it could take a shave to get rid of some of that battle damage. PS. Those machines look like they're for steel and not gut or anything else.
Piano technicians whiten ivories all the time. When we have missing ivories, it’s nearly impossible to match them in color, shape, and size. Sometimes we end up sanding and filing them and yes, even bleaching them. We don’t use lemon juice, though. Baking soda and peroxide is much safer, and I just leave them out in the sun.
@@kristinbrooks1 I hear what you're saying, but it's not a piano. What's acceptable for piano restoration isn't necessarily the same for guitars. I wouldn't whiten aged tuners and I wouldn't fix finish checking. You'd probably fix cracked finish in a piano as well, yeah? That's all I'm saying.
It's a tough world out there... On any given day on any given street, guys in sheds with video cameras, can be, ... , .. whitening guitar tuners!?!?! willy nilly...! No questions asked!! it beggers belief... stay strong out there. Chin up folks. Rock on.
It's really interesting to see what another style of woodworker thinks is important when restoring and instrument. There's some overlap like fixing the cracks and filing off the end of the frets, but a luthier would have ignored the finish entirely to focus on the braces, neck, nut, bridge and saddle. Gotta say, it looked fantastic in the end.
I think a luthier would have fixed the cracks, the frets, the action and the finish ... to finish! :) At least that's what I would do as an amateur but rather experienced luthier.
you got a nice piece of furniture because you can't call that musical instrument anymore :))) for sure I won't ask people like you to fix my guitar, but for sure I'll trust you regarding fixing any historical furniture. Good job!
I’m pretty sure it played. This is exactly what you over paid for at your local guitar tech shop there’s not a whole lot of magic going on up there Eric cartoon
I get the same cringe when channels “restore” C&R firearms. Any collectors value is left on the shops wire wheel. Conservation of what is, is the proper course. IMHO
Fully agree. I was wondering: "Am I the only one to find this horrible?" When I saw the final result, I was about to cry. What a bad taste! No offense, but this man should definitely stick to furniture and leave musical instruments for REAL luthiers.
He did an alright job but in comparison to a proper luthier, it was horrible. And I have to encourage that before you put strings on your guitar, PLEASE check what type of guitar you have before getting the strings! You can't stick any strings on any guitar! From what I can see, and researched this is a NYLON 7 string acoustic guitar, and I'm assuming this actually a classical guitar. Warning to people who might not know, but you can't put steel strings on a Nylon guitar and visa versa. If there is too much tension on the neck and on the bridge it'll bow, f#cking your guitar. Same applies to if there's too little tension. Different guitars have overall different necks, body's and components which influence what can and can't be done to a guitar. Example, most classical guitars don't have a truss rod, that is to say, there are those that do have them, however truss rods are primarily found in steel string acoustics and electrics because of they have a lot more tension.
Next time I suggest you glue the braces to the back before you glue the back to the sides, and it helps to make a plaster mould of the back's dome at the outset so as to maintain the integrity of its shape - a common procedure in violin repair.
@@VictorRochaGaming the back was already in 2 half's he just trimmed a little off to make a spine as the 2 half's have shrunk with age so wont fit the body ,adding a spine allows him to glue the back on and it fit .
I do this for a living...all in all you did a good job. Used the right glues and took time. Yes some oil its unorthodox and timber choices may have been better but I think it's well done.
I enjoy watching your skilled hands as they work with the wood. My grandfather built violins and repaired all kinds of instruments for the local music store. I was enthralled watching him work.
Using heat when disassembling will soften the glue. The frets should probably be replaced, and the neck angle adjusted to compensate for how much a ladder-braced guitar is going to "fold up" under string tension. Also, attention should be shown to the bridge and bridge plate. I don't think many Luthiers would have stripped the old finish. But, it's an interesting guitar.
Why don't you find your own guitar in need of restoration, and post your restoration on your own TH-cam channel? We'd all love to see it done to your own specifications. Word are cheap, my friend.👍 😀
@@feralbluee He did a job, to say a great job isn’t quite right. It’s his guitar and he had fun working on it so in that sense, it’s a great job. But from a luthier perspective, it was a great job. It even breaks the fundamentals of restoration. He would have been better off making a new guitar from scratch and leaving this one as is. Still though, he definitely put good effort into something he was happy doing and that’s great
@@DG-mv6zw so, the guy can’t be criticized because he tried and posted his work? Just because you put effort into something doesn’t mean people can’t judge and offer feedback on your work. On top of that, nothing that they said about his work was wrong. Frankly, the list of improvement he could make not only in the work he did but his approach to restoring an instrument as a whole would be long and extensive.
If that is a 'J' (and not 'T') on the label, this guitar was made by Jaan Olbrei in Estonia, sometime between 1905 and 1918. His father, Juri owned the company that eventually became the Kramann-Olbrei piano makers. 'If it says 'T' (Tonis Olbrei), it would place it between 1918 - 1944. These instruments were well-regarded in the region. As the OP is asking for opinions on the repair, I think it's a good functional repair by a skilled worker, but with little sympathy for the instrument or consideration of tone, and no real attempt to find out what was needed structurally, and the conservation 'etiquette' required. Still, it plays again 👍
Yeah, that was the first thing I came looking for when I saw him putting steel strings on it. Wanted to make sure someone got the word out, and hopefully not ruin the work done.
Yeah agreed get the steel strings off there ASAP. Also guitars that old work because the glue and wood become one after years of play. Also those marks on the back of the neck, that’s years and years of play to rub away the original varnish. Hope it works out and I did thoroughly enjoy the vid. Gdluck.
That's how more than half of the extant harpsichords were ruined in the 20th century. "Restorers" not knowing or bothering to learn that they were originally strung in soft iron and bronze, instead trying to apply heavy piano strings. It's no wonder they all impoaded and consequently derrided for their 'poor construciton techniques'.
It hurt to see him sand everything down and refinish it all. I’m hust glad he didn’t touch the front. On one hand he did a great job, on the other hand it was so painful to see so much history disappear :,)
Im a woodworker, and i found a similar guitar thrown away. I tried to restore it, and after watching this I am ashamed. Great work , nice workshop, top skills, and lovely guitar.
@@damianmaynard2592 - If I owned the guitar in this video, I would hang it with its back exposed. That wood is just too darned beautiful to hide it on the backside.
I suggest you look through youtube professional luthiers doing these restaurations, this is a actually a pretty good job but a had seen a lot of better works in comparison to this.
I really enjoyed this. The techniques were not what I'm used to seeing, but the end result was amazing. My grandpa was a furniture repairman and he was an unbelievable craftsman. Felt like I was watching gramps work again. 🥰 thank you for the video!
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Proverbs 1:8-9 ✝🌅
Kinda surprised he left all the scratches in the top, but I know nothing about woodworking. Also, he could've tuned it for the intro performance. Much of the bad sound was it being out of tune.
I liked the video, the restoration process and the result. It was a good idea to keep the guitar's face with the scratches. It preserves the original look.
Well done! I restored a 115-year-old guitar-lute by myself, using bone glue, a 20 m rope of hemp to put and hold the pieces together without damaging the old lute guitare and within a month sided by my main work as a nurse, it finally got their talents of a find its music instrument again. I play it with love, proudness and happyness thropgh all deeps of my heart & soul. So let me say, vs v non professional restorer: your work has been very, very fine and well! With a rope, and some clothes between instrument and rope you lever damage it and you needn't work with clämbs what kind ever. It always will have the best power and won't hurt it. I spoke with an elder resorator of guitars 50 km away and he actually told me he uses this old metod, too, again, after having been working with clambs from all shabes and sizes. You HAVE all sizes using a long rope and some olt T shirts. And using time. Good work needs time. That I have and use it for music and that's the secret our work can be heart so softly and powerful as well in our instrumets and music. You're vore gifted, bro! Thank you! Be blessed!❤
I worked in picture framing and did furniture restoration for 45 years. You can never have enough clamps:) or variety of glues. You have really beautiful equipment in your shop, we had good stuff, but I would liked to have gotten my hands on yours. The right equipment makes all the difference and I'm still amazed at what those 16,17 and 18th century craftsmen were able to achieve. I remember restoring a table and harp back chairs, It took forever to sand the chairs, I had to create all kinds of minnie tools to get in the grooves with sandpaper, talk about labor intensive! Finally, I REALLY like how you retained the old look while restoring the sound. Your show is lots of memories for me. Cheers, Frederick "Rik" Spector
I'd play it ! well done, maybe not as clinical as some purist would like, BUT, youre a furniture restorer, and youve restored a piece of furniture in your eyes, and it sounds well, well done to you you sir, youve saved an instrument that will play on !! top man ...
Good restoration job although not one for the purist. He saved the guitar from the fire-place and gave it an interesting look (although it probably needs a professional set-up). Not sure I'd send a quality vintage guitar his way though.
Nyet! As a guitar tech I occasionally repair classical guitars (that are all designed for nylon strings), that the owner mistakenly strings up with steel strings. The steel acoustic strings have a MUCH higher tension and can literally rip the bridge right off of the top. They will also warp your neck and top if the ancient bridge somehow stays put on the under braced top. I would replace those ASAP or risk destroying all of your beautiful work!
Great comment, considering the amount of “luthiers” puffing up their chests in the comments about how they know so much more than the next guy yet not one of them mentioned the blatantly obvious.
Absolutely! The sounds it brought forth in the beginning should have told him it wasn't meant to sound as a Modern guitar. Or possibly when he found it was made in Estona. I I'm willing to bet he did not even look up what it said. But I So hope he switched it to nylon before too much damage occurred. It just didn't serve it right. Hh Maybe hes not a guitarist but when he put the strings on, it just didn't sound right. It didn't Give out the sounds it was meant to make. But I feel like with his actions/body language he knew that. but why would he post the video with steel strings if he did??? And Im no Luthier, Don't pretend to be. I just knew that that guitar was never meant for steel the minute I heard it
@@nettle_leaf537 This from Wikipedia: "There are two basic types of Russian guitar: the "classical" model and the "gypsy" model. The classical model closely resembles the western 6-string classical guitar, and has nylon or gut strings. The gypsy model is steel strung, and resembles the western 6-string steel-string acoustic guitar, although more size and shape variations are found among gypsy guitars." Not sure about this one.
T. Olbrei was originally an Estonian piano maker (back when keys were hand carved from ivory) . His brother Jann Olbrei and A. Kraemann were wood instrument makers (mandolins, guitars, violins etc). They merged their operations into the Tallin Musical Workshop in Tallin Estonia during the great recession of 1905, and as it turned out, the recession was short lived - they prospered respected maker of all sorts of musical instruments such as harmoniums, pianos, mandolins, balalikas, classical guitars and most notably, the 7 string Russian semistrunka (aka Gypsy Guitar) generally tuned to open G - the 7 string guitar goes back to the earliest days of the 6 string, but has always been considered a totally separate instrument by traditional 6 string parlor and concert guitar makers. The bridge and bracing suggest that this guitar may have been one of their earlier offerings - probably pre-WW1. They remained in business until late 1940 when it was clear that the Germany was expanding beyond Russia into the Baltic States.
The glue used in instrument making is actually called Hyde Glue. Made from animal hides. Also cover the sound hole by potting scrunched up paper inside it to stop excess varnish getting in from you spraying it on. I would use classical guitar strings on this guitar.. Are you sure it was made to handle the tension of the acoustic guitar strings.
@@rickcheyne actually many guitars in the 18th & 19th century used pins like this guitar. These guitars used gut strings and either had a dowel in the end of the string or you would tie a specific knot in the string so the pin holds it in place. You can look at most romantic era classical guitars with mustache bridges and see for yourself.
@@stargazer6675 Yeah when he started in with the scraper and no heat to pull the top and back off, I knew this was going to be really rough. I turned it off about the time he cut the back in half with a table saw lol
Wow! Can’t believe that I stumbled on this video. I sold this guitar quite a few years ago, I think on eB. My wife and I had a guitar business in Michigan. I found it in a 2nd hand shop and thought it would make a good wall hanger. It hung on a wall in our house for a few years until we moved and no longer had a place for it. I think that it’s great that someone took the time to bring this old girl back to life.
This could be a guitar that was played every day by maybe 1 person for all there life, would be interesting to find out, maybe someone back in the 40's, 50's, 60's maybe had no TV, also seems it's 7 string which rare. I'm considering a new guitar but honestly, the reality is most guitars do not get played sometimes for years. But this old beauty has a lot of stories to tell.
@@MaxG-jk8ty of course it is my opinion. Still is. I am not an authority that stops people from doing what they do, relax. I will not single handedly ruin the instrument restoration industry. I like pristine restoration, and always will.
@@brettduffin8412 It’s called patina. The restoration is done to leave the “battle scars” of life. If you want a pristine restoration, buy a new guitar.
@@Birdman953 I know what a patina is. I also know you have not changed my mind. Watch " My Mechanics" on you tube to understand my preference. And no, I would much rather a restored vice from this guy over a new one. Great old high quality guitars restored to pristine level in my opinion would be the same. I don't want those scratches or dents. Those were never designed to be there and are the result of the simple fumbling of past owners. Not anything I revere, nor do they tell any significant story (unless they were owned by a significant musician).
Hello, I liked watching your video. But I noticed at the end you used steel strings, on an old guitar like this with ladder bracing (parallel braces going along the inside of the top and back) they are not designed to be able to handle the string tension steel strings put on them. It might result in warping in the top and causing more damage, I would switch to nylon strings
Now this is a resto video! No jabbering and no music. Edit: I would've replaced the frets and in the process cleaned the entire fingerboard of paint. But, nice job with this; way better than most could do.
All of that work! Not one step to check the neck angle, playability, saddle location for intonation, keeping a potential collectible as original as possible, on and on. But, I'm quite sure you're an excellent furniture restorer. Well done in that respect!
@@DriftinDoug I've been repairing guitars for over 40 years. The absolute number 1 priority in guitar repair is making it play well and in tune! Next would be to make it structurally sound e.g. loose braces, lifting bridge, neck reset, etc. Cosmetics are secondary.
Okay, so I guess it depends on what the goal was. if it was to make an old guitar a prettier object, then it was an unqualified success. But it wasn't what anyone with knowledge of musical instruments would call a guitar restoration. First, restoration implies getting something back to what it was. This was more -- and less -- than that. He's a skilled craftsman to be sure but his unfamiliarity with guitars is very evident. I don't think that this was ever a superb instrument. But it could have been restored more thoughtfully. Some of the things it most needed (like replacing the block under the bridge and dressing the frets) weren't done. It would also have been advisable to check the neck angle rather than assuming (as he apparently did) that just reattaching the neck at its pre-dsassembly angle was sufficient. Some other things that it didn't need (like having the original finish sanded off and replaced) were. When the knife wouldn't easily separate the top from the ribs, some moist heat likely would have done the job more effciently and safely than further prying. It might have been a good idea to take the back off to get to the innards while leaving the top in place. The soundboard and its bracing are the soul of a guitar and messing with it as little as possible has the advantage of doing minimal damage to tone and integrity (although the tone may not have been spectacular on this particular instrument to start with). A careful internal inspection before any disassembly might have given some guidance as to what needed to be done and how it could be approached. Perhaps this was done. I'm confident that this guy is a very capable woodworker and furniture restorer. He has great tools and knows how to use them. But if you go to any site that shows how a luthier restores an old guitar, I think you'll see that it's a task that requires a very different approach than a piece of furniture does. But, if the owner was happy with the result and the intent was more cosmetic than functional and more about beautifying than restoring to optimal playability and tone, then it's all good. Those are perfectly legitimate goals. I just hope no one mimics this approach on a valuable old guitar worthy of true restoration.
@@boxican83 its really not just "a" video. There's people out there that might have a really old guitar that might be worth thousands if properly restored but will see this video and sentence it to the trash heap. Musical instruments aren't furniture and shouldn't be treated like it.
I’m no luthier but what you did was give an old guitar a new lease on life and the chance to sing once more. The wood grain on the back and sides is beautiful. Haters gotta hate and opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.
Amazing as to what you did with a bit of firewood!!!! Joking aside, it looks amazingly well done, and the patterns in the wood grains, amazing as well!! Sounds great also!!!! Wonderful work you did on it
I really love the fact that you left the witness marks on the face of the guitar. This instrument has seen many things, and that should not be forgotten!
The way it sounds before and after is what it's all about. All the rest...I can't tell if you did it right. But surely you put in a lot of effort and you did the best you could. Respect...🙏🏼
Nice renovation! After seeing the interior bracing pattern, I recommend switching to nylon strings. Guitars of this era weren't designed for the tension of steel strings. 🙂
Ladder bracing can be compatible with steel strings. The attachment method (pegs) to the bridge suggests steel strings as well. But I have no idea about guitar building practices in Estonia in the 1st half of the 20th century. The loose bracing on the back might have been rattling, and they really weren’t re-attached in the best way. Look up Go-bar deck. Apart from that, most of the improvement in the sound was probably just from a new set of strings.
@steam driver although steel strings came into play in the early part of the 20th century, they were primarily used in the US. From a repair perspective, I recommend nylon strings (but that's just my opinion) 🙂
@@TheDasbull you can’t use nylon strings because the manner of fixing design at the bridge doesn’t allow it. You’d have to replace the bridge with one designed for nylon strings.
@@professionalprocrastinator8182 Yes you can and some do. Old romantic style parlours like this with no truss rod and cone heel are usually strung with silk and steel or the lightest steel strings available.
Look folks: this is not about him being a luthier, a furniture restorer, a plumber or whatever. Here's a guy who loves renovating/restoring things and who got hold of an old guitar. He does what he likes most and does his best to give that thing a shiny look and a new life, and his work is a success, however you define this. This is all that matters! How many of you bashers are professionals in your own hobby?
I am! (appointed Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, elected Member of The Institute of Musical Instrument Technology, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts)
@@iandeare1So what's your hobby? Of all your honorable designations there is not one that necessarily makes you a professional instrument restorer, if this is the case..
@@LawsForever I think you'll find being an elected member of The Institute of Musical Instrument Technology, alone, does make me a professional. My training, work, and experience not withstanding. I trust you've finished your petty, and irksome, retorts. If you have any further queries regarding my bona fides I suggest you do some proper research, as I have already answered, and provided more than enough evidence to you.
@@iandeare1 Your words sound like the ones of a super-ego being assaulted on. Though i have no doubts regarding your achievements, it seems very strange to me that you lay out all your honors in so much detail. I hold some degrees in science, though it would never cross my mind to brag so loudly about them. Some virtue of modesty is always winsome!
@@LawsForever: you insolently demanded proof of professional interest: my list of designatory letters, and professional memberships is the quickest, and easiest way to provide said proof. As an apparent scientist I would've expected you to appreciate the brevity. Instead you continue to attempt insult. Thankfully my Super-ego, and Id, for that matter, are well beyond such petty behaviour. I suspect this pointless trading of insults has reached it's conclusion. Good day.
This honest guy did his very best, but oh boy! I'm not a Luthier, but there were so many moments that horrified me. I'm sure the real Luthiers are losing sleep over this one.
Does my heart good to see a item many would toss in the trash loved back to life. The Medullary rays on the back and sides are beautiful, also the binding and marquetry detail on the front are subtle__yet speak of the craftsmanship and thought that was given many years back. Thanks for sharing! ✍)))
Looks great but I have to admit that the process gave me the “fingernails on a chalkboard” feeling at times. Then again, he would likely find watching a luthier restore an antique piece painful, too.
I'm amazed that the frets were still in such good condition. I recently worked on a 1946 Dutch made guitar restoration project. the thing that wasn't salvageable were the frets. They are manufactured from brass which has corroded, become soft and brittle. The one decision I am faced with is whether or not I try and salvage the original frets or have it fitted with new fret wire. Thanks for the interesting video. I would call it more of a rebuild than a restoration, but you did a great job. Well done.
@@robertdavidson8289 I've never made the connection between the word fret, as in guitar frets and the verb " to fret over something". Strange. Fret is also a word used to describe something being worn away, I think, hence fret wire, wire that helps to avoid the fret board being worn away by the strings. That's a whole lot of frets right there. Cheers.
new fret wire if its going to be played! A player wants it playable, a museum might want original fret wire. Just save the old stuff in a baggie and keep them with it.
I always hit the like button. I like everything I see you do. What a bonus to hear you play guitar, as well. I love the mini history lessons you give, too.
This was a labor of love, and in truth, the back and sides are beautiful, the DELICATE, thin Spruce top is soft and you cannot remove much of surface damage, but you handled it nicely, and the character and sound has been rebuilt and renewed! A rare instrument given new life is special!
Naaaaah man, this is a brandless barn guitar with a bolt-on neck. I guess maybe some Russian expat might want to buy it just for nostalgia but the build quality alone is reason enough to take a hard pass, at least to actual musicians.
@@paulneedham9885 It does not sound bad. Like Jerome was saying a minimal repair would be preferable to some people. I, along with many other find the wear and tear, quirks and problems with old worn down instruments very inspiring. And when you do such a big change to a guitar by the end of the process you have a different instrument. Not necessarily better or worse sounding, but some of the "magic" will be gone. That being said, it does sound good now of course and I'm sure it will be used and loved. Hope that helps you understand my point of view.
I think this showed a good, practical restoration. Not exactly high art, but done lovingly. Leaving the witness marks shows respect for what this little guitar has lived through. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
@@kenz2756 It's more about the culture of restoration. The idea is to preserve as much as possible. This instrument told a story of how the original craftsmen worked, the tools and materials they used. That story is gone now.
@@kenz2756 Not really. The basic principles are the same whether you are restoring an instrument, a painting, antique furniture or any other kind of art. Restoration should not damage the object you are trying to restore and everything you do should be reversible. Perhaps in a few years the market will decide that this instrument is worth a massive amount of money in original condition. In that case the owner just lost a massive amount of money, and paid for the privilege. It would not be the first time this has happened.
@@bigwens21 ну, от этого гроба хорошего звука вряд ли получится добиться в принципе. Но и по восстановлению главный косяк - с грифом почти ничего не сделал, накладку не выровнял, лады оставил древние, и даже их в одну плоскость не вывел, чего тут ждать?
As someone who played guitar quite a bit until my wrists started bothering me, as well as someone who loves antiques, and restoring old things from Wooden furniture to old lamps, I absolutely loved this. You brought this back to life yet kept the beautiful old patina of the instrument. You sir, are an artist! 5 stars!
I like the way you fixed the damage, and cleaned up the guitar without wiping out all of its history. That instrument earned its battle scars, and it's nice to see them honored and preserved that way. Anyone can pull down a brand new guitar without a scratch on it. It's rare to see a time honored instrument like this in such good overall shape. Nice video! Oh, and that was a two piece, book matched back to begin with. That's why it cracked straight down the middle the way it did. The repair was perfect.
I enjoyed this video, I guess there are two schools of thought on refinishing, to me, "refinishing" is a complete job, "refurbish" is what was presented here. I, personally would have refinished the front as well...others like the distressed look...I would want to create the look of a brand new piece...just like it came from the store...before being abused/loved. good job!
I see lots of things that a luthier would do differently....like applying some heat to the back to loosen the glue rather than just pushing a putty knife in and prying it off!!
Most luthiers would use the seam knife to open the top. Heat could compromise the old delicate finish on the back. With enough patience and skill, a good luthier can get the back off mostly without much fuss or damage. That's how we take the tops and backs off of 300 year old Italian violins in the shop that I work at.
@@johannesgutenberg5993 - Applying heat could damage or blush the finish, that's for sure. It would be possible to heat the knife though which could help soften the old glue rather than roughly prying the seam open as in the video. That's great that you're working with such old instruments!! I don't work with anything quite that old.... :-)
Despite the comments to the contrary, I think you did a good job. I don't know if you're a luthier, apparently not, but more than a restoration you gave life to that wonderful instrument and as a musician I think that's what counts more than the collection. Congratulations and thanks on behalf of the guitar for making it live again and for it to once again sing the wonderful notes that will come out of it. 👏🙏
Amature luthier here. I only work on solid-body electric guitars. It's better than I could have done. Really liked the way you left the soundboard (top wood) to tell its history.
He should have replaced the items that would have added life and play ability to the guitar. The braces inside the guitar could have easily been reproduced from new wood, strengthening the guitar. The fret wire should have been replaced which would have made it easier to finish the fret board and the neck. Also the neck reset should have been measured. The action looks terrible. If you were just going to make it a wall hanger then that's different.
I would have recommended using nylon strings (like a classical guitar). The steal string that looked like were on there at the start probably should have never been put on the guitar in the first place.
There are few performances that can rival watching a consummate master craftsman perform a transformation of such a worthwhile subject for restoration. He was more than generous with his techniques and skills and all I can do is envy him his expertise. Bravo maestro.
Wow this hurt at first until I got used to seeing this. Reminds me of when I took EMT training and had to see people all tore up in the emergency room.
It's similar, but imagine if you saw those people getting cut open even more with saws and stitched back together with sewing thread - there was more damage done than restoration!
I would rather see the years of patina saved and have it functional. scars give character and sound depth. But still amazing job and loved watching the video!
I am curious about the beeswax on the fretboard. I have some older guitars where I dug in with my fingers in earlier days. I have tried a couple "top of the line" luthiers in my area for other things, but never was 100% satisfied, so I want to try it myself. I think I have 2 that are rosewood boards. Your video was awesome and the guitar has a beautiful finish. Doing that yourself is a "make it your own" as they sometimes say on music shows, but a different "it" here. Wood is a magical material that inspires people in many ways.
I think it’s cool that you experimented with & explored a guitar. There’s no other way to learn whether you’re really interested in something until you get your hands dirty and fuss with it. I’m honestly mostly just jealous of you because I’d love to have the space, tools, and ability to try taking apart and exploring a guitar, then putting it back together with no real consequences, expectations, or pressure for it to sound or look good afterwards. On the one hand, I can understand why people who develop serious bonds with their musical instruments might have found this somewhat sacrilegious or were confused by the heaps of praise when it comes to the process or final sound. Buuuuut on the other hand, I think it’s cool that you explored a guitar. And I think your title does a good enough job at implying that it is in no way meant to be instructional. Sometimes the very first steps into a new field/hobby are messy and unbalanced, which makes perfect sense. For instance, on a forum for hobbyists creating/tending bonsai trees, people’s experience or time in the hobby is measured by the number of trees they killed. And for good reason. Certain hobbies can be really really hard! I’m halfway decent at traditional art. I can draw, do figure drawing, charcoal portraits, pen and ink, some oil painting. But if I posted a video of me attempting to make a piece of digital art, it would turn out horribly lol. And digital artists watching my process would probably be slapping their foreheads at my newbie mistakes and inefficiencies. Some of the criticism feels fairly lighthearted (or otherwise in good faith) to me, like how someone watching someone learn to drive a manual might say they cringed seeing a learner strain a clutch/transmission. Not meant to be discouraging, but more a joke about how it can feel to watch people be inexperienced at something you know a lot about. But I agree that some of it is unnecessarily harsh. Though I noticed you mostly only engaged with comments that were nearly universally praising you. Which, if you didn’t particularly enjoy the experience of working with the guitar and aren’t interested in pursuing it, is whatever since it’s just a one-off project. But if you had fun working on it and it sparked some interest to learn more about instrument-specific stuff, I think it’s worth acknowledging the good faith constructive criticism and suggestions about your methods or the final sound produced, because it could help you be more successful, or help things go more smoothly next time. Sorry for the long comment, but it’s hard to say what I want to in only a few words. Anyway, good job on just fearlessly ripping into the project and seeing it through. I always end up taking forever to start new endeavors because I do so much anxious research. It was interesting to see how the instincts of a different woodworking field would handle a guitar. It’s also an interesting line of thought; general skills vs specializations... Thanks for sharing your exploration.
Jeez. Give the guy a break. Yeah, there are things I would have done differently but, the final result wasn't terrible. I think about when I started learning Lutherie, 47 years ago, I must have trashed numerous instruments in the learning process. Thankfully, none were of any great value... (edit) Oh, and the fact that it was a seven-string is pretty cool. Approximately 75% of the archtops I built over the last 25 years, (about 450), were sevens.
Agreed. Unless you people have years of experience and KNOW they can do better, best not to criticise other's work. The world has enough hate already. Thank you for stepping in x
I understand why us guitar geeks are mildly horrified, but it's not my guitar. It came out pretty and sounded better than it did before, so who am I to judge. Not everything has to be treated as if it's going to wind up in a museum.
I love so many of the design details, the binding and sound hole rosette, the shape of the bridge, the way the fretboard end is shaped, the headstock ... I wonder why modern guitar manufacturers don't recreate these appointments. I guess Martin just set "new" standards that became the only desirable look, and the most other makers do is create slight variations. But I'd buy a new guitar that looks like this one in a heartbeat.
Fender just released a mini acoustic with this body shape, the Sonoran Mini. 3/4th sized, The headstock is shaped like a stratocaster tho. Some people feel iffy about that but I enjoy it.
Martin pulled deep resonant sound out of their guitars due in large part to woods, bracings and design - that's why we like er I mean LOVE our Martins - in particular the 'D' series. But Gibson and classical guitar builders like Goya knew these so called secrets long long ago. Although the craftsman's work was a joy to watch - a painted fretboard left me scratchin' my head. Oh wait - it was Russian. Say no more - nudge nudge wink wink. (Made in Estonia while under Russian hegemony circa 1920)
This guitar has a bolt-on neck. It would be bargain-bin trash no matter how many layers of shellac are rubbed into it. The higher end brands like Martin or Taylor that make guitars that look similar do so for very very many reasons. Suffice it to say, if you're looking to buy some exotic-wood guitar, or one with weird dimensions, you're not looking for a good guitar. If you're looking for a good guitar, you'd buy the models that you seem to believe are made by brands who are just being lazy or whatever. Real musicians don't larp as musicians online.
@@grarglejobber7941 Real musicians don't troll. I own a Gibson, a Martin, and whole bunch of fine electric guitars. Little bonus "ouch" for you: Taylor necks are bolt-on.
My music channel: th-cam.com/users/TotuCool
Okay 👍👍
@@johnwayne8114 I have seen far worse restorations by so called Luthiers. And ended up with a fine sounding Guitar .. What exactly did he get wrong in your expert opinion.
Yeah that's a beautiful guitar you got there but you wrecked it. Stick to fixing chairs please
@@johnwayne8114 0}}
Link do Filmu th-cam.com/video/6Y72_bzErAY/w-d-xo.html
I used to build guitars. I think you did a decent job for just a quickie without luthier tools.
Don't let the armchair luthiers and other critics discourage you. This is not a collector guitar nor a guitar of much value. Why give a luthier $100s to waste on it. You made it look great, sound better, and many years more life to live. 👍🏻
Congratulations. You brought two and a half thousand guitarists to tears.
I cried
Me too
I’m in tears lmao
Tears of joy
This was hard to watch...😖😢😭😭😭🤦🏼♂️
At 10:10 you can see the makers stamp, this of course is after cracking it open. Hope it helps
Muusikariistade = Instruments
Töökoda = Workshop
T. Olbrei & Ko = Tönis Olbrei & Companion(s)
Tallinnas = Tallinn
Hermanni T. Nr 1 = Street name and number
EESTI = Estonia
Tönis Olbrei was a piano maker, his brother Jann and August Kraemann, a builder, merged their companies and started making pianos, harmoniums, mandolins, guitars and other musical instruments in 1905.
So I'd say that guitar is from earliest 1905 or a bit younger like up to 1915 or so.
Fascinating information; thank you for your input!
Thank you. I tried to understand but failed miserably.
I would have thought that if it was made in 1905 it would be marked as Reval and there would be no mention of Estonia. I would imagine the guitar was made after independence and dates from the 1920s.
Thank you for the details
Estonians rock !
It’s a schtuck scheisse now.
As a guitar repairman/builder, I gotta say that you broke a few rules in this restoration, but I honestly don't think it's value or performance were compromised at all. The guitar is a folk instrument, built and repaired by regular folks with all kinds of approaches. It's your instrument, and I think it's a honey!
Well said hello from down under
The guitar had a factory stamp on the inside mate.
Someone in the comments mentioned the name (Russian?) famous for pianos & instruments.
Carved ebony bridge, figured flame mahogany? & Ivory tipped tuners (not bakelite) hardly seem like a folk instrument made by common folk to me.
@@baabaabaa2293 He meant that guitar is a folk instrument. A lot of people made them with variation in methods and how they repaired them.
@@ReasonAboveEverything l know how to read fella...he said..'a folk instrument BUILT & REPAIRED by regular folks'...
This example is a proper made instrument, crafted by an Estonian company. Look at the quality tonewoods used... Ivory tuner buttons is hardly regular folk built.
kind of a condescending asshole statement
I feel like the body restoration was top notch, but the neck and bridge still need to be seen by a luthier for a proper bone nut and saddle, and a refret. Right now, it's just pretty furniture that happens to play music, but it could be brought back to being a mighty fine instrument.
That was painful to watch. Amazing what you can do with the right tools.
Reading many of the comments it is refreshing that this "restoration" is a labor of love by a very talented woodworker. Love takes on many forms. The title was not "watch me build a better guitar." many of the techniques were irreversible and so it is with love. The guitar is better off having received the love and attention.
That's why professional guitar builder/repair people are called Luthier's, great work but so many OMG! what are you doing moment's. But I applaud the effort, so many would have just tossed it away.
OMG The crowning moment to me was the spraying of the top.
You need to remove the steel strings from this guitar. This guitar was made before steel strings were in common use. it was designed for gut strings that have a much lower tension on them. This 7 string guitar will have somewhere around 160-180 lbs of tension on the neck and bridge with steel strings. Gut strings would have a tension of around 90lbs with 7 strings. You will find the top will warp, the neck will warp, and eventually the bridge will rip off.
It is braced like a classical guitar but has a metal saddle and plain metal machine head rollers along with a curved fingerboard, which is extended in a pattern typical of jazz guitars. Moreover, if it was made as late as 1940, steel string guitars were much in vogue. I wouldn't be so sure that it was designed for gut strings and it predates nylon strings. I'm a retired luthier, by the way.
He doesn't care, he did it for the views.
These are interesting comments to me, I used to do furniture restoration for a living for a few years, working for a real professional. I (or he) wouldn´t know what to do and how on restoring musical instruments. I have inherited a violin and a mandolin that my grandfather (r.i.p) made in the past, they are at least 70 yrs. Should I take them to a professional in musical intstruments for a restoration? I like that they look their age and probably no one is ever going to play them (don`t know anyone who could) but it would be nice to have them in working condition.
Thanks
@@76blackwidow If your grandfather made the instruments using conventional methods, I would take them to someone who specialises in violin repair. However, if they are unlikely to be played in your lifetime, keep them as they are and leave it to the person who decides it's worth spending money to get them playable. It is not a good idea to take them to someone who is going to slap PVA glue on them (there is a professional guitar repairer on TH-cam who is doing this with fiddles, insisting it is ok as the components can be removed with heat - this is bad practice, as the hide/bone/hoof glue used on violins sets rock hard and affects tone positively - PVA does not when it comes to bowed instruments - and violin tops are glued with a weaker glue and are best removed without heat). There are no doubt furniture makers who are aware of instrument making techniques, but don't assume that they all do.
@@Weejie2011 Couldn't he do anything better with the front. Looks like hell. Sitka spruce??? Looks like it could take a shave to get rid of some of that battle damage. PS. Those machines look like they're for steel and not gut or anything else.
I love how there is no cheesy narration, or crappy "upbeat, inspirational" music track. Makes this video much more enjoyable.
Id love to see the 2 thousand guitar experts here restore an antique chair half as well.
What we really need are reaction videos of luthiers watching this. That'd be fun.
*cries in Ted Woodford*
Wildwood guitars seem into this kind of thing. I don't think woodford could/ would be bothered.
My heart sank so many times watching this, but it absolutely *broke* when he whitened those tuners.
They whitened 10% maybe.
No need to fret.
(bah-dum tish!) 🙂
Piano technicians whiten ivories all the time. When we have missing ivories, it’s nearly impossible to match them in color, shape, and size. Sometimes we end up sanding and filing them and yes, even bleaching them. We don’t use lemon juice, though. Baking soda and peroxide is much safer, and I just leave them out in the sun.
@@kristinbrooks1 I hear what you're saying, but it's not a piano. What's acceptable for piano restoration isn't necessarily the same for guitars. I wouldn't whiten aged tuners and I wouldn't fix finish checking. You'd probably fix cracked finish in a piano as well, yeah? That's all I'm saying.
It's a tough world out there...
On any given day on any given street, guys in sheds with video cameras, can be, ... , .. whitening guitar tuners!?!?! willy nilly...! No questions asked!! it beggers belief... stay strong out there. Chin up folks. Rock on.
It's really interesting to see what another style of woodworker thinks is important when restoring and instrument. There's some overlap like fixing the cracks and filing off the end of the frets, but a luthier would have ignored the finish entirely to focus on the braces, neck, nut, bridge and saddle.
Gotta say, it looked fantastic in the end.
It looks like a lumpy shellacked mess.
Looks fantastic on a wall. Never to be played again.
You foolishly assume he didn't later tweak the action.
@@tolanstout D'uh! It's called French polish.
I think a luthier would have fixed the cracks, the frets, the action and the finish ... to finish! :) At least that's what I would do as an amateur but rather experienced luthier.
you got a nice piece of furniture because you can't call that musical instrument anymore :)))
for sure I won't ask people like you to fix my guitar, but for sure I'll trust you regarding fixing any historical furniture.
Good job!
I’m pretty sure it played. This is exactly what you over paid for at your local guitar tech shop there’s not a whole lot of magic going on up there Eric cartoon
OUCH!
Definitely shows the difference between a luthier and a furniture restorer!
I get the same cringe when channels “restore” C&R firearms. Any collectors value is left on the shops wire wheel. Conservation of what is, is the proper course. IMHO
Groan. Big Al, Big Bore.
Fully agree. I was wondering: "Am I the only one to find this horrible?" When I saw the final result, I was about to cry. What a bad taste! No offense, but this man should definitely stick to furniture and leave musical instruments for REAL luthiers.
@@DriftinDoug you're obviously not a guitar player or even a furniture lover
He did an alright job but in comparison to a proper luthier, it was horrible.
And I have to encourage that before you put strings on your guitar, PLEASE check what type of guitar you have before getting the strings! You can't stick any strings on any guitar!
From what I can see, and researched this is a NYLON 7 string acoustic guitar, and I'm assuming this actually a classical guitar.
Warning to people who might not know, but you can't put steel strings on a Nylon guitar and visa versa. If there is too much tension on the neck and on the bridge it'll bow, f#cking your guitar. Same applies to if there's too little tension.
Different guitars have overall different necks, body's and components which influence what can and can't be done to a guitar. Example, most classical guitars don't have a truss rod, that is to say, there are those that do have them, however truss rods are primarily found in steel string acoustics and electrics because of they have a lot more tension.
Next time I suggest you glue the braces to the back before you glue the back to the sides, and it helps to make a plaster mould of the back's dome at the outset so as to maintain the integrity of its shape - a common procedure in violin repair.
yes! the braces should be glued to the back first.
And that's why you take guitars to luthiers, not furniture people
He's sawing the back in half? WTF?
My thoughts exactly!!!
Ouch. The end result was OK, and better than I have seen from some 'luthiers' to be fair.. but still. That poor poor guitar is no more. B
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars nice to see you here Ben!
@@VictorRochaGaming the back was already in 2 half's he just trimmed a little off to make a spine as the 2 half's have shrunk with age so wont fit the body ,adding a spine allows him to glue the back on and it fit .
I do this for a living...all in all you did a good job. Used the right glues and took time. Yes some oil its unorthodox and timber choices may have been better but I think it's well done.
I enjoy watching your skilled hands as they work with the wood. My grandfather built violins and repaired all kinds of instruments for the local music store. I was enthralled watching him work.
Using heat when disassembling will soften the glue. The frets should probably be replaced, and the neck angle adjusted to compensate for how much a ladder-braced guitar is going to "fold up" under string tension. Also, attention should be shown to the bridge and bridge plate. I don't think many Luthiers would have stripped the old finish. But, it's an interesting guitar.
Hello sir
be nice if you said what a great job he did. 😏
Why don't you find your own guitar in need of restoration, and post your restoration on your own TH-cam channel? We'd all love to see it done to your own specifications. Word are cheap, my friend.👍 😀
@@feralbluee He did a job, to say a great job isn’t quite right. It’s his guitar and he had fun working on it so in that sense, it’s a great job. But from a luthier perspective, it was a great job. It even breaks the fundamentals of restoration. He would have been better off making a new guitar from scratch and leaving this one as is. Still though, he definitely put good effort into something he was happy doing and that’s great
@@DG-mv6zw so, the guy can’t be criticized because he tried and posted his work? Just because you put effort into something doesn’t mean people can’t judge and offer feedback on your work. On top of that, nothing that they said about his work was wrong. Frankly, the list of improvement he could make not only in the work he did but his approach to restoring an instrument as a whole would be long and extensive.
If that is a 'J' (and not 'T') on the label, this guitar was made by Jaan Olbrei in Estonia, sometime between 1905 and 1918. His father, Juri owned the company that eventually became the Kramann-Olbrei piano makers. 'If it says 'T' (Tonis Olbrei), it would place it between 1918 - 1944. These instruments were well-regarded in the region. As the OP is asking for opinions on the repair, I think it's a good functional repair by a skilled worker, but with little sympathy for the instrument or consideration of tone, and no real attempt to find out what was needed structurally, and the conservation 'etiquette' required. Still, it plays again 👍
If at the end of the day it doesn't play as it should you can always put a cushion on it and use it for a stool. Great video!
This man tells dad jokes without even using words. Amazing.
It was obvious from the top's internal bracing that this is a gut string instrument. It won't last long with those steel strings.
Yeah, that was the first thing I came looking for when I saw him putting steel strings on it. Wanted to make sure someone got the word out, and hopefully not ruin the work done.
Well he does say he’s a furniture restorer, not a luthier. But still….like 10 minutes on Google….
Yeah agreed get the steel strings off there ASAP. Also guitars that old work because the glue and wood become one after years of play. Also those marks on the back of the neck, that’s years and years of play to rub away the original varnish. Hope it works out and I did thoroughly enjoy the vid. Gdluck.
That's how more than half of the extant harpsichords were ruined in the 20th century. "Restorers" not knowing or bothering to learn that they were originally strung in soft iron and bronze, instead trying to apply heavy piano strings. It's no wonder they all impoaded and consequently derrided for their 'poor construciton techniques'.
It hurt to see him sand everything down and refinish it all. I’m hust glad he didn’t touch the front. On one hand he did a great job, on the other hand it was so painful to see so much history disappear :,)
Im a woodworker, and i found a similar guitar thrown away. I tried to restore it, and after watching this I am ashamed. Great work , nice workshop, top skills, and lovely guitar.
@damian - There are many videos available on TH-cam which show guitar restorations performed by trained/experienced luthiers.
@@rb032682 Thanks. I will do a little more research next time before butchering another old guitar.
@@damianmaynard2592 - If I owned the guitar in this video, I would hang it with its back exposed. That wood is just too darned beautiful to hide it on the backside.
I suggest you look through youtube professional luthiers doing these restaurations, this is a actually a pretty good job but a had seen a lot of better works in comparison to this.
@@antoniofaria3384 What can YOU do? Put your money where your mouth is for once.
You really revealed some hidden beauty... and made it look easy!
I look forward to other videos in this series, like "car wash guy rebuilds F-1 engine" or "nurse practitioner performs heart transplant."
I really enjoyed this. The techniques were not what I'm used to seeing, but the end result was amazing. My grandpa was a furniture repairman and he was an unbelievable craftsman. Felt like I was watching gramps work again. 🥰 thank you for the video!
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9 ✝🌅
I had the good fortune of working alongside a traveling furniture repair man, straight up magicians!
@@Andrew-Johnsonthat's exactly what I needed, now, today, this moment.
Kinda surprised he left all the scratches in the top, but I know nothing about woodworking. Also, he could've tuned it for the intro performance. Much of the bad sound was it being out of tune.
I liked the video, the restoration process and the result. It was a good idea to keep the guitar's face with the scratches. It preserves the original look.
Well done! I restored a 115-year-old guitar-lute by myself, using bone glue, a 20 m rope of hemp to put and hold the pieces together without damaging the old lute guitare and within a month sided by my main work as a nurse, it finally got their talents of a find its music instrument again. I play it with love, proudness and happyness thropgh all deeps of my heart & soul. So let me say, vs v non professional restorer: your work has been very, very fine and well! With a rope, and some clothes between instrument and rope you lever damage it and you needn't work with clämbs what kind ever. It always will have the best power and won't hurt it. I spoke with an elder resorator of guitars 50 km away and he actually told me he uses this old metod, too, again, after having been working with clambs from all shabes and sizes. You HAVE all sizes using a long rope and some olt T shirts. And using time. Good work needs time.
That I have and use it for music and that's the secret our work can be heart so softly and powerful as well in our instrumets and music. You're vore gifted, bro! Thank you! Be blessed!❤
Браво, Мастер! Ваша работа вызывает восхищение. На Вашу работу интересно смотреть даже тем, кто в этом ничего не понимает.
I worked in picture framing and did furniture restoration for 45 years.
You can never have enough clamps:) or variety of glues.
You have really beautiful equipment in your shop, we had good stuff, but I would liked to have gotten my hands on yours.
The right equipment makes all the difference and I'm still amazed at what those 16,17 and 18th century craftsmen were able to achieve.
I remember restoring a table and harp back chairs, It took forever to sand the chairs, I had to create all kinds of minnie tools to get in the grooves with sandpaper, talk about labor intensive!
Finally, I REALLY like how you retained the old look while
restoring the sound.
Your show is lots of memories for me.
Cheers,
Frederick "Rik" Spector
Different to the chairs, but equally as skilfull and fascinating to watch.
I'd play it ! well done, maybe not as clinical as some purist would like, BUT, youre a furniture restorer, and youve restored a piece of furniture in your eyes, and it sounds well, well done to you you sir, youve saved an instrument that will play on !! top man ...
The pattern of the grain on the back looks incredible!
Good restoration job although not one for the purist. He saved the guitar from the fire-place and gave it an interesting look (although it probably needs a professional set-up). Not sure I'd send a quality vintage guitar his way though.
Why do you assume it was never set up? THINK!
Nyet! As a guitar tech I occasionally repair classical guitars (that are all designed for nylon strings), that the owner mistakenly strings up with steel strings. The steel acoustic strings have a MUCH higher tension and can literally rip the bridge right off of the top. They will also warp your neck and top if the ancient bridge somehow stays put on the under braced top. I would replace those ASAP or risk destroying all of your beautiful work!
Great comment, considering the amount of “luthiers” puffing up their chests in the comments about how they know so much more than the next guy yet not one of them mentioned the blatantly obvious.
Absolutely! The sounds it brought forth in the beginning should have told him it wasn't meant to sound as a Modern guitar. Or possibly when he found it was made in Estona. I I'm willing to bet he did not even look up what it said. But I So hope he switched it to nylon before too much damage occurred. It just didn't serve it right. Hh Maybe hes not a guitarist but when he put the strings on, it just didn't sound right. It didn't Give out the sounds it was meant to make. But I feel like with his actions/body language he knew that. but why would he post the video with steel strings if he did???
And Im no Luthier, Don't pretend to be. I just knew that that guitar was never meant for steel the minute I heard it
it's not an ordinary classical guitar, it's russian seven string type of guitar, they were also made for steel strings, it's ok in that case
Interesting
@@nettle_leaf537 This from Wikipedia: "There are two basic types of Russian guitar: the "classical" model and the "gypsy" model. The classical model closely resembles the western 6-string classical guitar, and has nylon or gut strings. The gypsy model is steel strung, and resembles the western 6-string steel-string acoustic guitar, although more size and shape variations are found among gypsy guitars." Not sure about this one.
T. Olbrei was originally an Estonian piano maker (back when keys were hand carved from ivory) . His brother Jann Olbrei and A. Kraemann were wood instrument makers (mandolins, guitars, violins etc). They merged their operations into the Tallin Musical Workshop in Tallin Estonia during the great recession of 1905, and as it turned out, the recession was short lived - they prospered respected maker of all sorts of musical instruments such as harmoniums, pianos, mandolins, balalikas, classical guitars and most notably, the 7 string Russian semistrunka (aka Gypsy Guitar) generally tuned to open G - the 7 string guitar goes back to the earliest days of the 6 string, but has always been considered a totally separate instrument by traditional 6 string parlor and concert guitar makers. The bridge and bracing suggest that this guitar may have been one of their earlier offerings - probably pre-WW1. They remained in business until late 1940 when it was clear that the Germany was expanding beyond Russia into the Baltic States.
The glue used in instrument making is actually called Hyde Glue. Made from animal hides.
Also cover the sound hole by potting scrunched up paper inside it to stop excess varnish getting in from you spraying it on.
I would use classical guitar strings on this guitar.. Are you sure it was made to handle the tension of the acoustic guitar strings.
Classical guitar strings don't have the little brass nut at the end that is required to keep it anchored so they wouldn't work on this guitar.
@@rickcheyne actually many guitars in the 18th & 19th century used pins like this guitar. These guitars used gut strings and either had a dowel in the end of the string or you would tie a specific knot in the string so the pin holds it in place. You can look at most romantic era classical guitars with mustache bridges and see for yourself.
Next: Watch how a Luthier restores an old wardrobe by turning it into an oversized Cajón
Nice 😂🤣
This is painful to watch. 😬
TOO funny
@@stargazer6675 Yeah when he started in with the scraper and no heat to pull the top and back off, I knew this was going to be really rough. I turned it off about the time he cut the back in half with a table saw lol
@@taylormartin2829 I was cringing the whole way through. We only use power tools for rough work, never for restoration.
Wow! Can’t believe that I stumbled on this video. I sold this guitar quite a few years ago, I think on eB. My wife and I had a guitar business in Michigan. I found it in a 2nd hand shop and thought it would make a good wall hanger. It hung on a wall in our house for a few years until we moved and no longer had a place for it. I think that it’s great that someone took the time to bring this old girl back to life.
Really good craftsmanship !
I wish it were my guitar I play
It's really beautiful
This could be a guitar that was played every day by maybe 1 person for all there life, would be interesting to find out, maybe someone back in the 40's, 50's, 60's maybe had no TV, also seems it's 7 string which rare. I'm considering a new guitar but honestly, the reality is most guitars do not get played sometimes for years. But this old beauty has a lot of stories to tell.
Thanks!
Thanks John!
honestly i was expecting him to turn it into a sofa or a chair by the title
Thank you for leaving her story, told in the scars on her face, exactly as she was. Beautiful.
her ???
Rubbish, looks dreadful. Sand it back and make it nice again.
@@MaxG-jk8ty of course it is my opinion. Still is. I am not an authority that stops people from doing what they do, relax. I will not single handedly ruin the instrument restoration industry. I like pristine restoration, and always will.
@@brettduffin8412 It’s called patina. The restoration is done to leave the “battle scars” of life. If you want a pristine restoration, buy a new guitar.
@@Birdman953 I know what a patina is. I also know you have not changed my mind. Watch " My Mechanics" on you tube to understand my preference. And no, I would much rather a restored vice from this guy over a new one. Great old high quality guitars restored to pristine level in my opinion would be the same. I don't want those scratches or dents. Those were never designed to be there and are the result of the simple fumbling of past owners. Not anything I revere, nor do they tell any significant story (unless they were owned by a significant musician).
Hello, I liked watching your video. But I noticed at the end you used steel strings, on an old guitar like this with ladder bracing (parallel braces going along the inside of the top and back) they are not designed to be able to handle the string tension steel strings put on them. It might result in warping in the top and causing more damage, I would switch to nylon strings
Definitely. I have a lute I put metal strings on at first, big mistake. The neck bent - I replaced those strings pronto !
Now this is a resto video! No jabbering and no music.
Edit: I would've replaced the frets and in the process cleaned the entire fingerboard of paint. But, nice job with this; way better than most could do.
All of that work! Not one step to check the neck angle, playability, saddle location for intonation, keeping a potential collectible as original as possible, on and on. But, I'm quite sure you're an excellent furniture restorer. Well done in that respect!
World's greatest critic?
@@DriftinDoug I've been repairing guitars for over 40 years. The absolute number 1 priority in guitar repair is making it play well and in tune! Next would be to make it structurally sound e.g. loose braces, lifting bridge, neck reset, etc. Cosmetics are secondary.
My blood pressure was severely elevated throughout this entire deal
You should see a doctor then
I usually find those kind of video capable of elevating my blood pressure, in pornhub.
@Dianna Thompson This
Okay, so I guess it depends on what the goal was. if it was to make an old guitar a prettier object, then it was an unqualified success. But it wasn't what anyone with knowledge of musical instruments would call a guitar restoration. First, restoration implies getting something back to what it was. This was more -- and less -- than that. He's a skilled craftsman to be sure but his unfamiliarity with guitars is very evident.
I don't think that this was ever a superb instrument. But it could have been restored more thoughtfully. Some of the things it most needed (like replacing the block under the bridge and dressing the frets) weren't done. It would also have been advisable to check the neck angle rather than assuming (as he apparently did) that just reattaching the neck at its pre-dsassembly angle was sufficient. Some other things that it didn't need (like having the original finish sanded off and replaced) were. When the knife wouldn't easily separate the top from the ribs, some moist heat likely would have done the job more effciently and safely than further prying. It might have been a good idea to take the back off to get to the innards while leaving the top in place. The soundboard and its bracing are the soul of a guitar and messing with it as little as possible has the advantage of doing minimal damage to tone and integrity (although the tone may not have been spectacular on this particular instrument to start with). A careful internal inspection before any disassembly might have given some guidance as to what needed to be done and how it could be approached. Perhaps this was done.
I'm confident that this guy is a very capable woodworker and furniture restorer. He has great tools and knows how to use them. But if you go to any site that shows how a luthier restores an old guitar, I think you'll see that it's a task that requires a very different approach than a piece of furniture does. But, if the owner was happy with the result and the intent was more cosmetic than functional and more about beautifying than restoring to optimal playability and tone, then it's all good. Those are perfectly legitimate goals. I just hope no one mimics this approach on a valuable old guitar worthy of true restoration.
Thanks Einstein we got that already
It’s a damn TH-cam video !
@@boxican83 its really not just "a" video. There's people out there that might have a really old guitar that might be worth thousands if properly restored but will see this video and sentence it to the trash heap. Musical instruments aren't furniture and shouldn't be treated like it.
I’m no luthier but what you did was give an old guitar a new lease on life and the chance to sing once more. The wood grain on the back and sides is beautiful. Haters gotta hate and opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.
Amazing as to what you did with a bit of firewood!!!!
Joking aside, it looks amazingly well done, and the patterns in the wood grains, amazing as well!!
Sounds great also!!!! Wonderful work you did on it
I really love the fact that you left the witness marks on the face of the guitar. This instrument has seen many things, and that should not be forgotten!
Yes, my thoughts exactly. I am an old truama nurse and love the stories of scars, they tell a life's story. Her face is more beautiful with scars.
@@carolyncrider8217 it was until he slapped a load of shiny makeup all over it! Utterly killed any character the poor old thing had 😕
I agree although I would have loved to see the back of the neck stay as it was too, so much character and also would have had a nice played in feel.
@@carolyncrider8217 (tears welling up)
Carolyn Crider I think it’s more of ornamental than instrumental - a nice wall adornment
Such an amazing video seeing a old Relic brought back to life awesome video thank you
amazing restoration! i'm impressed on how skilled you are.
The way it sounds before and after is what it's all about. All the rest...I can't tell if you did it right. But surely you put in a lot of effort and you did the best you could. Respect...🙏🏼
I thought the look and off tones from before the restoration were unique
Nice renovation! After seeing the interior bracing pattern, I recommend switching to nylon strings. Guitars of this era weren't designed for the tension of steel strings. 🙂
Ladder bracing can be compatible with steel strings. The attachment method (pegs) to the bridge suggests steel strings as well. But I have no idea about guitar building practices in Estonia in the 1st half of the 20th century. The loose bracing on the back might have been rattling, and they really weren’t re-attached in the best way. Look up Go-bar deck. Apart from that, most of the improvement in the sound was probably just from a new set of strings.
@steam driver although steel strings came into play in the early part of the 20th century, they were primarily used in the US. From a repair perspective, I recommend nylon strings (but that's just my opinion) 🙂
@@TheDasbull you can’t use nylon strings because the manner of fixing design at the bridge doesn’t allow it. You’d have to replace the bridge with one designed for nylon strings.
@@professionalprocrastinator8182 Yes you can and some do. Old romantic style parlours like this with no truss rod and cone heel are usually strung with silk and steel or the lightest steel strings available.
These days you can get low tension steel strings designed for the types of guitars
Look folks: this is not about him being a luthier, a furniture restorer, a plumber or whatever. Here's a guy who loves renovating/restoring things and who got hold of an old guitar. He does what he likes most and does his best to give that thing a shiny look and a new life, and his work is a success, however you define this. This is all that matters! How many of you bashers are professionals in your own hobby?
I am! (appointed Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, elected Member of The Institute of Musical Instrument Technology, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts)
@@iandeare1So what's your hobby? Of all your honorable designations there is not one that necessarily makes you a professional instrument restorer, if this is the case..
@@LawsForever I think you'll find being an elected member of The Institute of Musical Instrument Technology, alone, does make me a professional. My training, work, and experience not withstanding. I trust you've finished your petty, and irksome, retorts. If you have any further queries regarding my bona fides I suggest you do some proper research, as I have already answered, and provided more than enough evidence to you.
@@iandeare1 Your words sound like the ones of a super-ego being assaulted on. Though i have no doubts regarding your achievements, it seems very strange to me that you lay out all your honors in so much detail. I hold some degrees in science, though it would never cross my mind to brag so loudly about them. Some virtue of modesty is always winsome!
@@LawsForever: you insolently demanded proof of professional interest: my list of designatory letters, and professional memberships is the quickest, and easiest way to provide said proof. As an apparent scientist I would've expected you to appreciate the brevity. Instead you continue to attempt insult. Thankfully my Super-ego, and Id, for that matter, are well beyond such petty behaviour.
I suspect this pointless trading of insults has reached it's conclusion. Good day.
This honest guy did his very best, but oh boy! I'm not a Luthier, but there were so many moments that horrified me. I'm sure the real Luthiers are losing sleep over this one.
Does my heart good to see a item many would toss in the trash loved back to life. The Medullary rays on the back and sides are beautiful, also the binding and marquetry detail on the front are subtle__yet speak of the craftsmanship and thought that was given many years back. Thanks for sharing! ✍)))
Looks great but I have to admit that the process gave me the “fingernails on a chalkboard” feeling at times. Then again, he would likely find watching a luthier restore an antique piece painful, too.
I know a couple young luthiers who ended up being hired by cabinet shops because of their skills in fine woodworking.
I'm amazed that the frets were still in such good condition. I recently worked on a 1946 Dutch made guitar restoration project. the thing that wasn't salvageable were the frets. They are manufactured from brass which has corroded, become soft and brittle. The one decision I am faced with is whether or not I try and salvage the original frets or have it fitted with new fret wire. Thanks for the interesting video. I would call it more of a rebuild than a restoration, but you did a great job. Well done.
as a luthier i can say, frets worn a lot with playing, so its not a crime to replace them tho.
people replace frets dozens of times over the lifespan of a well warn guitar. Don't fret, it's perfectly fine to refret.
@@robertdavidson8289 I've never made the connection between the word fret, as in guitar frets and the verb " to fret over something". Strange. Fret is also a word used to describe something being worn away, I think, hence fret wire, wire that helps to avoid the fret board being worn away by the strings. That's a whole lot of frets right there. Cheers.
They were probably replaced at some point by a luthier that actually knew what he was doing.
new fret wire if its going to be played! A player wants it playable, a museum might want original fret wire. Just save the old stuff in a baggie and keep them with it.
I always hit the like button. I like everything I see you do. What a bonus to hear you play guitar, as well. I love the mini history lessons you give, too.
The figuring on that back is amazing!
This was a labor of love, and in truth, the back and sides are beautiful, the DELICATE, thin Spruce top is soft and you cannot remove much of surface damage, but you handled it nicely, and the character and sound has been rebuilt and renewed! A rare instrument given new life is special!
In the guitar world often less is more. Making it playable with minimal refinishing would probably have been preferable for most collectors/musicians.
Yeah, kinda broke my heart to be honest. And that varnish all over the guitar... Not great.
@@MateusVerde Did it sound bad??
Naaaaah man, this is a brandless barn guitar with a bolt-on neck. I guess maybe some Russian expat might want to buy it just for nostalgia but the build quality alone is reason enough to take a hard pass, at least to actual musicians.
@@paulneedham9885 No it sounds pretty crappy. These dudes are just larping as musicians.
@@paulneedham9885 It does not sound bad. Like Jerome was saying a minimal repair would be preferable to some people.
I, along with many other find the wear and tear, quirks and problems with old worn down instruments very inspiring.
And when you do such a big change to a guitar by the end of the process you have a different instrument. Not necessarily better or worse sounding, but some of the "magic" will be gone.
That being said, it does sound good now of course and I'm sure it will be used and loved.
Hope that helps you understand my point of view.
Very satisfying watching someone else do all the work...
A great Guitar Devaluation Masterclass
I made a guitar (telecaster) when I was 16 and this video brought it all back. What a find! great job.
Now I wanna make another ;)
I think this showed a good, practical restoration. Not exactly high art, but done lovingly. Leaving the witness marks shows respect for what this little guitar has lived through. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It's a catastrophe.
In the culture of guitarists, it's got too much work done apparently.
@@kenz2756 It's more about the culture of restoration. The idea is to preserve as much as possible. This instrument told a story of how the original craftsmen worked, the tools and materials they used. That story is gone now.
@@Adamfront Restoring what? It depends, doesn't it?
@@kenz2756 Not really. The basic principles are the same whether you are restoring an instrument, a painting, antique furniture or any other kind of art. Restoration should not damage the object you are trying to restore and everything you do should be reversible.
Perhaps in a few years the market will decide that this instrument is worth a massive amount of money in original condition. In that case the owner just lost a massive amount of money, and paid for the privilege. It would not be the first time this has happened.
When I first read the title I was like “he’s gonna rune this beautiful patina” fast forwarded to the end, I was happy, solid work ! Thank you
"А ну давай наяривай, гитара семиструнная..."©
Вы её возродили просто, браво👏👏👏
Да её только на стену повесить для антуража！Звук вообще никакой！
@@bigwens21 ну, от этого гроба хорошего звука вряд ли получится добиться в принципе. Но и по восстановлению главный косяк - с грифом почти ничего не сделал, накладку не выровнял, лады оставил древние, и даже их в одну плоскость не вывел, чего тут ждать?
Чего сидеть и горевать, ведь ночь , такая лунная . По молодости хотел научится на 7- ми струнке научится, но научился брякать на 6 -ти струнке .
привет всем русским!
@@maxxsrostov5759 Или русскоговорящим ?
As someone who played guitar quite a bit until my wrists started bothering me, as well as someone who loves antiques, and restoring old things from Wooden furniture to old lamps, I absolutely loved this. You brought this back to life yet kept the beautiful old patina of the instrument. You sir, are an artist! 5 stars!
Yea, I agree. Keeping the beautiful old patina was necessary.
I like the way you fixed the damage, and cleaned up the guitar without wiping out all of its history. That instrument earned its battle scars, and it's nice to see them honored and preserved that way. Anyone can pull down a brand new guitar without a scratch on it. It's rare to see a time honored instrument like this in such good overall shape. Nice video! Oh, and that was a two piece, book matched back to begin with. That's why it cracked straight down the middle the way it did. The repair was perfect.
Yesssss
Hey stop drinking, my friend. Your face is so red.
@@grarglejobber7941 Beg Jesus to forgive you.
I'm really impressed, whatever you touch, you change it to a treasure :)
He sanded the magic out of the neck and fret board.
I’m sorry the fuck are you talking about
I enjoyed this video, I guess there are two schools of thought on refinishing, to me, "refinishing" is a complete job, "refurbish" is what was presented here. I, personally would have refinished the front as well...others like the distressed look...I would want to create the look of a brand new piece...just like it came from the store...before being abused/loved. good job!
Why do I get shivers and goosebumps when he puts that guitar back into the circle saw. Nooooo......
the wood grain on the back is phenomenal.
I see lots of things that a luthier would do differently....like applying some heat to the back to loosen the glue rather than just pushing a putty knife in and prying it off!!
Most luthiers would use the seam knife to open the top. Heat could compromise the old delicate finish on the back. With enough patience and skill, a good luthier can get the back off mostly without much fuss or damage. That's how we take the tops and backs off of 300 year old Italian violins in the shop that I work at.
@@johannesgutenberg5993 - Applying heat could damage or blush the finish, that's for sure. It would be possible to heat the knife though which could help soften the old glue rather than roughly prying the seam open as in the video. That's great that you're working with such old instruments!! I don't work with anything quite that old.... :-)
@@johannesgutenberg5993 th-cam.com/video/qI4hzGRrub4/w-d-xo.html
Just have to heat the knife up on a flat clothes iron.
@@johannesgutenberg5993 Yeah, but I thought you invented the Bible, Johannes?!
Despite the comments to the contrary, I think you did a good job. I don't know if you're a luthier, apparently not, but more than a restoration you gave life to that wonderful instrument and as a musician I think that's what counts more than the collection. Congratulations and thanks on behalf of the guitar for making it live again and for it to once again sing the wonderful notes that will come out of it. 👏🙏
Amature luthier here. I only work on solid-body electric guitars. It's better than I could have done. Really liked the way you left the soundboard (top wood) to tell its history.
He should have replaced the items that would have added life and play ability to the guitar. The braces inside the guitar could have easily been reproduced from new wood, strengthening the guitar. The fret wire should have been replaced which would have made it easier to finish the fret board and the neck. Also the neck reset should have been measured. The action looks terrible. If you were just going to make it a wall hanger then that's different.
"There you go! Good as new!..."
'....yeah Viktor, about that...'
I would have recommended using nylon strings (like a classical guitar). The steal string that looked like were on there at the start probably should have never been put on the guitar in the first place.
Absolutely and that guitar is dry as a popcorn fart
I mean it's a Russian 7string so you should use steel strings (ignoring the age of it)
@@ciclismo1450 This is a 19th century Russian guitar. It should have nylon strings.
@@edzmuda6870 1907 is 20th century
@@intelligentacid That's true, but the style didn't suddenly change when the century ended.
There are few performances that can rival watching a consummate master craftsman perform a transformation of such a worthwhile subject for restoration. He was more than generous with his techniques and skills and all I can do is envy him his expertise. Bravo maestro.
Noone gonna talk about how its a 7 string? Thats so cool!
Back in the day people had 12 fingers?
Exactly what I thought....
It's so called "russian guitar", you can google it.
Why can't they make a guitar as cool looking as this.
Wow this hurt at first until I got used to seeing this. Reminds me of when I took EMT training and had to see people all tore up in the emergency room.
It's similar, but imagine if you saw those people getting cut open even more with saws and stitched back together with sewing thread - there was more damage done than restoration!
I would rather see the years of patina saved and have it functional. scars give character and sound depth. But still amazing job and loved watching the video!
I am curious about the beeswax on the fretboard. I have some older guitars where I dug in with my fingers in earlier days. I have tried a couple "top of the line" luthiers in my area for other things, but never was 100% satisfied, so I want to try it myself. I think I have 2 that are rosewood boards. Your video was awesome and the guitar has a beautiful finish. Doing that yourself is a "make it your own" as they sometimes say on music shows, but a different "it" here. Wood is a magical material that inspires people in many ways.
Happy new year. Congrats, I think it was not necessary to remove the original back and ribs varnish, however it was an admirable job.
I dunno, sounded pretty good at the beginning... Looks better than a lot of guitars I play...
Boa tarde Henrique
I think it’s cool that you experimented with & explored a guitar. There’s no other way to learn whether you’re really interested in something until you get your hands dirty and fuss with it.
I’m honestly mostly just jealous of you because I’d love to have the space, tools, and ability to try taking apart and exploring a guitar, then putting it back together with no real consequences, expectations, or pressure for it to sound or look good afterwards.
On the one hand, I can understand why people who develop serious bonds with their musical instruments might have found this somewhat sacrilegious or were confused by the heaps of praise when it comes to the process or final sound. Buuuuut on the other hand, I think it’s cool that you explored a guitar. And I think your title does a good enough job at implying that it is in no way meant to be instructional. Sometimes the very first steps into a new field/hobby are messy and unbalanced, which makes perfect sense.
For instance, on a forum for hobbyists creating/tending bonsai trees, people’s experience or time in the hobby is measured by the number of trees they killed. And for good reason. Certain hobbies can be really really hard! I’m halfway decent at traditional art. I can draw, do figure drawing, charcoal portraits, pen and ink, some oil painting. But if I posted a video of me attempting to make a piece of digital art, it would turn out horribly lol. And digital artists watching my process would probably be slapping their foreheads at my newbie mistakes and inefficiencies.
Some of the criticism feels fairly lighthearted (or otherwise in good faith) to me, like how someone watching someone learn to drive a manual might say they cringed seeing a learner strain a clutch/transmission. Not meant to be discouraging, but more a joke about how it can feel to watch people be inexperienced at something you know a lot about. But I agree that some of it is unnecessarily harsh.
Though I noticed you mostly only engaged with comments that were nearly universally praising you. Which, if you didn’t particularly enjoy the experience of working with the guitar and aren’t interested in pursuing it, is whatever since it’s just a one-off project. But if you had fun working on it and it sparked some interest to learn more about instrument-specific stuff, I think it’s worth acknowledging the good faith constructive criticism and suggestions about your methods or the final sound produced, because it could help you be more successful, or help things go more smoothly next time.
Sorry for the long comment, but it’s hard to say what I want to in only a few words. Anyway, good job on just fearlessly ripping into the project and seeing it through. I always end up taking forever to start new endeavors because I do so much anxious research. It was interesting to see how the instincts of a different woodworking field would handle a guitar. It’s also an interesting line of thought; general skills vs specializations... Thanks for sharing your exploration.
A testament to bolt-on necks for acoustic guitars.
And it still ended up with a super high action.
nice job happy you kept the soul of the guitar on the top, adapted you skills to that of a luther
Jeez. Give the guy a break. Yeah, there are things I would have done differently but, the final result wasn't terrible. I think about when I started learning Lutherie, 47 years ago, I must have trashed numerous instruments in the learning process. Thankfully, none were of any great value... (edit) Oh, and the fact that it was a seven-string is pretty cool. Approximately 75% of the archtops I built over the last 25 years, (about 450), were sevens.
But, this video isn’t about you sir.
@@robertlangley258 I'm well aware of that, thanks. I was simply trying to be less discouraging than most of the comments I read here.
Agreed. Unless you people have years of experience and KNOW they can do better, best not to criticise other's work. The world has enough hate already. Thank you for stepping in x
@@robertlangley258 This comment isn't for you, sir.
I understand why us guitar geeks are mildly horrified, but it's not my guitar. It came out pretty and sounded better than it did before, so who am I to judge. Not everything has to be treated as if it's going to wind up in a museum.
Things you will never hear a woodworker say, “oh crap I have too many clamps!” ✌🏻🇺🇸
🤣
I love so many of the design details, the binding and sound hole rosette, the shape of the bridge, the way the fretboard end is shaped, the headstock ... I wonder why modern guitar manufacturers don't recreate these appointments. I guess Martin just set "new" standards that became the only desirable look, and the most other makers do is create slight variations. But I'd buy a new guitar that looks like this one in a heartbeat.
Fender just released a mini acoustic with this body shape, the Sonoran Mini. 3/4th sized, The headstock is shaped like a stratocaster tho. Some people feel iffy about that but I enjoy it.
Martin pulled deep resonant sound out of their guitars due in large part to woods, bracings and design - that's why we like er I mean LOVE our Martins - in particular the 'D' series.
But Gibson and classical guitar builders like Goya knew these so called secrets long long ago. Although the craftsman's work was a joy to watch - a painted fretboard left me scratchin' my head. Oh wait - it was Russian. Say no more - nudge nudge wink wink. (Made in Estonia while under Russian hegemony circa 1920)
This guitar has a bolt-on neck. It would be bargain-bin trash no matter how many layers of shellac are rubbed into it. The higher end brands like Martin or Taylor that make guitars that look similar do so for very very many reasons. Suffice it to say, if you're looking to buy some exotic-wood guitar, or one with weird dimensions, you're not looking for a good guitar. If you're looking for a good guitar, you'd buy the models that you seem to believe are made by brands who are just being lazy or whatever.
Real musicians don't larp as musicians online.
@@grarglejobber7941 Real musicians don't troll. I own a Gibson, a Martin, and whole bunch of fine electric guitars. Little bonus "ouch" for you: Taylor necks are bolt-on.
@@JohannesLabusch
>real musicians don't troll
Ask me how I can tell you suck at guitar