1950's German guitar restoration

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911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
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1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

With the Honda all done and working (and unridden), the 911 working, the Boxster working and the model plane very much work in Progress, I needed something else to stretch my very limited skills.

I've long held a real interest in guitars, so a casual look the other day on ebay bagged me a wreck of a guitar, but definitely salvable with some effort and a few $$$.
Wood is not my favorite material, so working with the stuff will be hard, and this particular guitar will need a lot of TLC, so ideal to tease my brain cell.

Possibly a Hopf from East Germany, but they all tend to look the same, and is of little importance or value.
It has some major issues, the odd neck off another guitar, the odder head screwed onto the odd neck which does have some nice period machine screws, the plastic pickguard and some holes where a floating pickup once lived.
On the back is a 2 piece birds eye veneer that is horrid and starting to peel off, nothing like the rest of the body, so added later.

The neck is leaving the body but the finger board is quite nice though the perloid inlays are a mixed bunch. Thin frets are worn and I think will have to go.
No splits in the top or sides, just a jack plug hole.

So, the plan is to get this playable, to look good and possibly to add to the growing guitar collection or to sell when done.
I think it will need a whole new neck to replace the mess on the guitar now which will solve several problems in one go.
Full strip of the old finish and might have a go with something very different, thinking dark green metallic, gloss finish.

If anyone is interested enough, please chip-in.

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73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
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neilbardsley
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
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Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by neilbardsley »

Is there a pick up? The semi acoustic jazz guitar I have has a pickup just Infront of the bridge

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911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
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Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

Did have in it's very murky past. Hole drilled in the lower bought for a jack plug, holes to stirrup-mount a floating pickup at the end of the fret board and a switch on the horrid plastic pick guard that is not going back on.
Will rebuild as a simple but colourful 60's acoustic.
Got the neck off today from the body the hard and painful way, the dove tail joint is truly MASSIVE and solid mahogany, tough going. 4 x big slot headed screws and 3 nails!!
The glue joint would measure about 7 sq inches contact area on top of that....

The birds eye veneer is also off and that was a bitch too, god knows what glue was used. Hot air gun used a lot, some minor damage to the back, but can be filled to smooth.
Solid paint will hide it all.

Have ordered a 60's neck stock, pre shaped to adapt to the body in time. Head stock is pre drilled and has a nice 'volute' at the base. No truss rod, period correct.

Going to chicken out and buy a fret board with frets in place. The bridge is not fixed, so intonation should be easily found.
Body construction is very crude and very unusual. Will be interesting to hear it play.
Or disappointing!
73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
Boxster 987 Gen II 2.9
911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
Posts: 18855
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:26 pm
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Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

Image
73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
Boxster 987 Gen II 2.9
911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
Posts: 18855
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: West Midlands

Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

Getting into unchartered waters now for me.

Still sanding the body of all it's 1950's coatings, rock hard and resistant almost to P60 paper but getting there slowly.
Aim is to get to bare wood, harder than it sounds.

The replacement neck arrived today, needing some work but very nice one piece sawn and rough shaped with some nice detail. Being pre formed, pre drilled and almost big enough at the heal, just idea for the cost off ebay.
The pocket in the body is FAR TOO BIG and will need blocking out to take the heal, but nothing too difficult. I have 2 sharp chisels after all...

Have found a good fretted finger board in China for all of £12 delivered with interesting markers let in, the level of accuracy needed for the frets is outside of my skill/tool set.

Will be getting close to getting shape and surface finish on the body/neck and will have to find out how to do that preferably using automotive rattle can paints.( :shock: )

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73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
Boxster 987 Gen II 2.9
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Hugo 356
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Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by Hugo 356 »

I'm looking forward to a video of you performing a selection of East German hits of the '50s in the 'Some Weekend Guitar' thread when it's finished. And so is the Stasi...
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2. an unbranded calf or yearling.
Origin mid 19th century: from the name of Samuel A. Maverick (1803–70), a Texas rancher who did not brand his cattle.
911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
Posts: 18855
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:26 pm
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Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

Ha!
My fingers will be far too sore to do that after all this sanding with P60.
Only 1/2 a house brick is rougher.

It will be interesting to hear it when done..... :cyclops:
73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
Boxster 987 Gen II 2.9
911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
Posts: 18855
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:26 pm
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Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

Work continues on this mongrel as and when time allows.

The socket for the neck heel was huge when it was made and all glued together meaning the wood joint had to be blind on to get the body square and angled to the fret board correct to get a good action of the strings.
Not easy, and beyond my novice wood-working skill base, so decided to make the neck a bolt on design that allows for shimming to position and take some of the accuracy out of the job.

Thus the huge socket had to be filled in, and 2 bolt 'nuts' inserted to take the neck bolts. The shims are inbetween the smaller socket and the neck.
Simple....

Found some old pine and glued that in after careful shaping and filing of the wood block. The threaded inserts followed which will give me 2 M6 bolts for fastening the parts together.
That all went oddly well, so maybe I've done something wrong!

Made a mating block drilled to align with the previous block. This is oak and rock hard in comparison and a tight fit to the 'V' of the socket.
The V socket is not symmetrical just to catch me out.

The fret board itself is on order from China, ready fretted with wire and position markers and this will be glued to the neck eventually, but the neck needed extending to suit!
God, it goes on and on.

The whole joint is now glued and setting for final fit and shimming which will be the biggest challenge of this project.

The large hole!

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Pine spacer block glued in place and zinc inserts in place using wood glue to ensure a tight fit.

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Neck with fret board extension, neck block all glued and setting.

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73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
Boxster 987 Gen II 2.9
911hillclimber
Nurse, I think I need some assistance
Posts: 18855
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: West Midlands

Re: 1950's German guitar restoration

Post by 911hillclimber »

Last post on this little project, don't think there is much interest for 'off-the-wall' stuff on DDK! :lol:
Will post a pic of when it's done in late summer.

Things have progressed.
Neck is a tight fit with 2 M6 bolts and the alignment has been checked with 2 strings fitted, all straight and the string action good with +/- 2mm of adjustment on the floating bridge.

This is a major milestone, and I'm waiting for the new antler nut to arrive so that can be glued in place which will allow the fret board to go on and everything shaved etc to a smooth fit.

There is a LOT of filling to do on this thing as it was not exactly made to a precise standard, and my workmanship has not enhanced it any. :roll:

Plan is to get the nut on etc and slotted to suit the string spacing and once 48 hours minimum setting time to then fully string the guitar and see what we have in tuning stability, intonation and action down the fret board.

If all this works (fat chance) it will be ready for a lot of finishing.
Plan is still for metallic green (ie BRG) all over and a sunburst of black metallic and clear top coat all when the weather looks good and I can paint it outside.

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73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
Boxster 987 Gen II 2.9
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