MSO (with an isolation mo) and Sable??
Beginner Ooops, Burnt Pipe
- Thread starter clynch
- Start date
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I have a 1998 (IIRC) limited edition cocobolo Taylor 714CE guitar that I bought sometime around 2001. I’ve traveled and played all over with that baby. And it’s got its fair share of nicks and scratches from being on the road.
About 10 winters ago it got a pretty long dry crack in the grain on the top. Not a big deal, but this one ran from the bridge and was spreading toward the bracing. So I took it to be repaired by a local legend. Well, not repaired per se, but to have the crack stopped from spreading.
Turns out this local legend’s expertise is mainly in electric guitars. He cleated and gorilla glued my all-time fave piece. This is way too aggressive for an acoustic guitar. Lost all pliability in the belly and sounded like a cheap toy. Not a $3k guitar that I’d spent a decade playing and aging to perfection.
I went to another luthier friend and he undid what he could. But the guitar just wasn’t the same.
It became clear that I needed to remove the pick guard to help it “open up” more. I decided to do this without using heat so as not to risk warping the top wood and making the situation worse.
Mistake.
When I had it about 90% off, the finish failed to hold the last little piece of it as I gently pulled it off, and it tore some of the top layer of wood off. I was sick.
But you know what? It sounded great again! Not as great as it did before, mind you. But still better than most.
But I always keep my instruments looking good. Not an option here. So now it has what they call “character.” Not as much character as Trigger, Willie Nelson’s guitar, but I’ve learned to embrace it.
Now you’ve got a pipe with character.
Cheers.
About 10 winters ago it got a pretty long dry crack in the grain on the top. Not a big deal, but this one ran from the bridge and was spreading toward the bracing. So I took it to be repaired by a local legend. Well, not repaired per se, but to have the crack stopped from spreading.
Turns out this local legend’s expertise is mainly in electric guitars. He cleated and gorilla glued my all-time fave piece. This is way too aggressive for an acoustic guitar. Lost all pliability in the belly and sounded like a cheap toy. Not a $3k guitar that I’d spent a decade playing and aging to perfection.
I went to another luthier friend and he undid what he could. But the guitar just wasn’t the same.
It became clear that I needed to remove the pick guard to help it “open up” more. I decided to do this without using heat so as not to risk warping the top wood and making the situation worse.
Mistake.
When I had it about 90% off, the finish failed to hold the last little piece of it as I gently pulled it off, and it tore some of the top layer of wood off. I was sick.
But you know what? It sounded great again! Not as great as it did before, mind you. But still better than most.
But I always keep my instruments looking good. Not an option here. So now it has what they call “character.” Not as much character as Trigger, Willie Nelson’s guitar, but I’ve learned to embrace it.
Now you’ve got a pipe with character.
Cheers.
A Q-Tip and some saliva and call it done. Do be gentle or the lightly abrasive Q-Tip may remove a little stain.
NEVER USE A TORCH!..... Lesson well learned. Enjoy ur Pipe now it has character and a little story to tell.
NEVER USE A TORCH!..... Lesson well learned. Enjoy ur Pipe now it has character and a little story to tell.
If you do decide to top it, George has some excellent videos on the process.
