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John Kiely
United Kingdom
Приєднався 27 січ 2015
Welcome to my channel on which I will be sharing my twin passions of photography and motorcycles.
I have been involved with photography all of my working life. I have worked commercially, as a landscape photographer and taught photography up to post-grad level for 34 years.
Motorbikes are both my main form of transport and counter passion to photography. The precise nature of the darkroom is often replaced by the grimy, physical practice of rebuilding bikes. The two work hand in hand to keep me sane. Then throw in some less than perfect guitar playing and I think i have found the perfect balance.
I have been involved with photography all of my working life. I have worked commercially, as a landscape photographer and taught photography up to post-grad level for 34 years.
Motorbikes are both my main form of transport and counter passion to photography. The precise nature of the darkroom is often replaced by the grimy, physical practice of rebuilding bikes. The two work hand in hand to keep me sane. Then throw in some less than perfect guitar playing and I think i have found the perfect balance.
A Guitar For All Seasons, Part 2
In this video I complete the electrics and set up the guitar that I am building, from a luthier built body and neck, to be as flexible as possible.
Music by Colton Walls
Music by Colton Walls
Переглядів: 104
Відео
A Guitar For All Seasons, Part 1
Переглядів 1 тис.14 днів тому
I bought this hand made neck and body from a retired luthier. He made the body 30 years ago and the neck 17, its probably the nicest Tele style neck I've come across. In this video I start to build the guitar that he envisaged, one that would have a broad a range of tones as possible. It will have coil tapped hum buckers and a piezo bridge. Music by Colton Walls
My best eBay buy EVER!
Переглядів 51628 днів тому
I thought I was buying a set of second hand luthier tools from eBay, at a bargain price. I ended up getting to know Geoff, who was retiring from luthiery at 78 after 63 years in the business. When he found out that I was just starting to make acoustic guitars he became the most generous man I have ever met! Music by Cotton Walls.
Late 60s Hokada 12 string with high action
Переглядів 499Місяць тому
This very nice 12 string came with an unplayable high action. It had the normal mid life belly bulge. I steamed this out then worked on the neck and bridge to lower the action. After freeing up the very stiff tuners I attempted to play it. What I can play ok on a 6 string becomes a nightmare on a 12!
Yamaha FG160-1 bridge replacement.
Переглядів 59Місяць тому
The bridge on this late 70s black label Yamaha had been hacked to pieces. Someone had tried to add slots from the pins at the wrong angles and far too long. It also looked as if they had tried to widen the saddle slot rather than file down the saddle - and used a Dremel to do it! You may also notice that during the process I also sanded and re-lacquered the soundboard off camera.
Holy Landola!
Переглядів 1,2 тис.Місяць тому
A hole is just one of this Landola V72s problems. Im not sure of the age because the label, with the serial number, is missing, but I'm guessing at the 60s. I strung it up and it has a lovely tone, so well worth spending some time on. It looks like the cold winters and warm interiors in Finland have been bad for the lacquer. I plan to just smooth it a bit and give it a few coats of water based ...
Giannini needs a doctor!
Переглядів 1,2 тис.2 місяці тому
Fitting a bridge doctor to a Giannini AWG S3 1 6 to reduce the belly bulge - and putting off the inevitable neck reset.
Giannini refret (with all the struggling and bad language edited out)
Переглядів 5132 місяці тому
This is a lovely guitar, rich tones and a hand carved headstock - but it's cursed! I have never struggled as much to remove the frets from a guitar. I did everything I know - heated them, scored the edges with a blade - but the still splintered the fingerboard. They were well glued in, and it looked like they had been crimped before insertion. The crimping made sense when I came to fit new fret...
Early 80s Japanese Sigma by Martin D5s lifting bridge Part 2
Переглядів 7512 місяці тому
This is from the last run of Sigma in Japan before Martin moved production to Korea. In 1979 they stopped using paper labels and started stamping the back brace in the same style and manner as they did in Nazareth. This lasted until 1983 when Japanese production ceased. In this video I finish off after re-gluing the bridge, shaving it to get the action down as it wasn't high enough to justify a...
Early 80s Japanese Sigma by Martin D5 with a lifting bridge.
Переглядів 2352 місяці тому
Another find at a price worth taking a risk on. It is my first Sigma and, apart from the bridge, I am very impressed with it. The workmanship is excellent.
1970s Japanese Hokada 3751, fitting a Bridge Doctor
Переглядів 453 місяці тому
steaming the body and shaving the bridge have brought the action down a lot, but still not as low as I would like without resetting the neck. I have decided to fit a Bridge Doctor, or the JLD Acoustic Guitar Bridge System as the 6 string version is correctly called!
1970s Japanese Hokada 3751 Part 2
Переглядів 733 місяці тому
In this video I shave the bridge in my attempts to lower the action on an otherwise great guitar.
1970s Japanese Hokada 3751 Part 1
Переглядів 2513 місяці тому
The identifier 3751 seems to have been shared by a few models. In this case it is a copy of a Martin OM18 made in Japan for Stentor Music Co Ltd in Japan in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This one appears in very good condition, apart from the belly bulge, happens to us all, resulting in a very high action.
An Estrella in need of a little TLC.
Переглядів 1373 місяці тому
This 1960s Estrella claims to be the 'King of the guitars' on the label. It needs a little love and attention to give it a few more years loyal service to a new owner.
Antoria 303 refret and fingerboard level.
Переглядів 2,1 тис.3 місяці тому
A lovely old Japanese made Antoria 303 with a slightly bowed fingerboard. It also needs a saddle, nut and tuners after a refret.
Airline Arch Top Part 2, finishing off.
Переглядів 7514 місяці тому
Airline Arch Top Part 2, finishing off.
1960s Parlour Guitar Neck Shim and Reset
Переглядів 1,3 тис.4 місяці тому
1960s Parlour Guitar Neck Shim and Reset
Kay / Teisco ET200 Part 2. Refretting time!
Переглядів 3226 місяців тому
Kay / Teisco ET200 Part 2. Refretting time!
What have I done? Twelve acoustics with a variety of faults.
Переглядів 1,5 тис.6 місяців тому
What have I done? Twelve acoustics with a variety of faults.
Excellent! Thank you.
Thanks for the comment, I really appreciate it.
A foot for all seasons haha. Looks light, is it? I like it.
Thanks for the comment, yes it is light. The completed guitar weighs 4.6 kg.
Combat Wombat.
🤣🤣🤣 x
Amazing music is playing at the beginning of the video! What's it? ❤
Hi, it is For Far Too Long by Wanderer’s Trove. I found it on Epidemicsound, they are also on Spotify etc.
Thank's a lot! 🙏@@engine-room
Why on the guitars that are made up here have the grain in the braces ninety degrees off. I prefer that they be sawn on the quarter.
Hi, the braces on this guitar are quarter sawn, any vertical lines are saw marks, as these were budget guitars the braces were not fully sanded. Maybe as it is shot on my phone it doesn’t show very well.
Ah I understand, you prefer the braces rotated through 90 degrees so that the flat sawn face is on the side?
@@engine-room Yea because they almost never crack that way.
@@davestambaugh7282 Thanks. I will remember that
How old is that guitar?
Judging from what’s left of the label I would estimate late sixties or early seventies.
@@engine-room I read they started making guitars in 1942.
@billkaroly yes, quite an old company, I think they have gone through a few different owners since this was made.
Stephens brillient after I like to see it all over again so good
I bought the dvd box set off eBay when I got home.
Poor bridge. He was just a boy
♍️👍📐🕊️
Besides high action, does a belly affect tone? Will it keep getting worse until braces fall off and the top breaks? I'm thinking of just doing a neck reset and hopefully all the wood has met its maximum flexure
I haven’t noticed a change in tone, in theory as the belly bulges there is more pressure on the bridge, so more transference of vibration. I will have to give the next one I work on a listen. The wood only seems to bulge to certain degree, it is warping more than expanding so I haven’t seen one that’s split -yet. Normally the glue on the bridge would give out before things got too extreme. The guitars that I use steam on are normally the ones that don’t justify a neck reset, either because of value or I simply am not sure of the joint/ glue used on them. The Japanese had a nasty habit of using epoxy. A neck reset is the more permanent repair as wood has a memory and the bulge will eventually return. Hope that helps.
♍️😃🐶🦴🤘🕊️
Wow. Where did you find the guitar?
It was in with a bunch of damaged guitars that I bought a few months back.
Is it worth using black graphite paint in the body cavity to make the pickups sound better potentially?
I do usually on Fenders, but I think it would make very little difference to these. Most people seem to like these because of all the things that would be regarded as faults in more expensive guitars.
@@engine-room I've recently bought one in a junk shop and was thinking of modding it. Perhaps putting better tuners and/or maybe see if a p90 or some other singlecoil might work instead. Haven't got round to testing the stock pickups yet
@chriseyett1256 the original pickups are the most microphonic I have come across, they take some getting used to. P90s would work well, I would use shielding paint if fitting them.
I've wondered about how fret ends were filed. I wouldn't have thought this method would be used from nut to tongue thinking that the strength of the motion could unseat the fret wire during a pass.
The action of the file is gentler than it sounds, it is rare for it to pose a problem. If a fret does come loose it is usually a symptom of other problems, such as wrong fret wire or worn slot.
@@engine-room Thanks John.
The ET-200 was my first electric guitar way back in the mid 70s, though mine wasn't a Kay and had a slightly different body shape. I'm sure it must been horrible to play but I didn't know any better!🤣
I sold this one to someone who used to have one as well, funny how memories soften over the years. My first was an Eko with mile high action. My young hands weren’t strong enough to play it, but I occasionally find myself looking at them on eBay.
@@engine-room As you've shown, with a little work you can make a guitar like this more playable. If only we knew that back then!👍👍
What's the action at the 12th and how's the break angle over the saddle? It'd be interesting to check-in on this guitar a month or 2 or 10 down the line.
Hi, sorry for the delay in replying. The low e at the 12th is currently 2.75 mum and the break angle is about 20º. The bridge does seem to be leaning forwards slightly, so maybe will need a bridge doctor, shame because it’s quite a pretty bridge, shame to add a pearloid dot. Maybe I will try to cut a rosewood plug for it.
Nice work. Wish I could find someone in the Seattle area to do a similar job on my mystery Tulip, the bridge may be missing some parts and the pickups look hard to find replacements for if they need replacing? ua-cam.com/users/shortsqmu7_K81tLI
the 60 japanese guitar could be a gem.
I have it next to my chair now, still needs a bit of work but is very nice.
Some of them have beautiful aging. Go easy. I'd restring the classicals and see how they sound.....
I am doing as little as possible to the older ones, I like the look of genuine patine.
I hear that. I have other repair jobs that will soon go away too. Instead, i'm acquiring guitars too. This looks like a great opportunity to learn a lot about guitar repair, and you may wind up with some $ and a couple of good guitars that you won't part with.
I have already decided to keep a few. I am selling some of my existing guitars that are similar, but more modern. Plus I need to make some space!
Hi. It looks like a Teisco Spectrum 2. Looks very good. I think that Robert Smith played one on the first Cure album.
Nice work, beauty. Any idea what model this one may be, please? ua-cam.com/users/shortsqmu7_K81tLI
Ahhh, another variant of the iconic Teisco tulip...I don't get why no one is building a modern version with quality parts
Yes an under appreciated classic.
You are up to the task. You will learn yet more about restoration. You will save the lives of these relics. Some aficionado will benefit from your work. You may teach some of us along the way during your venture right here on your channel.
Thanks for your kind comment. I am enjoying the variety if tasks that these are presenting.
Skill shortage, I know him well.
Haven't seen one the roads yet. Would like to though
It is great to see all of those people with their little dogs out in the country side fertilizing the natural flora.
England is definitely à beautiful and sunny country !!
It is beautiful, unfortunately this was the last sunny day of this trip. It rained for the next six days, but I still enjoyed it.
@@engine-room so..England is definitly à beautiful country....😄
Beautiful landscape ! I 'd love to ride there.
I spent a week exploring Northumberland, this was one of the few days that it didn’t rain. I still loved it and will probably go back again this year. Unfortunately I don’t have many videos as everything go so wet!
Lovely weather ❤
I bet you miss it, all that warmth and sun must get very tiresome 😜
Lovely pictures, I haven't been home to Ireland in a while but I reside now in SW Scotland, some great photo ops here.
Thanks Eireann,I hope to spend some time in Scotland this year.
Thank you for sharing ; this part of Ireland looks like brittany where i live . I drive a calif EV too , a so outstanding bike ...
Thanks Yves, the relaxed Cali suits these locations. I haven’t ridden much in Brittany, hopefully will be doing more over the next two years.
Nice to see you still have this bike, I really like the look of this bike.
Good morning, do you still have it and has it proved reliable. Thanks
Good Morning Ivor, Yes I still have it, it has done about 5,000 trouble free miles. It is not my main bike, I take it in my motorhome to Portugal where I explore the mountains on it. It has climbed some seriously steep roads. I also use it in the winter in te UK. Like most Chinese bikes it gets through a few head light bulbs, so i always carry spares. The rust isn't as bad as I was expecting, probably not as bad as my Motor Guzzi. I would highly recommend it to anyone, it always turns heads and people constantly come and ask me about it. John
@@engine-room many thanks John... Ernshaws has a low mileage one for sale.
thats Abersoch i know it well !!!!!!
Thanks for the prompt reply.i think I will get one.i just need to find a dealer near southampton.or if there are no dealer's down south,I will phone the main dealer to see if they will deliver, for sensible money.
Hi,I really like the look of this bike, and would like to own one myself, but could you please tell me what the build quality is like,and is it easy to get spare parts for when they are needed,this bike would be ideal for my 12 mile commute,to and from work, and rides out,at the weekend.
I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality, the mudguards are a little flimsy, but they are stainless steel so shouldn't be a problem. I asked about the parts availability and was told that all parts are interchangeable with Honda CG125 parts, intact they recommended using Honda brake shoes. Before I bought mine I looked over one that has been used for computing for nearly two years with very little maintenance, it still looked pretty good.
Hope you enjoy it. I judge mine against a Honda Cb750c and a Moto Guzzi Califodnia EV 1100. I didn't expect to enjoy riding it as much as I do