@@talyrath it's like the POS cars people bring me to fix knowing it's gonna get fixed, but just enough to work.. I too would only take on that kind of work for somebody I know
That Kay looks cool when it's being played. Looks like it survived a housefire! New phrase for me "I took a bath on it". presumably it means you were under water on it? Like lost money? Idioms man... Always something new!
@@hydorah "Took a bath on it" is a pretty ancient phrase. I believe it was originally "took a bath in red ink". In the old days of paper ledger books it was common to write profits in black ink and losses in red ink.
I'm pretty sure the wood type doesn't really affect the sound on an electric. The pickup is so close to the string, there isn't really an opportunity for anything to affect the sound other than the pickup and the player!
I once waited 3 years for a '60s Greco 12 string that had collapsed at the saddle all the x-bracing popped underneath, but my luthier, like you is a patient man and when I receive that 12-string back it played like a heavenly harp patience is the key to this business and you sir definitely have it and do excellent work and I enjoy watching your videos,
I've seen a lot of your repairs, but for some reason this crack going through the body of the Gibson affected me in more of a visceral gut punch way than others (major repairs all...) Something about such an insidious crack looking like the whole top would flake off, like someone knapping obsidian... - thanks again for the expertise and calm walkthrough of these repairs
I declared that 12 string to be a wall-hanger when it first appeared on-screen, even though I usually have a soft spot in my heart for the underdogs of the guitar world. You did an amazing job bringing her back to life! Very nice!
I am lucky enough to have an ES135. They are amazing. I am a huge P100 fan. The neck just feels awesome. It plays like a short scale (es125), but they have that hollow body vibe.
Hey now... I have a Okay 12 string I bought in 1977 sounded beautiful then, still sounds beautiful today. love it!! :) Fantastic repair! And also sounds beautiful!!
I applaud you for your patience. I've taken a 'bath" on a few jobs, but in the long run with other repair jobs I've made up for it. It's great to see someone undertake a job like this and come out smelling like a rose. The only one problem I've found in doing these "bath" jobs is that word gets around, and pretty soon you have people in bringing instruments that would serve better in the fireplace, but they want you to make them playable, and are disappointed when you say you can't help them. Sorry, but I really don't do this for my health. And the ones who come in and expect to pay $25 for a complete re-fret, and then say you need the experience. I usually tell them to go to UA-cam and they can see how easy it is to DIY. I never see them again, or if I do, they say they can see why I charge what I do for my work. People think repairing stringed and fretted musical instruments is just a "hobby thing", and not a serious occupation.
I owned that exact same model twelve string back in 1971. I had to sell it to pay tuition at university that year and and I spent over 45 years looking for one to replace it. There don't seem to be many of them still around. I own a Gibson B45, a B25 and a few other twelves but none ever sounded as good as the Kay - or maybe I was just young and didn't have a well developed ear at the time. The B45 sounds pretty good though, but you know, it didn't really stand up to the years very well either and also needs a lot of work. Anyway I found one on eBay two years ago for about eighty bucks and it's been hanging on the shop wall since then waiting to have the neck re-glued. Since the dovetail joint and fingerboard extension are already loose maybe the bolt on option is the best way to go - I hadn't considered doing that but I think I'll try it. I've been kind of busy with other people's repairs but I'll have to put this one back in the queue. For what it's worth, the 1968 Kay catalogue shows this guitar as the model K7900 with laminated mahogany backs and sides. It listed for $100.00. They also made a K7950 with laminated sunburst curly maple back and sides - the professional model - which listed for $150.00. Thanks for the video - I always enjoy watching your work - it's a wonder that you can find the time to make them.
I also owned a Kay 12 string when I was in college. I sold it to a friend to help me finance a semester abroad in the fall of 1987. I sold it for $200. Don't remember what I paid for it though.
I have to say these videos are the highlight of my day when one comes out! Thanks for sharing, its very clear that a lot of effort goes into into the making of these videos, and it pays off!
See, this is why you need a patreon. People here love seeing un-economical repairs like that Kay, and as you almost always do some extra touch-ups and improvements out of your own pocket, it seems only fair that we can chip in for the privilege of watching you go above and beyond :)
Another Sunday morning vastly improved by your craftsmanship. I go off on a snowy day in the UK to fit a humbucker and a P90 to a Squier Mustang. You are an inspiration to the ham handed like myself...
You’re like the Bob Ross of guitar repair...I find your videos relaxing, even when you get pissed with the work or a moron who did bad work before you got it. You and Dave are my two favorite repair luthiers...but he’s more like Joe Walsh. Thanks for the videos.
I love watching you work because you always take your time and do it right, it would be easy to write off the Kay and be more sloppy and say "screw it, the factory didn't get the scale length right, I'll leave the saddle the way it is cuz it's not worth it" but you go through and do it anyways. Mad respect. I used to work on cars and would get into the same kind of situations, you want to do something for somebody's old beater that they only want to spend $400 on, so you think you're just going to do quick and easy and then you run into so many little issues that just eat up your time and add frustration.
Sometimes I think your customers and my customers must travel back and forth dropping off hilariously similar guitars with hilariously similar problems for us to fix. You are a saint, sir.
I have the same issue with screws when restoring melodeons. I find old printers and take them apart, saving all of the screws. They're full of useful, small, and obscure sizes.
I'm just a guitarist and know how to adjust a truss-rod, to set up my preferred action on a guitar and do little repairs, but this is high class craftsmanship! How I love these videos of you working on guitars! Thank you, for taking the time to show us and giving us all these masterclasses!!
Really glad, nay encouraging, to see the clamping of the strings by a professional - to keep them in sequence - it's something I do too. Seriously, I am in awe of you "attention to detail" even on a cheap guitar. Wonderful sir !
One of the things that sets you apart Ted is, good or bad, you just won't do a crap job - even if you lose money. I hope he's a hell of a customer! Thanks for the vid.
I share your passion for restoration, and for me it's much more of a trained hobby- as I don't own a shop. GREAT JOB on the 12! I could hear the life that you resurrected back over my phone! Quite well done!
Really appreciate you showing so much love for an old beater 12 string like that Kay and turning it from firewood into a playable guitar again. It might be cheap and badly made, but when you played it at the end it sounded pretty darn nice. These are the kind of guitars that so many of the great (and not so great like me) musicians in the world started out on and they have their place in history along with the great instruments of the past.
I had the last version of the ES-135. It had a mahogany center block; humbucking pickups; a tune-o-matic and stop tail; and it had a control cavity access on the back. I now own a 1993 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III, which is a slightly downsized 135, but has fingerboard binding, and a "fingers" trapeze tailpiece.
Magician. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to go about such a weird (to me) repair. Great job as always. With friends like the one who brought in that 12string full of grenades....
Hi friend. Been binging and really enjoying your videos. A little nugget for you: Some valve lapping compound on the tip of your screwdriver can go a long way toward getting out damaged screws and prevent camming out of really stubborn ones that aren't stripped yet. Thanks so much for sharing your work. 😊
I know it was not really worth the time, but I liked the sound of the Kay. It has a vintage vibe to it and looks like its endlessly traveled the country via railroad cars.
Gibson first started using balsa in the Chet Atkins signature electrics - I had a Tennessean that sounded amazing and was definitely lighter than an ES-335. I suspect they decided to try it on other electrics.
I was going to recommend the oscillating multitool, when you mentioned it. I own a fein multimaster. It is not a precision instrument, but it allows you to make certain cuts you would not be able to without it. Saved my butt a bunch of times. I recommend getting the Starlock Plus type, because it makes changing out the saws a lot easier. Thanks for the great video!
I was very pleasantly surprised at the sound of the Gibson semi. It was harmonically very rich. Jangly but deeper. You're going to have to find a way to avoid taking a bath on those Kay type jobs. It's okay if it's for your friend's wedding and the shop is slow and the guitar is kinda worth it, but... nah. Estimates with dire warnings, not quotes; straight time and materials. You risk devaluing your service and being taken advantage of. The cost risk should always be the guitar owner's, not your business's -- as long as you're up front about the very high probability of complications. But keep up the great work, man. 😎
I must say: ES 135s are sleepers rock n roll machines. I think the (not that) thinking body's with the p-90s give these guitar some really cool overdrive tones
You've got greats skills, and combined with you're pragmatism, those guitars are just goin' to get fixed. I hope the owner of the the Kay sees this video and compensates you accordingly. That guitar has got that wonderful old time tone. Lead belly was the perfect music to play on it. Your tenacity alone made me subscribe! Thanks
Picksalot. I'm serious -- this could be the very same old Kay guitar I nearly tossed in a dumpster in 1966.... Only paid $ 60 for it. Instead, I gave it to a "frenemy" to play. We both thought Leadbelly's tunes would work well on that contraption. Where he took it, I'll never know. Bob
Oh man, as Chet Atkins said, "some guitars just need to be disposed of." I bow to your respect as to the customer's misguided desires. Value is an invented concept within the human heart.
Coming from a purely woodworking/construction point of view the "oscillating" tool is a godsend, every bit as valuable and useful as the sawzall (which I hold in as high of esteem as the circular saw, as far as the most fantastic power tools of the 20th century) but with accuracy and finesse. I think you'd come to love one as much as I do mine, and not just for cutting, but for so many other uses too.
You did a miracle on that 12 string guitar .. and saying that finding the right position for the string allignment is a sort of art and science made my day... i build cigar box guitars as my hobby and finding the right action height and string position make me thinking of beeing dumb.. but now i know that it can be a little bit tricky .. so i know why sometimes i struggle into doing that ..
You are a brave, brave man to have taken on that 12-string. Definitely an act of charity that will buy you less Purgatory time.
It's a shame that UA-cam revenue doesn't help make gnarly repairs like this more economically feasible.
That seems like the kind of work one regrets taking on. At least he could share it with us and have fun
Agreed. He turned garbage into treasure. That's definitely worth some spiritual credit in my humble opinion.
@@talyrath it's like the POS cars people bring me to fix knowing it's gonna get fixed, but just enough to work.. I too would only take on that kind of work for somebody I know
"The action's a little high" Oh you got a LOL out of me on that one. Mr Woodford
There are African tribes that could limbo under those strings
That Kay looks cool when it's being played. Looks like it survived a housefire! New phrase for me "I took a bath on it". presumably it means you were under water on it? Like lost money? Idioms man... Always something new!
perfect slide guitar setup (lmao)
@@TeleCustom72 Ha! That's what folks selling guitars say when the neck is so bowed you could use the guitar on an archery range.
@@hydorah "Took a bath on it" is a pretty ancient phrase. I believe it was originally "took a bath in red ink". In the old days of paper ledger books it was common to write profits in black ink and losses in red ink.
I actually think the 12 string sounded quite nice at the end.
I'm pretty sure the wood type doesn't really affect the sound on an electric. The pickup is so close to the string, there isn't really an opportunity for anything to affect the sound other than the pickup and the player!
The pickups on that Gibson really are unique sounding. That was a lot brighter than I expected.
like people are saying, if it's any consolation that kay trainwreck actually sounds _really good_ recorded through youtube audio
Sure it does doesn't it😁
That twelve string has a beautiful resonant sound.
That kay sounds awesome.
My buddy had an upright bass, 3 acoustics and a parlor guitar, all Kay's.
You might of taken a bath, but we all are thankful for the awesome cleaning you show us. Thanks
I once waited 3 years for a '60s Greco 12 string that had collapsed at the saddle all the x-bracing popped underneath, but my luthier, like you is a patient man and when I receive that 12-string back it played like a heavenly harp patience is the key to this business and you sir definitely have it and do excellent work and I enjoy watching your videos,
The 135 sounds great and the Kay is another "SAVE". Nice work man.
I've seen a lot of your repairs, but for some reason this crack going through the body of the Gibson affected me in more of a visceral gut punch way than others (major repairs all...) Something about such an insidious crack looking like the whole top would flake off, like someone knapping obsidian... - thanks again for the expertise and calm walkthrough of these repairs
I declared that 12 string to be a wall-hanger when it first appeared on-screen, even though I usually have a soft spot in my heart for the underdogs of the guitar world.
You did an amazing job bringing her back to life!
Very nice!
At a loss for words here; thanks for another great and inspiring video.
I am lucky enough to have an ES135. They are amazing. I am a huge P100 fan. The neck just feels awesome. It plays like a short scale (es125), but they have that hollow body vibe.
What colour?
Hey now... I have a Okay 12 string I bought in 1977 sounded beautiful then, still sounds beautiful today. love it!! :)
Fantastic repair! And also sounds beautiful!!
Really enjoying your videos...Thanks from Scotland 🏴...grew up in Toronto.
I applaud you for your patience. I've taken a 'bath" on a few jobs, but in the long run with other repair jobs I've made up for it. It's great to see someone undertake a job like this and come out smelling like a rose. The only one problem I've found in doing these "bath" jobs is that word gets around, and pretty soon you have people in bringing instruments that would serve better in the fireplace, but they want you to make them playable, and are disappointed when you say you can't help them. Sorry, but I really don't do this for my health. And the ones who come in and expect to pay $25 for a complete re-fret, and then say you need the experience. I usually tell them to go to UA-cam and they can see how easy it is to DIY. I never see them again, or if I do, they say they can see why I charge what I do for my work. People think repairing stringed and fretted musical instruments is just a "hobby thing", and not a serious occupation.
Worth every second of work for that 12 string guitar. Sounds great
That was a labour of love. Great work as ever Ted
Thanks for saving this old Kay...it deserves to live another day...even though it will never be crowned Prom Queen...
I owned that exact same model twelve string back in 1971. I had to sell it to pay tuition at university that year and and I spent over 45 years looking for one to replace it. There don't seem to be many of them still around. I own a Gibson B45, a B25 and a few other twelves but none ever sounded as good as the Kay - or maybe I was just young and didn't have a well developed ear at the time. The B45 sounds pretty good though, but you know, it didn't really stand up to the years very well either and also needs a lot of work. Anyway I found one on eBay two years ago for about eighty bucks and it's been hanging on the shop wall since then waiting to have the neck re-glued. Since the dovetail joint and fingerboard extension are already loose maybe the bolt on option is the best way to go - I hadn't considered doing that but I think I'll try it. I've been kind of busy with other people's repairs but I'll have to put this one back in the queue. For what it's worth, the 1968 Kay catalogue shows this guitar as the model K7900 with laminated mahogany backs and sides. It listed for $100.00. They also made a K7950 with laminated sunburst curly maple back and sides - the professional model - which listed for $150.00. Thanks for the video - I always enjoy watching your work - it's a wonder that you can find the time to make them.
I also owned a Kay 12 string when I was in college. I sold it to a friend to help me finance a semester abroad in the fall of 1987. I sold it for $200. Don't remember what I paid for it though.
I have to say these videos are the highlight of my day when one comes out! Thanks for sharing, its very clear that a lot of effort goes into into the making of these videos, and it pays off!
See, this is why you need a patreon. People here love seeing un-economical repairs like that Kay, and as you almost always do some extra touch-ups and improvements out of your own pocket, it seems only fair that we can chip in for the privilege of watching you go above and beyond :)
Another Sunday morning vastly improved by your craftsmanship. I go off on a snowy day in the UK to fit a humbucker and a P90 to a Squier Mustang. You are an inspiration to the ham handed like myself...
You’re like the Bob Ross of guitar repair...I find your videos relaxing, even when you get pissed with the work or a moron who did bad work before you got it. You and Dave are my two favorite repair luthiers...but he’s more like Joe Walsh. Thanks for the videos.
I love watching you work because you always take your time and do it right, it would be easy to write off the Kay and be more sloppy and say "screw it, the factory didn't get the scale length right, I'll leave the saddle the way it is cuz it's not worth it" but you go through and do it anyways. Mad respect.
I used to work on cars and would get into the same kind of situations, you want to do something for somebody's old beater that they only want to spend $400 on, so you think you're just going to do quick and easy and then you run into so many little issues that just eat up your time and add frustration.
I think that 12 string would be worth the time honestly. I mean as long as it was stable, but I love old looking guitars like that.
Brilliant job on the ES 135
I salute you on repairing the 12 string & releasing it out in the world as playable, good sounding machine. Nice 12 string playing too!
Sometimes I think your customers and my customers must travel back and forth dropping off hilariously similar guitars with hilariously similar problems for us to fix.
You are a saint, sir.
Always both informative and entertaining.
I have the same issue with screws when restoring melodeons. I find old printers and take them apart, saving all of the screws. They're full of useful, small, and obscure sizes.
It was nice to see the Gibson fix go as planned.
I'm just a guitarist and know how to adjust a truss-rod, to set up my preferred action on a guitar and do little repairs, but this is high class craftsmanship! How I love these videos of you working on guitars! Thank you, for taking the time to show us and giving us all these masterclasses!!
Came for the ASMR guitar repair, stayed for the musical interlude and outro. Your picking and strumming is always mas fina
You are a genius!
I enjoyed your playing. I was waiting for ‘Walk right in’🎶
Really glad, nay encouraging, to see the clamping of the strings by a professional - to keep them in sequence - it's something I do too. Seriously, I am in awe of you "attention to detail" even on a cheap guitar. Wonderful sir !
a couple of strips of velchro also works well
jeff scarff I prefer a capo in most situations
Thank you so much for your videos! Always informative. Always entertaining.
I am always amazed how you totally access a project. All stones are lifted . Thanks for sharing
Excellent craftmanship sir!
One of the things that sets you apart Ted is, good or bad, you just won't do a crap job - even if you lose money. I hope he's a hell of a customer! Thanks for the vid.
I share your passion for restoration, and for me it's much more of a trained hobby- as I don't own a shop. GREAT JOB on the 12! I could hear the life that you resurrected back over my phone! Quite well done!
Ted, you are an artist. I actually really enjoyed watching you resurrect the old Kay. Not too shabby!
You made that guitar sound good, what an amazing rescue. I hope the owner appreciates your hard work and ingenuity!
Really enjoy this length video, know it’s a lot of extra time, but thank you.
Really appreciate you showing so much love for an old beater 12 string like that Kay and turning it from firewood into a playable guitar again. It might be cheap and badly made, but when you played it at the end it sounded pretty darn nice. These are the kind of guitars that so many of the great (and not so great like me) musicians in the world started out on and they have their place in history along with the great instruments of the past.
Incredible. Great work.
Loved the screw removal method. Thanks.
You are Amazing💪💪💪💪💪💪, I cannot imagine how frustrating that 12 string repair was.. Thanks
I had the last version of the ES-135. It had a mahogany center block; humbucking pickups; a tune-o-matic and stop tail; and it had a control cavity access on the back. I now own a 1993 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III, which is a slightly downsized 135, but has fingerboard binding, and a "fingers" trapeze tailpiece.
Simply put, you are a genius my friend. Respect from Melbourne Oz.
I really appreciate your willingness to make the world better at your expense. Admirable.
A beautiful sounding 12-string great job
Excellent ..........bringing that guitar back from the brink. Total respect for your skill......... I honestly reckon you could raise The Titanic!!
That 12 is gorgeous well worth the effort thank you 😊
It's a great pleasure to watch your videos, sir! Thanks you!
I always enjoy listening to the guitars after you repair them.
Always a pleasure to watch you work! Saved that 12 from death!
A 25 minute video that's posted 2 minutes ago and has 15 likes by people who haven't watched it. That's the power of Ted Woodford. Amazing.
I always like the videos on this channel before I watched them. Because then I get so addicted to watching that I forget to like it.
@@violentsense ....me too!
Magician. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to go about such a weird (to me) repair. Great job as always. With friends like the one who brought in that 12string full of grenades....
You did that twelve string justice sir, giving back to the art in a responsible manner. Well done.
" I can't spend a lot of time on this" then does anyway. I appreciate how you have to do right. Thanks.
Hi friend. Been binging and really enjoying your videos.
A little nugget for you:
Some valve lapping compound on the tip of your screwdriver can go a long way toward getting out damaged screws and prevent camming out of really stubborn ones that aren't stripped yet.
Thanks so much for sharing your work. 😊
Excellent work, as usual. 👍👍
You covered a lot of ground in this episode. Thank you.
Great job. Thank you for sharing.
Ted , every time I watch one of your videos I get more impressed by your work , damn you made that 12 string sound awesome .
You have the patience of a saint! One of those jobs that could just go on and on if your experience didn’t stop you from allowing it to!
I know it was not really worth the time, but I liked the sound of the Kay. It has a vintage vibe to it and looks like its endlessly traveled the country via railroad cars.
I bet that 12 string has never sounded, that good, until 2021...
Gibson first started using balsa in the Chet Atkins signature electrics - I had a Tennessean that sounded amazing and was definitely lighter than an ES-335. I suspect they decided to try it on other electrics.
I was going to recommend the oscillating multitool, when you mentioned it. I own a fein multimaster. It is not a precision instrument, but it allows you to make certain cuts you would not be able to without it. Saved my butt a bunch of times. I recommend getting the Starlock Plus type, because it makes changing out the saws a lot easier.
Thanks for the great video!
“There will be a resurrection surcharge on this one......” 😉
Man, fantastic job bringing that Kay back from the dead! I was cracking up every time you would point out the next problem...
I was very pleasantly surprised at the sound of the Gibson semi. It was harmonically very rich. Jangly but deeper.
You're going to have to find a way to avoid taking a bath on those Kay type jobs. It's okay if it's for your friend's wedding and the shop is slow and the guitar is kinda worth it, but... nah. Estimates with dire warnings, not quotes; straight time and materials. You risk devaluing your service and being taken advantage of. The cost risk should always be the guitar owner's, not your business's -- as long as you're up front about the very high probability of complications.
But keep up the great work, man. 😎
Yes! Perfect Saturday evening.
Fascinating as always. Thanks so much.
I must say: ES 135s are sleepers rock n roll machines. I think the (not that) thinking body's with the p-90s give these guitar some really cool overdrive tones
I always learn something from your posts. Using the airbrush to penetrate the glue deeply was a great tip.
You've got greats skills, and combined with you're pragmatism, those guitars are just goin' to get fixed. I hope the owner of the the Kay sees this video and compensates you accordingly. That guitar has got that wonderful old time tone. Lead belly was the perfect music to play on it. Your tenacity alone made me subscribe! Thanks
Picksalot. I'm serious -- this could be the very same old Kay guitar I nearly tossed in a dumpster in 1966.... Only paid $ 60 for it. Instead, I gave it to a "frenemy" to play. We both thought Leadbelly's tunes would work well on that contraption. Where he took it, I'll never know. Bob
My es 225td was 2 pickup but boy did it feed back like crazy. It was light as a feather though.
That Kay ended up great! Great job!
The Lordship of Repair...
That was some Really Mind~Numbing Solutions...
But that Poor Ol' 12 sounds Pretty Darned Good, afterall!
That ES-125 repair is superb!
Oh man, as Chet Atkins said, "some guitars just need to be disposed of." I bow to your respect as to the customer's misguided desires. Value is an invented concept within the human heart.
So true :)
Chet Atkins must have seen Willie Nelson's guitar (Trigger) when he made that comment.
Wow that Gibson repair is impressive!
Coming from a purely woodworking/construction point of view the "oscillating" tool is a godsend, every bit as valuable and useful as the sawzall (which I hold in as high of esteem as the circular saw, as far as the most fantastic power tools of the 20th century) but with accuracy and finesse. I think you'd come to love one as much as I do mine, and not just for cutting, but for so many other uses too.
That 12 string really came out well considering it’s arrival shape. Well done giving it a new life.
WOW, that's one hell of a repair, nice job!
Hahahaha that 10mm action was hilarious!! Made my day
You're a genius, could watch you repair stuff all dayyyy! Think that Kay sounded gorgeous once you were done with it!
You did a miracle on that 12 string guitar .. and saying that finding the right position for the string allignment is a sort of art and science made my day... i build cigar box guitars as my hobby and finding the right action height and string position make me thinking of beeing dumb.. but now i know that it can be a little bit tricky .. so i know why sometimes i struggle into doing that ..
Top notch videos, your documentaries are the best!
Another great episode
A very educational video. That 12 string doesn't sound bad at all now. Good work!
Nice job on the Kay. Shocked to hear that it sounds so good!
There’s good karma in giving more life to old guitars.
Aaaaaaamen. I've done it waaaaay too many times.
Absolutely
@Klemm Furz ???
So true. Ideally some kid will get a nice guitar to practice with for a few years and who knows, maybe it will live on for another decade or two.
Thank you for helping me learn!!
"Stairway" man! Haha. Good job as always.