This video is a great illustration of how much experience and knowledge you need in this job. This nightmare of a neck reset, vicious binding, cracked braces- everything went south, but you still succeeded. View of that neck pocket, after hours of work to get there, would brake spirit in many... Huge respect, man!
I'm not a luthier, I'm just a run of the mill (poor) guitar player, but I cannot get enough of this. So incredibly interesting. Thank you for the longer video!
I have the exact same guitar, same neck break, binding fail, bridge sanded to an 1/8, buckle rash, cracks, God... It's all restored now, but so many hours, it made me a new career in lutherie.
College-aged dropout and musician/aspiring luthier here, recently was lucky enough to find a 1967 Martin D12-20 for a silly low price, caveat being a 6" crack running along the soundboard. This channel and your knowledge gave me the confidence to attempt my very first crack repair - which hopefully will be flattering and not terrifying, given that I decided to make my very first attempt on such a fine instrument. I'm certain Christian himself wept for a little while when I pulled those clamps out. The repair went great and fixing that Martin instilled within me a greater sense of accomplishment than just about anything else thus far in life, except for maybe picking up a guitar in the first place. These videos are invaluable by every metric - thanks again!
I think that's one of the coolest pickguards ever I have some really old slipjoints with covers that have melted like that binding. Such a shame. Imagine seeing that guard spontaneously combust while popping the neck off
You have balls! That binding was the worst idea Gibson ever had! I have noticed the new trend in guitar binding is real wood. I love real wood. It maybe harder to manipulate, but glues better and with the right choice can be much more stunning that plastic. It takes a finish the best. On the edges that receive the most contact to the human body, I have found that after the finish is worn off from use, the real wood binding can slowly but surely get polished, as if you had used an electric polisher. Your work on this guitar was absolutely the best anyone could have done, even a complete re-finish would not have been much better at 3 times the cost. Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
You have very much earnt every 'like' this video gets. I know these videos come second to your actual instrument repair work, and they are clearly a lot of work to produce and edit at the end of a long working day. So I just want to personally thank you for taking the time to make and upload them. They are by far the UA-cam content I enjoy the most. They are both interesting and relaxing to watch and make life's difficulties that much easier to deal with. Take care and repair!
Boy this one was kinda even stressful to watch. The wiggling of the neck to get it out of the pocket was truly a nail biter. But what a lovely sounding result. 70s Gibsons have always sounded mushy to me, but this one really has a great classic voice.
I agree. Usually his videos are very Bob Ross peaceful. But all this work that had to be done was a little stressful to watch. But what an amazing job!
Ted it SOUNDS 150% better- astonishing difference . Great work as always. I would not even have attempted those repairs... just not enough chops to pull it off. I’m betting after he plays it the owner comes back with a few more Benjamins for more cosmetic touch-ups. Especially the headstock break. Is it “worth it”to spend $1500 to fix a $500 guitar? Not if you’re a music store trying to resell it ... but Absolutely if you’re a performer and it’s your #1.
It's so relatable to see you struggle with it. Most of the times it looks like you get everything right for the first try, and It can be a little frustrating when I try to do a job and fail or have complications. I'm relieved to see it happens to even the best of luthiers
Thanks for the video! I did the same type of job last year on a 1970 J-55. I based my pricing on StewMac binding with hazmat fees but when Stew Mac was out of stock I gambled and ordered it from China at 1/8 the price, free shipping & no hazmat fee. 🤯 I laminated 2 PCs 1.5mm celluloid to get a 3mm thick Dark brown tortoise binding around the whole body. It took weeks and I ended up drop filling voids refinishing/ overspraying most of the body. I wish I could share a photo!
Now I just want the back story of why this guitar was so important to the owner that he wanted such extensive work done. Thanks Ted, I always learn something from you.
My dad was not a luthier or a craftsman, but he nearly always found a way to fix something even when it didn't want to be fixed and he hung with it. This poor old beastie has been brought back from the dead and sounds like a nice guitar now. I am in awe of your talent and persistence.
I love the early 70s Gibsons, I had a ‘72 Gibson Blueridge Custom that had a huge tone and the best bass I’ve ever heard. Well balanced and not as harsh on the high notes as a Martin just a beautiful sound. By the way love your work the guitar looks so much better and sounds great. The “worth it” factor is only part market value. The bottom line is the guitar can be played and enjoyed for many more years. You might consider taking donations from guitar lovers that want to rescue a guitar you run across without enough budget to fix it. Maybe even auction it off afterwards? If it doesn’t have a home.
The owner must really love that old Gibson. That repair had to be costly. You have nothing to be ashamed about with the way it turned out. You did the best that you could (which I contend is way better than most) within the budget that you were given, and had to make "allowances." Fantastic work as always. I thought the new binding looked great.
Yep I reckon another tech would have rushed it and had a big problem with the thick binding and depth of the rout around edge . Thats why I say teds a great guitar tech. he's does a good job . And won't rush it .he works it out first the best way to approach it.And I still think the binding ge did was great.
Wow! Even thru my laptop like computer speakers this guitar sounds awsome! I very much like the rich low end. And You gave it the whole nine yards in terms of effort- this thing has had a rough life up until now, I hope it gets the care it needs from now on. I am into guitars now, too. Two weeks from now I got a Johnson JS-800 Del Mar Strat clone and must say it´s not too bad- well balanced, not too heavy- I think it is from the 90´s era. It came to me as "work needed", dirty and with the action on the moon, I tore it down, cleaned it but now it needs to have the frets leveled to get me down where I want it. It sounds nice, too. The electronics ain´t too crappy either as it turned out. Tuners are now lubed and fine, it has a tremolo and keeps tune- just a little fine tuning and I have a bargain guitar that plays like I want it to. Save the best for last: quite a lot of what I know by now I picked up from You, Your channel is a gold mine that keeps giving, thanks a lot!
Now that was one PITA repair. Kudos to you Ted for having the patience & skill to complete this job so well & sharing it with us. Also thanks for the sound demo at the end...much improved!
I'm in the UK and wish there was someone like yourself who would take on a similar job over here. I have a late 60s factory 2nd SJ Deluxe (very basic Hummingbird) that I love and needs pretty much the same work - plus a re-fret! It still sounds and plays great though. My binding is much easier to take off though, it just falls off in big chunks!
That's the problem here in uk finding a good guitar tech . There's a handful that are good and are top luthiers and repairers it's just finding the right one .
He ain’t lying about that hazmat surcharge on celluloid. I tried to order some for an old Kay and just about swallowed my gum when I saw the added cost. Loved that long video, thanks for taking the extra time to do it up.
This is the second time that I’ve watched this one. Stellar workmanship, informative, friendly, and entertaining commentary,what’s not to like…? Thanks for being you…!!!😎
The owner must have really loved this guitar. That was a lot of work to bring this rather beaten up old girl back to her former glory. Your work is exceptional. I'm kind of amazed at how badly cut the original neck pocket looked once you got it off, and how much of a mess it was. The binding job alone is very impressive. A pleasure to watch you work.
Ahhhhhh, from a relatively cruddy day to a right fine one, in nothin' flat...accomplished by taking in a freshly posted video from Ted. His patience, skills and art are purtnear unbeatable...his wit is beyond exemplary: "...it's like, uhhh, a mortise and tenon, trying to disguise itself as a dovetail, by wearing an ill-fitting trenchcoat." DANG, that is pure verbal beauty...even Shakespeare would grin at that. Thanks again for a quasi-scary but amazing treat, good sir.
The J50 sounds great after all the work. I've avoided neck resets because I might not improve things. Changing the tenon for a better angle intimidates me. I didn't realize old binding can be difficult to remove. Ted does great work.
Very nice work. I own a 1963 Gibson J50 with an adjustable bridge that all luthiers hate. If you are ready for a similar challenge let me know. It needs a frets replacement and a non-adjustable bridge. AND A LOT OF TENDER CARE.
Seeing you at work helps me to sleep. I'm not saying it on a bad or boring way. Seeing your work gives me peace. Really. I appreciate your're doing this. I learn a lot watching you. Cheers from the end of the world!
I would reckon that you could ascertain a broken/hidden screw holding the joint with a good magnet. Also, knowing when to stop is a skill in itself as ones pride and push for outcome perfection can create bigger problems that outweigh the intended benefits.
Truer words have not been spoken. Also, you are correct about the hidden screw. As he was wiggling it off, it was apparent that there was a pivot point directly under one of the dots. Also, a black stain was visible where the screw had been snapped off. That fingerboard was glued on after the neck had been installed, and covered the screw. I know you saw all of this. Happy New Year.
Unless there is a huge amount of sentimental value for someone vested in that guitar the money would have better spent on a new one. Having said that, if you are willing to pay for the repair, he is fortunate to have taken it to one of the most knowledgeable and skilled luthiers around. Awesome repair on a nightmare problem, don’t know how you slept at night on this one.
Gibson made a version called a J-40 for several years. My father bought one for me for my 16th birthday. So, that would have been in 1970. Right in the era when this J-50 was made. Anyway, being ignorant of humidity, heat and cold, and letting the guitar adjust to the inside/outside temperature before opening the case. Oh, lets not forget about constantly changing the tunings to different open tunings of all I knew of and some I made up. Well it all led to cracked braces and a bowed bridge. Now, I also inherited a Gibson "A" model mandolin. It needed some minor repairs, mostly cosmetic. It was a 1920 something model that my father picked up not too long before succumbing to cancer. This was not a sentimental value instrument like his favorite '69-'70 crossover SG Standard that he gigged with until he got too sick to play. The point is, I was introduced to a mandolin maker and luthier near Charlotte, NC. He was very interested in the mandolin and agreed to repair my J-40 with an even trade. What a talented old gentleman. He was a licensed Martin repair guy. I am a paralyzed veteran and I think he took that into account when agreeing to repair my J-40. The J-40 was supposed to be a full sized dreadnought student guitar. String through rosewood bridge, no pins. mahogany sides, back and neck. Spruce top, rosewood fretboard. Watching Mr. Woodford work on the guitar in the video kind of looks like mine. Although mine had a simple black pick guard in a Martin style. But the luthier actually took mine apart. The front and back removed to replace the bracing with shaved struts in a Martin style. He reinforced a similar crack in the front near the sound hole, reset the neck and made a new bone nut and saddle. And put it all back together like it was never worked on. This old J-40 can now fill a room with sweet sound. That old mandolin must have held a lot of something to that luthier for him to put all that labor in to a guitar worth less than the labor. He actually made a new guitar. It was nice to hear Mr. Woodford talk about Gibson acoustics from this era. Best regards Mr. Woodford, John...
Great video, thanks for sharing it. I was enthralled with a '73 J50 for sale this past summer, the price was right and it played like a dream. It sounded good, not great, was missing the volume and presence I'd expected. It had a few minor buzzes, I could see the saddle had been re-glued and the binding was bad, not as bad as the one in this video. It was 20% project and 80% cool vintage vibes with 50 years of wear and finish checking. I was shopping for guitar to use , playing out in an acoustic duo I'm in. Logic and reason got the best of me when the owner of a 2018 J15 accepted my offer on Marketplace. The J50 was $400 less than the J15 but I sure wish I had the $$ to buy both. Not sure the guitar in the video w/ a headstock repair was worth the amount work. Also, after seeing the work that has to go into replacing, the binding I feel even better about my J15 purchase instead of that 50. I needed a usable tool, not a project. May be another old Gibson will catch my eye some day and I'll tackle it.
Awesome repair as always, seems like I learn something new on every repair video you have. Thanks Ted for showing all of us your artistic talent and techniques.
Been there done that, always wondering if the guitar warrants the time. I am always amazed at even the smallest changes made to an acoustic guitar changes the sound so much, I am stuck in a binding job just like this, stopped because of all the chipping I was en countering, now I see the best of us have it also, back to work, thank you so much for the lessons, greatly appreciated
Probably one of the most enjoyable ways I can think of to relax on a Saturday morning, watching you do an incredibly complex repair job on an old guitar that obviously loves its new life! Hope somebody cares enough about my 2019 j45 to take it to someone like you years down the road when it needs TLC!
Celluloid... My first experience with it was from an old guitar pick my dad had in his case. I had the bad habit of holding my pick with my teeth at times playing my own guitar. I used regular Dunlop picks. My dad's pick was celluloid... I can still taste it.... I haven't put a pick between my lips since LOL 🤣🤣🤣
I continue to be amazed and astounded by your craftsmanship and great patience. Those qualities are key to you being a fantastic luthier. Thanks for providing a window into your world sir. Good day!
Every time I watch one of your videos, I feel guilty for the tuition free education! I do get over it though! Thanks for sharing your outstanding workmanship with us!
Thanks for making all these great videos. I know you don't really check out the comment section too much, which is totally the right thing to do given the internet and all, but you do a great job. I've even thought about learning more about lutherie. There's one or two good shops in Portland, OR.
AHAHAHAH! I Googled "twoodfrd ill fitting trench coat" and it brought me *straight here* 🤣🙏❤️ Thanks again, Ted. Your vids never get old. I've literally watched them 10s of times by now 🤣👌👌
Thank you SO MUCH for that nugget about finding the intonation point for each string. As someone new to repair and set up as an income source, I want to say that you have helped me immensely through your videos with that, including inspiring me to start doing it for a little money. Thanks again.
IIRC, Norlin also made road flares, the kind that drivers or state police used to light and put out on the tarmac behind a vehicle when it broke down on the road at night......
Seeing that Lepage bottle behind you whilst you were routing the saddle slot gave me a 60 year flashback to my very early Airfix model making days and the little local shop that was far from specialist but did sell Lepage's polystyrene cement. It was a fascinating name to me then and I am not aware of having seen that name for scores of years. Fascinating and entertaining video as always. Thanks.
We used LePage's mucilage glue (plant-based) in grade school; in the deep recesses of my brain I still remember the taste and smell of it, and how it looked and felt on my sticky little fingers ....
The effort required for this blew me away. Vinegar, electrical inserts, steam, flammable binding….and tons of patience. Who knew? I’m curious what that guitar is worth now that it’s done???
I learned something new today! You made me look up what Misophonia means. I’m glad I don’t suffer from it. Your channel is fun and relaxing to watch and educational! Lol!
Another killer repair and partial restoration. Thanks Ted, I really enjoy watching your videos and, as I’ve said before, you are the most talented luthier I’ve ever seen. Great job! P.S. That new binding looks great, too.
That is absolutely insane. Nobody can pay you for such work and time. Regardless of the skills required to achieve such good results. Being a carpenter myself, I am totally impressed by this man's experience.
"...a mortise and tenon joint trying to disguise itself as a dovetail joint by wearing an ill-fitting trench coat" made me literally LOL. 🤣
Hahahhah same.
I love Mr. Woodford's wry comical asides. Pure comic genius.
The best part is you can search for "twoodfrd ill fitting trench coat" and the video will actually come up! 🤣
Why are your videos so oddly satisfying T'?
1) Your luthier skills.
2) Your soothing voice.
3) The songs at the end.
4) All the above.
lol
And no ads!!!
Neck removal. I'm shouting "Go on my son it's coming!"-the Mrs shouts up the stairs "What on earth are you watching!" LOL
🤣
“Go on my Son” you wouldn’t happen to be from Newfoundland would ya?
@@JMac.
We also have the same saying in England 👍🏻😁
@@johnsmith-sm6mh man my dad also had that saying
@@johnsmith-sm6mh nice! I didn’t know that, learn something new every day!
This video is a great illustration of how much experience and knowledge you need in this job. This nightmare of a neck reset, vicious binding, cracked braces- everything went south, but you still succeeded. View of that neck pocket, after hours of work to get there, would brake spirit in many... Huge respect, man!
Any time you can keep a tree's voice alive, you've done a good deed. Truly enjoyable to watch a true craftsmen at work.
I truly hope that the owner appreciates the caliber of the work done and says "is that all?" when presented with the invoice.
Wow, project binky, Greg’s planes and automobiles and now this has dropped in the last 2 hours. Life is good.
How did I miss a long overdue new Project Binky? I was just going to start working, but there goes that idea.
I'm not a luthier, I'm just a run of the mill (poor) guitar player, but I cannot get enough of this. So incredibly interesting. Thank you for the longer video!
Same here 😂
Acoustic guitars repairs are the coolest videos
One of the best channels on UA-cam! Your videos are awesome. Thanks.
I have the exact same guitar, same neck break, binding fail, bridge sanded to an 1/8, buckle rash, cracks, God...
It's all restored now, but so many hours, it made me a new career in lutherie.
College-aged dropout and musician/aspiring luthier here, recently was lucky enough to find a 1967 Martin D12-20 for a silly low price, caveat being a 6" crack running along the soundboard. This channel and your knowledge gave me the confidence to attempt my very first crack repair - which hopefully will be flattering and not terrifying, given that I decided to make my very first attempt on such a fine instrument. I'm certain Christian himself wept for a little while when I pulled those clamps out.
The repair went great and fixing that Martin instilled within me a greater sense of accomplishment than just about anything else thus far in life, except for maybe picking up a guitar in the first place. These videos are invaluable by every metric - thanks again!
The confidence to make the decision and try was two out of three and your physical efforts were your just rewards, congrat's mate, don't stop now!
I think that's one of the coolest pickguards ever
I have some really old slipjoints with covers that have melted like that binding. Such a shame.
Imagine seeing that guard spontaneously combust while popping the neck off
So it's the old "mother of bowling alley" pick guard.
70’s bowling alley at that
Brunswick????
You have balls! That binding was the worst idea Gibson ever had! I have noticed the new trend in guitar binding is real wood. I love real wood. It maybe harder to manipulate, but glues better and with the right choice can be much more stunning that plastic. It takes a finish the best. On the edges that receive the most contact to the human body, I have found that after the finish is worn off from use, the real wood binding can slowly but surely get polished, as if you had used an electric polisher. Your work on this guitar was absolutely the best anyone could have done, even a complete re-finish would not have been much better at 3 times the cost. Love from NW Colorado. Thanxz
You have very much earnt every 'like' this video gets. I know these videos come second to your actual instrument repair work, and they are clearly a lot of work to produce and edit at the end of a long working day. So I just want to personally thank you for taking the time to make and upload them. They are by far the UA-cam content I enjoy the most. They are both interesting and relaxing to watch and make life's difficulties that much easier to deal with. Take care and repair!
You took the words out of my mouth.
Me too.
Boy this one was kinda even stressful to watch. The wiggling of the neck to get it out of the pocket was truly a nail biter. But what a lovely sounding result. 70s Gibsons have always sounded mushy to me, but this one really has a great classic voice.
I agree. Usually his videos are very Bob Ross peaceful. But all this work that had to be done was a little stressful to watch. But what an amazing job!
Ted it SOUNDS 150% better- astonishing difference . Great work as always. I would not even have attempted those repairs... just not enough chops to pull it off. I’m betting after he plays it the owner comes back with a few more Benjamins for more cosmetic touch-ups. Especially the headstock break. Is it “worth it”to spend $1500 to fix a $500 guitar? Not if you’re a music store trying to resell it ... but Absolutely if you’re a performer and it’s your #1.
It's so relatable to see you struggle with it. Most of the times it looks like you get everything right for the first try, and It can be a little frustrating when I try to do a job and fail or have complications. I'm relieved to see it happens to even the best of luthiers
Well hey there gang
Thanks for the video!
I did the same type of job last year on a 1970 J-55. I based my pricing on StewMac binding with hazmat fees but when Stew Mac was out of stock I gambled and ordered it from China at 1/8 the price, free shipping & no hazmat fee. 🤯 I laminated 2 PCs 1.5mm celluloid to get a 3mm thick Dark brown tortoise binding around the whole body. It took weeks and I ended up drop filling voids refinishing/ overspraying most of the body. I wish I could share a photo!
That binding scraping noise scratched an itch buried so deep in my lizard brain I didn't know it existed.
guitar repair ASMR material
And the sound of plaining wood, just orgasmic
User name checks out
I was watching with headphones !
Now I just want the back story of why this guitar was so important to the owner that he wanted such extensive work done. Thanks Ted, I always learn something from you.
I was thinking the same thing.
Who cares? It was their Dad's. So how does that change anything.
Sometimes it's just the simple fact it is a vintage "something or other". Age alone can make guitars more attractive.
That neck reset was nightmarish. The amount of skill this guy has is incredible.
I am so impressed with the amount of patience you have. That is why you are among the best in North America, perhaps the world.
Guitar sounds sooooooo much better after. Great Job 👍Love your Channel and the Content ❤☕🎸☝
Before and after sound is honestly insane, the difference is incredible.
Those old strings sounded 20 years old minimum
My dad was not a luthier or a craftsman, but he nearly always found a way to fix something even when it didn't want to be fixed and he hung with it. This poor old beastie has been brought back from the dead and sounds like a nice guitar now. I am in awe of your talent and persistence.
The string to mark the intonation on the saddle...that's brilliant!
The B string intonation finder - absolute gold. Thank you once again . (guitar sounded really good, too)
I love the early 70s Gibsons, I had a ‘72 Gibson Blueridge Custom that had a huge tone and the best bass I’ve ever heard. Well balanced and not as harsh on the high notes as a Martin just a beautiful sound. By the way love your work the guitar looks so much better and sounds great. The “worth it” factor is only part market value. The bottom line is the guitar can be played and enjoyed for many more years. You might consider taking donations from guitar lovers that want to rescue a guitar you run across without enough budget to fix it. Maybe even auction it off afterwards? If it doesn’t have a home.
You are an amazingly skilled craftsman. Well beyond any luthier I have seen.
The owner must really love that old Gibson. That repair had to be costly. You have nothing to be ashamed about with the way it turned out. You did the best that you could (which I contend is way better than most) within the budget that you were given, and had to make "allowances." Fantastic work as always. I thought the new binding looked great.
Yep I reckon another tech would have rushed it and had a big problem with the thick binding and depth of the rout around edge . Thats why I say teds a great guitar tech. he's does a good job . And won't rush it .he works it out first the best way to approach it.And I still think the binding ge did was great.
Wow! Even thru my laptop like computer speakers this guitar sounds awsome! I very much like the rich low end. And You gave it the whole nine yards in terms of effort- this thing has had a rough life up until now, I hope it gets the care it needs from now on.
I am into guitars now, too. Two weeks from now I got a Johnson JS-800 Del Mar Strat clone and must say it´s not too bad- well balanced, not too heavy- I think it is from the 90´s era.
It came to me as "work needed", dirty and with the action on the moon, I tore it down, cleaned it but now it needs to have the frets leveled to get me down where I want it. It sounds nice, too. The electronics ain´t too crappy either as it turned out. Tuners are now lubed and fine, it has a tremolo and keeps tune- just a little fine tuning and I have a bargain guitar that plays like I want it to.
Save the best for last: quite a lot of what I know by now I picked up from You, Your channel is a gold mine that keeps giving, thanks a lot!
Fantastic job on a guitar somebody loves. Mission accomplished.
Now that was one PITA repair. Kudos to you Ted for having the patience & skill to complete this job so well & sharing it with us. Also thanks for the sound demo at the end...much improved!
I'm in the UK and wish there was someone like yourself who would take on a similar job over here. I have a late 60s factory 2nd SJ Deluxe (very basic Hummingbird) that I love and needs pretty much the same work - plus a re-fret! It still sounds and plays great though. My binding is much easier to take off though, it just falls off in big chunks!
That's the problem here in uk finding a good guitar tech . There's a handful that are good and are top luthiers and repairers it's just finding the right one .
Great job, and sound. The customer has a good player, which I think is what he wanted.
The owner must really love that guitar...
Supreme content as always. Yes, so true: when to stop. Own a Gibson from just after the end of Norlin era , and that’s an excellent build.
My god I don’t know how he does it. Frikken amazing.
He ain’t lying about that hazmat surcharge on celluloid. I tried to order some for an old Kay and just about swallowed my gum when I saw the added cost.
Loved that long video, thanks for taking the extra time to do it up.
This is the second time that I’ve watched this one.
Stellar workmanship, informative, friendly, and entertaining commentary,what’s not to like…?
Thanks for being you…!!!😎
Sandpaper backed with packing tape. Brilliant. What a creative idea. Your level of workmanship is insane.
I'm everytime amazed about your skills and patience to deal with old white glue and crackeling bindings
The owner must have really loved this guitar. That was a lot of work to bring this rather beaten up old girl back to her former glory. Your work is exceptional. I'm kind of amazed at how badly cut the original neck pocket looked once you got it off, and how much of a mess it was. The binding job alone is very impressive. A pleasure to watch you work.
Ahhhhhh, from a relatively cruddy day to a right fine one, in nothin' flat...accomplished by taking in a freshly posted video from Ted. His patience, skills and art are purtnear unbeatable...his wit is beyond exemplary: "...it's like, uhhh, a mortise and tenon, trying to disguise itself as a dovetail, by wearing an ill-fitting trenchcoat." DANG, that is pure verbal beauty...even Shakespeare would grin at that. Thanks again for a quasi-scary but amazing treat, good sir.
The J50 sounds great after all the work. I've avoided neck resets because I might not improve things. Changing the tenon for a better angle intimidates me. I didn't realize old binding can be difficult to remove. Ted does great work.
You truly are a master luthier, great work!
Very nice work. I own a 1963 Gibson J50 with an adjustable bridge that all luthiers hate. If you are ready for a similar challenge let me know. It needs a frets replacement and a non-adjustable bridge. AND A LOT OF TENDER CARE.
Seeing you at work helps me to sleep. I'm not saying it on a bad or boring way. Seeing your work gives me peace. Really. I appreciate your're doing this. I learn a lot watching you. Cheers from the end of the world!
loved it...thanks for giving us more time than usual in the shop. Still, it flew right by. Excellent work as usual, Ted.
I would reckon that you could ascertain a broken/hidden screw holding the joint with a good magnet. Also, knowing when to stop is a skill in itself as ones pride and push for outcome perfection can create bigger problems that outweigh the intended benefits.
Truer words have not been spoken. Also, you are correct about the hidden screw. As he was wiggling it off, it was apparent that there was a pivot point directly under one of the dots. Also, a black stain was visible where the screw had been snapped off. That fingerboard was glued on after the neck had been installed, and covered the screw. I know you saw all of this. Happy New Year.
Your know how in doing the repair work is exemplified in knowing when to call it done. Great video, and beautiful work.
Haven't even watched it yet but I know I'll love it. Thanks for these awesome and instructive vids
Unless there is a huge amount of sentimental value for someone vested in that guitar the money would have better spent on a new one. Having said that, if you are willing to pay for the repair, he is fortunate to have taken it to one of the most knowledgeable and skilled luthiers around. Awesome repair on a nightmare problem, don’t know how you slept at night on this one.
Love this guys humour ! Steel town
Great video!!!
Would Loved to see the neck joint finishing better... But this was a geeat video, Thank you very much!!!!
Gibson made a version called a J-40 for several years. My father bought one for me for my 16th birthday. So, that would have been in 1970. Right in the era when this J-50 was made.
Anyway, being ignorant of humidity, heat and cold, and letting the guitar adjust to the inside/outside temperature before opening the case. Oh, lets not forget about constantly changing the tunings to different open tunings of all I knew of and some I made up. Well it all led to cracked braces and a bowed bridge.
Now, I also inherited a Gibson "A" model mandolin. It needed some minor repairs, mostly cosmetic. It was a 1920 something model that my father picked up not too long before succumbing to cancer. This was not a sentimental value instrument like his favorite '69-'70 crossover SG Standard that he gigged with until he got too sick to play.
The point is, I was introduced to a mandolin maker and luthier near Charlotte, NC. He was very interested in the mandolin and agreed to repair my J-40 with an even trade. What a talented old gentleman. He was a licensed Martin repair guy. I am a paralyzed veteran and I think he took that into account when agreeing to repair my J-40.
The J-40 was supposed to be a full sized dreadnought student guitar. String through rosewood bridge, no pins. mahogany sides, back and neck. Spruce top, rosewood fretboard.
Watching Mr. Woodford work on the guitar in the video kind of looks like mine. Although mine had a simple black pick guard in a Martin style. But the luthier actually took mine apart. The front and back removed to replace the bracing with shaved struts in a Martin style. He reinforced a similar crack in the front near the sound hole, reset the neck and made a new bone nut and saddle. And put it all back together like it was never worked on. This old J-40 can now fill a room with sweet sound.
That old mandolin must have held a lot of something to that luthier for him to put all that labor in to a guitar worth less than the labor. He actually made a new guitar. It was nice to hear Mr. Woodford talk about Gibson acoustics from this era.
Best regards Mr. Woodford, John...
brought back to life ......... great work - wish you were local!
Great video, thanks for sharing it. I was enthralled with a '73 J50 for sale this past summer, the price was right and it played like a dream. It sounded good, not great, was missing the volume and presence I'd expected. It had a few minor buzzes, I could see the saddle had been re-glued and the binding was bad, not as bad as the one in this video. It was 20% project and 80% cool vintage vibes with 50 years of wear and finish checking. I was shopping for guitar to use , playing out in an acoustic duo I'm in. Logic and reason got the best of me when the owner of a 2018 J15 accepted my offer on Marketplace. The J50 was $400 less than the J15 but I sure wish I had the $$ to buy both.
Not sure the guitar in the video w/ a headstock repair was worth the amount work. Also, after seeing the work that has to go into replacing, the binding I feel even better about my J15 purchase instead of that 50. I needed a usable tool, not a project. May be another old Gibson will catch my eye some day and I'll tackle it.
Awesome repair as always, seems like I learn something new on every repair video you have. Thanks Ted for showing all of us your artistic talent and techniques.
I like, and then I watch. That's how we're doing it.
I’d like to see you burn the old celluloid as an experiment. Great video as always.
The patience, the balls, the maturity, skill and experience involved, is just awesome.
Very nice. Long videos to watch. For a video a week. Love your repairs. Keep up the good work. God bless👍
It's a dudtail joint, love the show learnt a load, thanks man.
Thank you Ted, always a pleasure to see a true craftsman and enthusiast doing the almost impossible
Outstanding work, patience and attention to detail just gob-smacked at this video.
thx. for the longer vid's.... nice work...
Turned out great. I'll watch 'em however long you want to make 'em. You are so generous to share that amount of information. Thanks.
Been there done that, always wondering if the guitar warrants the time. I am always amazed at even the smallest changes made to an acoustic guitar changes the sound so much, I am stuck in a binding job just like this, stopped because of all the chipping I was en countering, now I see the best of us have it also, back to work, thank you so much for the lessons, greatly appreciated
Probably one of the most enjoyable ways I can think of to relax on a Saturday morning, watching you do an incredibly complex repair job on an old guitar that obviously loves its new life! Hope somebody cares enough about my 2019 j45 to take it to someone like you years down the road when it needs TLC!
Celluloid... My first experience with it was from an old guitar pick my dad had in his case. I had the bad habit of holding my pick with my teeth at times playing my own guitar. I used regular Dunlop picks. My dad's pick was celluloid... I can still taste it.... I haven't put a pick between my lips since LOL 🤣🤣🤣
I continue to be amazed and astounded by your craftsmanship and great patience. Those qualities are key to you being a fantastic luthier. Thanks for providing a window into your world sir. Good day!
Quality. Plain and simple. Excellent video!
Yah brought that old J-50 back to life! When my 70's SJ needs work, it's coming to you!
BillyJ south of Pittsburgh.. you are the man.. great vids.. great info.. always a pleasure to watch.. have a great day...
Another most excellent learning experience. Thank you.
These are the most pleasant and informative guitar repair videos bar none. Devoted fan. Love your voice.
Every time I watch one of your videos, I feel guilty for the tuition free education! I do get over it though! Thanks for sharing your outstanding workmanship with us!
Thanks for making all these great videos. I know you don't really check out the comment section too much, which is totally the right thing to do given the internet and all, but you do a great job. I've even thought about learning more about lutherie. There's one or two good shops in Portland, OR.
AHAHAHAH! I Googled "twoodfrd ill fitting trench coat" and it brought me *straight here* 🤣🙏❤️
Thanks again, Ted. Your vids never get old. I've literally watched them 10s of times by now 🤣👌👌
Awesome video !!!!!
I love the longer format !!!
Thank you SO MUCH for that nugget about finding the intonation point for each string.
As someone new to repair and set up as an income source, I want to say that you have helped me immensely through your videos with that, including inspiring me to start doing it for a little money.
Thanks again.
You have great patience! And tenacity! Much to be learned for us
IIRC, Norlin also made road flares, the kind that drivers or state police used to light and put out on the tarmac behind a vehicle when it broke down on the road at night......
Just discovered you tonight. Been binge watching for over 3 hrs. So yes, I subscribed. Thank you for the great work and ideas....
That was a ton of work, and prolly a ton of work to make the video. Thanks!
Great editing going from a live dialogue to a voice over .
39 minutes! You madman!!
Seeing that Lepage bottle behind you whilst you were routing the saddle slot gave me a 60 year flashback to my very early Airfix model making days and the little local shop that was far from specialist but did sell Lepage's polystyrene cement. It was a fascinating name to me then and I am not aware of having seen that name for scores of years.
Fascinating and entertaining video as always. Thanks.
We used LePage's mucilage glue (plant-based) in grade school; in the deep recesses of my brain I still remember the taste and smell of it, and how it looked and felt on my sticky little fingers ....
That binding is beautiful! It looks great, and it looks like an old guitar!
The effort required for this blew me away. Vinegar, electrical inserts, steam, flammable binding….and tons of patience. Who knew? I’m curious what that guitar is worth now that it’s done???
I learned something new today! You made me look up what Misophonia means. I’m glad I don’t suffer from it. Your channel is fun and relaxing to watch and educational! Lol!
Mad skills...thank you...
There’s something relaxing about watching this guy work his magic on these old guitars.
Another killer repair and partial restoration. Thanks Ted, I really enjoy watching your videos and, as I’ve said before, you are the most talented luthier I’ve ever seen. Great job!
P.S. That new binding looks great, too.
That is absolutely insane. Nobody can pay you for such work and time. Regardless of the skills required to achieve such good results. Being a carpenter myself, I am totally impressed by this man's experience.
Absolutely outstanding work. Ty
These videos are so satisfying. Great work, my friend.