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PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:59 pm 
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Mr. Blues
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Hi,

not so much to do at home, time for guitar-setup ...

Have not used my 7er 9Strat for a long time, because the fret ends looked over the neck after the strat hangs on the wall in a really dry room and the neck seems to had shrinked. Playing hurts my hands every time I took it of to play. No luthier here in my hometown. The next one wanted 150 Euros (around 120 $). Neck has a rosewood fretboard, so I decided to do it by myself.

Bought some cheap keyfiles and roughly filed the fretends close to the neck and roughly rounded them. After this I used some wet 400er sandpaper and sanded the fretends round, same with 1000er sanded also wet. After this I used 000er steelwool to get the glance back on the frets.
First test sliding the neck up and down with my hands ... perfect, feels like butter, no sharp ends anymore and the rounded ends are looking really nice :-).

Oiled the fretboard and it looks like new. 3 hours work and a lot of money saved. Next weekend I have to check electronic wires, because the neck pickup only works when switched to play with the middle pickup. After this the baby gets a new setup and ... ready to rock n roll.

Hey guys, its not so hard to round the fret ends and you are feeling good, when you have done it yourself.

Andreas

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:47 pm 
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Mr. Electonica Dude
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A dried out guitar can be easier repaierd by rehumidifying it. A small room humidifier placed in a closet and monitored twice a day will bring the wood back to the original size in a few days .

I have a much larger one in the piano room to control humidity so the sound board on the piano doesn't dry out , shrink and crack.

Once it's back to where it needs to be , the guitar really needs to be stored in its case unless being used.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:58 pm 
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Mr. Blues
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Hi Geno,

mrskygod wrote:
A dried out guitar can be easier repaierd by rehumidifying it. A small room humidifier placed in a closet and monitored twice a day will bring the wood back to the original size in a few days .


In my underground studio I have a de/humidifier since 1 year know. Set it to 55-60%. So I hoped to get the guitar rehumidified. I also wiped the fretboard with lemon oil. Waited 1 year but nothing happened. So I had to dress the fret ends.

Andreas

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:05 pm 
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http://www.maurysmusic.com/martin_guitar_humidity

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods/Humidity.aspx

The second website goes into much more detail. Once the guitar has dried out one may have to increase humidity to much more than 50% to "load" up the wood . Once the damage has been corrected , then the guitar may go back to the ideal 50% environment.

My Taylor 12 string developed a crack in the back where a seam between two pieces of wood was. I put it in a case with a hygrometer for a week and then opened the case. The hygrometer measured a very dry 29%. I put it in a closet with a humidfier and filled it with several gallons of water over a period of about 4 days. It was monitored twice daily and the crack dissappeared at the 4th day. I removed the guitar , put it in the case with the hygrometer again and lect it for a frw more days. Next time I checked it , a magic 55% was read in the case.

just sayin..........

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:42 am 
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No More Coasters!
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I think both solutions ( to the fret issue ) make sense, but it depends on the guitar.

Solid wood acoustic guitars like Taylors, can develop structural problems ( like cracking ) if the humidity gets too dry. But, with solid body electric guitars the issue of low humidity really only affects playability IMO. One of the signs of a dried out electric guitar is the fret issue that Blackbeer mentioned.

While low humidity is the culprit in both cases, I would have dressed the frets on the Strat as well. Filing them down, so that they no longer protrude. But if my Taylor developed symptoms of a dry guitar, I would expose it to a higher humidity environment to solve the issue....like Geno did.

My Taylor has never cracked. Usually ( a few times each winter ) I just put it in the case, with a sound-hole humidifier. Humidity in the house in winter is usually around 40%....so definitely on the dry side. I don't use a sound-hole humidifier all winter. Maybe just a few times a winter for a week or so each time. So, I don't go overboard trying to keep the guitar at the right humidity.

I think the key to preventing issues with Taylors is to keep them in their case. I keep my Taylor in it's case no matter which season it is. That seems to prevent it from getting to dry in winter, and to wet in summer when humidity can skyrocket. So, the number one thing for me is.....keep the Taylor in its case, unless you're playing it. In all the years I've owned my Taylor, I would say there are less than a dozen or so nights when I left it out of the case overnight....after playing it. And I don't think I've ever left it out of the case overnight in winter. No cracks so far ( fingers crossed )!


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:26 am 
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Mr. Blues
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Thank you for your helpful input!

Seems acoustic guitars are more sensitive reacting to humidity. Taylors with their thin coated laquer can dry out and take humidity faster than the most.

I also realized that my Taylor (cheaper one, a 214e) sounds a little dead when played in wet enviroment.
I dont like to have my guitars stay in a case. Taking them from the wall is so much easier as I daily use my studio to relax with playing music. So I bought a "automatic humidify room controller" for my studio. Works great ...

Andreas

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:13 pm 
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thanks guys! i appreciate your knowledge and sharing how you fix guitars that have dried out!

i am an accomplished musician, but i am not a craftsman, woodworker nor am i a luthier or violin maker LOL

but i do know how to put my new Takamine 12-string in its case, drive to California and not play the guitar for 5 years, then open the case and experience the fresh "casket" smell, and enjoy the lovely out-of-tune-for-crap-intonation because i did NOT humidify the guitar at all since i bought it or stored it !!!

lesson learned. the 12-string i spoke of is in the picture below.

Image

Blackbeer | MSG ... but i have always done the mechanics on my 12-strings. speed-necking them, fret trimming, cleaning, proper string winding, and making Richie Havens look like he's playing in slow motion! ^5

P.S. MSG that MacBook is going up to a shelf off the cabinet, 01X takes its place and 4416 will go where 01X is now.

HHNET

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