oldtimer Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 Hello everyone, I am an oap who just loves old guitars, I like to get hold of cheap nasty things and turn them into descent looking, playing guitars. I am not really a guitarist but can put a tune or two together and enjoy it. About ten months ago I picked up a Yamaha DW 7 12, I think the serial number is, G701677220, The guitar was never played but used as wall art, the problem is that it was hung above a heater and full tension was left on the strings and the neck lifted, it didn't lift alot but enough to crack the top at the sound hole and along the side of the frettboard. My brother who is not a luthier but a first class joiner, 60yrs, sorted this for me, it didn.t take much to get it level again and to make sure of a good fix he spliced a strip of hardwood where the worst crack was to make sure. Because the splice was visible, not too bad, I made another pick guard that covereed it. What I then did was to put new strings on and have left it fully tuned for the last nine months, I didn't tune it down but tuned to normal pitch and in that time it hasn't moved at all and is still in tune. What is the opinion on guitars with neck sets, do you think that it is worth selling on to someone who can enjoy it, or shall I just hang it up to look at? it still looks nearly new. Thanks for taking time to read this and I'm looking forward to some replies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 (edited) Good evening, @oldtimer, and ... ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. A bit of a shame, as these are pretty decent guitars, as indeed is pretty much everything that Yamaha make. A repair of any sort would be a ref flag for most buyers, even if done expertly, but, if the repair is honestly declared and described, and the price reflects this, it can make someone very happy. Good Show for taking the trouble to save a nice guitar from the torture of a wall hanging; pass it on to someone who will appreciate it, with battle scars. One 'tip' for 12-strings, often used, is to tune the guitar down a whole tone, and use a capo at the second fret. This reduces the tension on the bridge, which, on some instruments, have a tendance to become 'pot-bellied', or even have the bridge lift off. Hope this helps. Douglas Edited November 2, 2023 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 Hi, thankyou for your comments. I think that I may of overstated the condition of the guitars condition, my brother didn't have to remove the neck from the guitar, it lined up quite easilly without a lot of preasure and once lined up he strengthened it in place from the inside, along with a splice on the top it appears to be a good solid job. I have had a look at these guitars and apparently there aren't that many about and the price is crazy, I would be happy with less than half of what some people are asking, it is definitely too good to hang on the wall after what I have read, it needs to be played and enjoyed. I will try to download a picture so you can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Welcome to the forum Oldtimer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 2 hours ago, oldtimer said: ... my brother didn't have to remove the neck from the guitar, it lined up quite easilly without a lot of preasure and once lined up he strengthened it in place from the inside, along with a splice on the top i... That's not the way to repair a guitar, and would certainly make it a 'no-no' for me. Sorry, but if it plays OK for now, great, but it's no longer worth much at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 Hello Douglas, thankyou for replying. Although my knowledge of guitars is far from what yours is I take everything on board that you say. I joined the forum for my love of old guitars and dislike of the throw away world that it has become, too many nice guitars are disregarded and scrapped. I have not done too many but have saved a couple of nice electric guitars, one I am doing now is a 1970s Thresher LP guitar made in Japan. I think that by joining this forum I can gain knowledge to help me turn out better guitars, I'm a pensioner and this is a hobby not a profession but I do take pride in what I do. As a lot of others back in the 60s I played in a blues band, not too good but got quite a few gigs and enjoyed every minute, what reinstated my love of guitars was the passing of my elder brother, I'm the youngest of six, and when he passed he left me his Hamer guitar along with loads of pedals including a 1979 electric mistress flanger as used by The Police, although I enjoy playing the electric to the best that I can, my hands don't work properly anymore, age, I do prefer the tones of an acoustic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 35 minutes ago, oldtimer said: Hello Douglas, thank you for replying... I understand fully, being rather 'mature' in years, myself (73, last birthday...). My 'speciality' is archtop semi-acoustics; I have several Hofners, and hosted a French Hofner Bash' for a couple of years, here in France. Our Eldest makes his own guitars, and repairs any waifs or strays that are confided to us, electric or acoustic. He is not the most rapid in this, but the result is 'up to snuff'. We have a current project, yet to be started, re-setting the neck of my Hofner 500-3, Senator bass which, over the years, has slipped a little. The neck will be steamed off, the joint cleaned up and reset back in its proper place, using Titebond glue, so that, in another fifty years or so, it can again be repaired, if necessary, the same way. All respect to your brother's prowess, but luthery has its own reasons for doing things; we've seen too many instruments that can no longer be repaired following previous attempts that didn't use the correct process or materials. I'm a drummer, basically, but have been playing guitar and bass since... Well, even longer than that. My playing certainly does not do justice to the instruments I own, but in decades past it sufficed in groups and bands of the time. Dexterity and speed was never my forté, but the years are taking their toll just the same, so I'm not as lest as before, and it doesn't improve now with practice. Never mind; I'm not booked to play Olympia either, so that's OK..! Here's to many more happy years (decades..?) fingering the fretboard; meanwhile... Have a splendid day. Douglas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 6, 2023 Author Share Posted November 6, 2023 Good morning Douglas, I was quite concerned from what you said and I thought that I had ruined the guitar, and that's against what my intentions are, so I had a good talk with my brother. He told me about thermal expansion in different timbers and also heat crystalization in glues, he said that he slowly introduced the moisture content back to an acceptable level and this alone took the guitar back to a good level, no preasure needed, he then got his straight edge and offered it to all the flat surfaces of the guitar, all good. He said that he didn't need to remove the neck as this was true and secure, what he did say was that a luthier, guitar maker, is a proffesion in it's own rights and they are very skilled but timber is timber and it all reacts the same wheather in an instrament or a roof, care has to be taken otherwise you get problems. The only thing that he couldn't get round was the crack, approx 2", along the side of the neck so he had to splice this, then the braces were re glued and braces added for support. I am not trying to sell the guitar but if someone was to have it I would like to think that they have a good guitar. Your life appears to be full, I bet that you don't have much spare time, it's also great to hear that you do so much for the other guitar lovers over their, do you have any video's of one of your bashes? I would love to see one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 6, 2023 Share Posted November 6, 2023 1 hour ago, oldtimer said: ... do you have any video's of one of your bashes? I would love to see one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 6, 2023 Author Share Posted November 6, 2023 THANKYOU! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
