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Martin Custom X gets a little love
Here’s a super-lightweight MIM Martin, which is on the bench for a Southeast Setup and a couple minor repairs. We noted a slight crack in the soundboard along the centerline, but after a thorough inspection we noticed that the transverse braces, the bridge plate and the tailblock were holding the crack at bay, and that it was structurally sound. Sometimes doing nothing is doing the right thing for the client.
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1998 PRS McCarty hollowbody archtop
Here’s a lovely 25-year old Paul Reed Smith McCarty hollowbody archtop on the bench for a Southeast Setup, including a new set of Ernie Ball Slinkys. It’s hard to not get lost staring into the beautiful figure of that tiger maple body! IMG_6516.480
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Martin “The Backpacker”
On the bench today is Martin’s travel acoustic guitar, “The Backpacker.” It’s here for a Southeast Setup, which includes a general look under the hood where we give the player a 19-point checklist of our findings. Oh, can’t they all be as easy as this one. This guitar, as simply built as it is, sounds and feels great! We dialed in the string action, making it a bit more comfortable, then gave it a clean bill of health! Safe travels, my friend!
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Updated 1960s Harmony Parlour guitar
Here’s what we came up with for the 1960s-era Harmony G-100 parlour guitar I picked up a few months back. We fitted it with a new trapeze tailpiece, and with new MIJ tuners. A new floating rosewood bridge with rubber saddle was added. We also installed a passive Fishman pickup. And painted it black, with a new black pickguard. What do you think?
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1994 Yamaha FG-335ii
Here’s a lovely instrument that was rescued from a Glen Burnie Pawn (gun) shop. When it came into our shop, there was mold? mildew? funk? all over the fingerboard, and the rest was quite filthy as well. No idea how long it had been hanging around in its current state, but the neck and bridge both were both overly angled toward the sound hole. Our first thought was that it may require a neck reset in order to make music again. First we cut away the strings, and gave the guitar a thorough cleaning. Then we allowed it to relax in a properly-humidified space for around two weeks, so that…
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Don’t underestimate an inexpensive guitar!
On the bench today is a Mitchell T333E acoustic guitar. Some folks are quick to dismiss this brand as the “house brand” of Guitar Center. I say, not so fast, Buster! We added a hand-carved nut and saddle, replacing the generic Tusq parts supplied at the factory, the gave it the Legendary Southeast Setup, including a set of Stringjoy Naturals Phosphor Bronze strings. When the nut is carved to compliment the player’s string choice, it just sounds better. IMG_6374
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Sears Silvertone ready for a new home
This circa 1973 Sears Silvertone by Harmony MIJ acoustic guitar has been brought back to good playing form and is ready for a new home. We cured her bellyache, fixed the cracked bridge, reattached three braces, hand crafted a new compensated bone saddle and performed the legendary Southeast Setup. She’s ready for another fifty years of beautiful music. Spruce top, Mahogany sides, back and neck, Rosewood bridge. See listing on FB Marketplace here: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/188095234247575/
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Tobacco Brunette, SN: 2021:006
I built this guitar in 2020/21 while living in Austin. It’s the “sister” guitar to one I built that was sold at auction to benefit Austin’s Paramount Theatre for the Performing Arts. I kept this one around for a while, and had a few trusted players put it through the paces. Based upon their feedback, I made a few adjustments to the neck, which resulted in a more comfortable player experience (which is what we all strive for, correct?) It is now being offered for sale by the good folks at Ryan Fowler’s Guitar Experience in Baltimore. Specs: 25.5″ scale length 21 frets Maple & Walnut body Maple & Walnut…
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Fender Dread CD-60 Acoustic set-up
How to you turn a $200 guitar into something special? Swap out the plastic nut and saddle for bone, and give it a Southeast Setup, of course! Which is exactly what we did for this beauty. Now it sounds like a million bucks. Or, at least $750! And it plays better than it did when it left the factory in Indonesia. A small investment in a few parts and an expert setup will always bring out the best in your instrument.
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Sears Silvertone Acoustic (c) 1973
Here’s another project I started before I had a web site. It’s a circa 1973 Sears Silvertone acoustic guitar, model number 319.12171100 that I picked up from a Healey Wizard named Gary several months ago. It had a terrible bellyache, three popped braces and a cracked bridge. Gary tells me it was made in Japan by Harmony. I rehydrated the box and held it under clamps for around two months, which brought the solid spruce top back into shape wonderfully. Then the popped braces were re-attached, and the bridge was repaired. Moving along, I created a new bone nut and bridge saddle, then performed a Southeast Setup. She’s sounding like…
Brooklyn Fretworks
Bespoke guitar design, repair and modification
