The Ovation Fan Club
The Ovation Fan Club
Forum Search | Statistics | User Listing Forums | Calendars | Albums | Language
Your are viewing as a Guest. ( logon | register )

Random quote: "It's much too late to do anything about rock & roll now ..." - Jerry Garcia / Grateful Dead



Jump to page : 1
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
top issue

View previous thread :: View next thread
   Members Forums -> General PostingMessage format
 
Mario
Posted 2018-12-31 1:19 PM (#546332)
Subject: top issue


Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 557

Location: Burbank
I have a newer balladeer maybe early 2000's. The center is sunken in. I have found 2 loose braces. I don't want to glue the braces until the sunken area is normal. I have hydrating the hell out of it and cant get the center to come up. I don't want to replace the top. Any suggestions on how to get it to flatten?
Top of the page Bottom of the page
2wheeldrummer
Posted 2018-12-31 1:46 PM (#546333 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: Re: top issue



Joined:
February 2014
Posts: 699

Location: moline,illinois
You need to get a guitar brace repair jack to lift the top back into place before you glue it,depending on how much it has sunk you may need to adjust the jack a little at a time over a number of days until you get it back in proper position,trying to lift the top up to fast could cause it to crack,Dan Savage could probably recommend the best one for ovations heres an example of one from Stew Mac
https://www.ebay.com/itm/StewMac-Brace-Repair-Jack/252935226246?hash...

good luck with the repair



Edited by 2wheeldrummer 2018-12-31 1:48 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
FlySig
Posted 2018-12-31 3:42 PM (#546342 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: Re: top issue



Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4023

Location: Utah
Pictures?
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Mario
Posted 2018-12-31 5:40 PM (#546345 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: RE: top issue


Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 557

Location: Burbank
Heres a couple.



(IMG_5314.JPG)



(IMG_5310.JPG)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments IMG_5314.JPG (69KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments IMG_5310.JPG (70KB - 0 downloads)
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Mario
Posted 2018-12-31 5:43 PM (#546346 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: RE: top issue


Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 557

Location: Burbank
Its more obvious in the first pic. The loose braces on in the lower bout on top and bottom. It had 4 shim in it.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
BCam
Posted 2019-01-01 11:07 AM (#546356 - in reply to #546333)
Subject: Re: top issue


Joined:
October 2014
Posts: 266

2wheeldrummer - 2018-12-31 11:46 AM

You need to get a guitar brace repair jack to lift the top back into place before you glue it,depending on how much it has sunk you may need to adjust the jack a little at a time over a number of days until you get it back in proper position,trying to lift the top up to fast could cause it to crack,Dan Savage could probably recommend the best one for ovations heres an example of one from Stew Mac
https://www.ebay.com/itm/StewMac-Brace-Repair-Jack/252935226246?hash...

good luck with the repair



I think I'd try making these before I'd spend $33+ on something that simple.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
FlySig
Posted 2019-01-01 3:58 PM (#546359 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: Re: top issue



Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4023

Location: Utah
I would try to press the wood flat before gluing the braces back on. From the pictures it appears the wood has dived down between the bridge and neck, presumably due to loose braces. I would try putting a damp cloth in there first to get the wood quite damp but not so wet as to be damaged. Get a towel wet and wring it out, then put it inside with the guitar upside down so that the damp towel is against the bare underside wood. Let it sit for a couple of days, maybe repeating the process. Then I'd do something like sandbagging to press the wood back to proper shape. Basically use weights of some sort on the inside with the guitar upside down again. You'll have to rig a support so that the guitar is not resting on the neck or bridge, just on the wood top itself in the region of the sound hole.

Clamps and wood blocks inside/out could also be employed to the same goal but would require careful incremental tightening so as not to crack the top with too much initial pressure. Or, a jack system from the inside to push the top up might work.

The right amount of moisture in the wood is going to be important - enough to make it soft so it doesn't crack, but not enough to damage the wood or the finish. Then get it back to the shape you want and let it dry. Finally, re-glue the braces. The Stew-Mac brace clamps work very well but are not cheap. Depending where the loose braces are you may be able to use plain C-clamps from the hardware store.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Love O Fair
Posted 2019-01-01 4:48 PM (#546363 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: Re: top issue



Joined:
February 2016
Posts: 1764

Location: When??
@FlySig - >>>The right amount of moisture in the wood is going to be important<<<

Very. And lots of patience, too.
With what looks to be a fairly wide area of sunken space, if you choose to use a mechanical jack it may behoove you to cut a piece of flat, thin (say, 1/4" thick) wood to lay centered across any multiple loose braces to evenly distribute the pressure across the sag and raise it all together in concert; and starting with tiny tightening increments daily. And BCam is right.. you can make a jack out of a hardware store turnbuckle for less than the Stew Mac version, though it will most likely not have as fine of threading, so the tightening of such may have to be even more small-turn-incremental and careful than the pro jack. Please keep us posted of progress.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Mario
Posted 2019-01-04 10:32 AM (#546401 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: RE: top issue


Joined:
April 2003
Posts: 557

Location: Burbank
OK started the damp rag upside down thing 2 days ago, so far no change. Added a weight this morning. lets see. It's also in a humidified room.

Edited by Mario 2019-01-04 10:34 AM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
alpep
Posted 2019-01-05 1:30 PM (#546414 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: Re: top issue


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581

Location: NJ
hydrate
check
hydrate
Top of the page Bottom of the page
BanjoJ
Posted 2019-01-09 8:06 PM (#546472 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: RE: top issue



Joined:
September 2012
Posts: 809

Location: Thredbo, NSW, Australia
Double post

Edited by BanjoJ 2019-01-09 8:14 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
BanjoJ
Posted 2019-01-09 8:13 PM (#546473 - in reply to #546332)
Subject: RE: top issue



Joined:
September 2012
Posts: 809

Location: Thredbo, NSW, Australia

I converted a small turnbuckle into a jack.  Didn't cost as much as the Stewmac jack.

 

I used it to repair my Folklore

http://ovationfanclub.com/megabbs/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=47091&posts=6#M525392

 

 



Edited by BanjoJ 2019-01-09 8:15 PM
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Jump to page : 1
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
Jump to forum :
Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

This message board and website is not sponsored or affiliated with Ovation® Guitars in any way.
Registered to: The Ovation Fanclub™ Copyright (c) 2001
free counters
(Delete all cookies set by this site)