The inlays I believe are a pretty standard set up for an old Jazz or Gypsy guitar. Most gypsy jazz guitars have a dot on the 5th, 7th and 10th and 12th fret, it it because on those frets they're all natural notes (except for second string, 7th fret) ? That makes more sense than the "standard" 9th fret one. So these are not wrong, just not your standard setup. Lovely guitar. Great job!
That's difficult. You'd probably need to widen the cavity a bit, then create a "plug" of the right thickness and material that matched the arch of the top. It would be easier with the top removed. You'd need some support for the plug too - some kind of bracing underneath, I assume. Once done, you'd have to refinish, but, unless it was a solid colour, the plug would remain visible.
@@TomboLP I mean years ago I saw in a video how they customized a two-pickup archtop guitar. What I liked was that they removed the bridge pickup and covered the rectangular shape in such a way that they did magic because they matched the paint on that guitar. They just left the neck pick up
@@TomboLP Thank you, I have a project to customize my guitar. I want to remove the bridge pickup. And just leave the neck pickup working. Besides, I want to know if it is possible to make a Florentine cut since the guitar is of a classical cut or no cut, that is to say round on its sides.
@@salvadortenorio9789 I see! Well, it's technically possible, but doing it properly it would mean taking the entire guitar apart. You would need to install new kerfing and make sure that the arched top mated properly with the cutaway. You would need to check - and probably modify - the top bracing. You would need to find a piece of wood that matched the sides, re-bind things and be able to refinish fully, as well as do a lot of other work. In my honest opinion, if it's a halfway decent guitar, you would put in a great deal of effort at a high risk of ruining it and wind up with something not quite as good as your current instrument. I am strongly tempted to say that you would be much better off building a new instrument from the beginning, buying a kit, or selling your current guitar and getting one with the specs you require. However, if it's a cheap or damaged guitar and you want to try the customization project just for fun, then why not? Just be aware that the results are not likely to be as good as for an instrument made that way in the first place. I should also say that I am making my statement without knowing your skill level or experience as a woodworker, so please forgive any assumptions on my part. You may possibly be able to achieve a fine result where many others would fail!
The company was an old one - it was started in 1928 by someone called Kichitaro Kondo and continued until the 60s, I think - but they were very small and mostly made classicals without trussrods so may not have been familiar with them. Also, this was from an era when a lot of Japanese electrics (i.e. Teisco and others) had strange features like the fake truss rod. It's even possible that this came from one of those factories and was marketed under the "Montano" name. Later archtops I've seen online from the same company have the "3-screw covers" that indicate a real rod underneath. Still, even those have the odd inlay placement.
Funny thing...now I look, the website seems to have vanished... Honestly, Shizuho is the most awesome apprentice ever. Her own work is really good. She's currently building both a bass guitar and a skateboard.
Such a beautiful guitar
Cheers..thank you. I really like it too. Great lines. I'll be making an archtop next year and might well use this body as my basis.
TomboLP wow, I'll be eagerly awaiting that!
The inlays I believe are a pretty standard set up for an old Jazz or Gypsy guitar. Most gypsy jazz guitars have a dot on the 5th, 7th and 10th and 12th fret, it it because on those frets they're all natural notes (except for second string, 7th fret) ? That makes more sense than the "standard" 9th fret one.
So these are not wrong, just not your standard setup.
Lovely guitar. Great job!
Thanks - that's really good to know. And yes, it does make more sense!
Nice one!
Cheers, mate. Tokyo waits for you...
Great job mate.
Thank you!
How to remove a bridge pickup and plug the hole in an arched top guitar.
That's difficult. You'd probably need to widen the cavity a bit, then create a "plug" of the right thickness and material that matched the arch of the top. It would be easier with the top removed. You'd need some support for the plug too - some kind of bracing underneath, I assume. Once done, you'd have to refinish, but, unless it was a solid colour, the plug would remain visible.
@@TomboLP I mean years ago I saw in a video how they customized a two-pickup archtop guitar. What I liked was that they removed the bridge pickup and covered the rectangular shape in such a way that they did magic because they matched the paint on that guitar. They just left the neck pick up
@@salvadortenorio9789 Thank you for clarification. That sounds amazing. You're right to call it magic - matching paint can be really, really hard.
@@TomboLP Thank you, I have a project to customize my guitar. I want to remove the bridge pickup. And just leave the neck pickup working. Besides, I want to know if it is possible to make a Florentine cut since the guitar is of a classical cut or no cut, that is to say round on its sides.
@@salvadortenorio9789 I see! Well, it's technically possible, but doing it properly it would mean taking the entire guitar apart. You would need to install new kerfing and make sure that the arched top mated properly with the cutaway. You would need to check - and probably modify - the top bracing. You would need to find a piece of wood that matched the sides, re-bind things and be able to refinish fully, as well as do a lot of other work. In my honest opinion, if it's a halfway decent guitar, you would put in a great deal of effort at a high risk of ruining it and wind up with something not quite as good as your current instrument. I am strongly tempted to say that you would be much better off building a new instrument from the beginning, buying a kit, or selling your current guitar and getting one with the specs you require.
However, if it's a cheap or damaged guitar and you want to try the customization project just for fun, then why not? Just be aware that the results are not likely to be as good as for an instrument made that way in the first place.
I should also say that I am making my statement without knowing your skill level or experience as a woodworker, so please forgive any assumptions on my part. You may possibly be able to achieve a fine result where many others would fail!
Seems weird that it had a back bow without a truss rod, but what a lovely guitar, do you reckon it was a home made job?
The company was an old one - it was started in 1928 by someone called Kichitaro Kondo and continued until the 60s, I think - but they were very small and mostly made classicals without trussrods so may not have been familiar with them. Also, this was from an era when a lot of Japanese electrics (i.e. Teisco and others) had strange features like the fake truss rod. It's even possible that this came from one of those factories and was marketed under the "Montano" name. Later archtops I've seen online from the same company have the "3-screw covers" that indicate a real rod underneath. Still, even those have the odd inlay placement.
TomboLP such a nice find,
Quick question do I need to upload a video to “start my RUclips channel?”
I don't think so. I think you just register.
TomboLP thanks Barnaby
And just where does one buy a cute Japanese girl online? :-D
Funny thing...now I look, the website seems to have vanished...
Honestly, Shizuho is the most awesome apprentice ever. Her own work is really good. She's currently building both a bass guitar and a skateboard.