Total bummer, but much respect to you Ted for taking responsibility and making it right for the customer. Your dedication and integrity to the craft is exemplary.
This is a perfect amalgam of the few major failures I've dealt with in my shop. 1: A Takamine where the owner tried to adjust the truss rod himself instead of dealing with the 20% humidity level at his home. Truss rod broke and needed replaced. The epoxy was basically impossible to separate. Absolute nightmare, but I made it work. 2: A low-end one-off classical that had a faux Spanish heel, and desperately needed a neck reset. After trying to remove the neck like a normal dovetail, it wouldn't budge, and appeared to be an actual Spanish heel (you know what that means). Client decided on the "Kung-Fu" neck reset. Turned out that it was a dovetail, just a bizarrely wide and long one with the joint end _between_ the frets. 3: Japanese Fender Jaguar with a substantial warp in the neck. Heat set it, planed the board, and refretted it. Seemed great for the first few weeks, but the problems came back. I couldn't charge the client more, and didn't feel right with him having paid for work that didn't pan out, so I built him an exact copy with torrefied maple and other premium parts and materials at no extra cost. He liked it so much that he had me build him a new body too. So it worked out in the end. 99% of things work out perfectly, but in a real shop, these issues happen. I really appreciate you showcasing them, because everybody else's portrayal of lutherie on RUclips is heavily curated and tries to fabricate this fantastical image of everything going right 100% of the time, which is nonsense. I started making videos to show the reality of this work, but your videos have filled that void, so less work for me 🙂 I appreciate you, Todd! When people ask me who to watch for this stuff, you're my first and only choice. Everybody else is either so-so, or falsely portray the job. Your videos are exactly what was needed in this field.
Everyone gets bitten once in a while. I admire you for stepping up and accepting what you have to do to "make it right". I used to be an automobile technician. I really understand that feeling! Thanks for sharing.
Same. I was pretty glad I got into the habit of telling management immediately when I screwed up. Other guys would wait and hide it until the customer came to get the car and saw it, then asks "what happened here?" or "why isn't my car done yet?" Because Jim didn't tell them he popped a tire until he was done with the car. Well, because someone with no integrity screwed up and didn't tell anyone until 20 mins before the customer got there. I learned not to do that the first time I tried it.
Used to tell my coworkers and clients in the world of graphics and communication, expect a perfect result every time and the world will school you. Sometimes things go badly in spite of everything. Your honesty and work ethic are commendable. Informative and instructive video, much appreciated!!!
Thanks for sharing this Ted, I look forward to part 2. I know it’s no longer about profit and you’re a good man for taking it for the customer. Given the information, a new neck and fretboard seems like the only thing to do and a huge improvement. You do museum quality work so this will be super interesting for us. God Bless.
I love the fact that even with the absolute shit show that this turned into you still didn't have an ounce of defeat in your voice! Yeah, there was angst and trepidation...but no defeat! Bravo! Can't wait to see how this plays out.
Me either! "Next week" has come and gone. Where's part 2?!? 😉 J/K I just recently discovered your channel and have been amazed by your skills. You're pretty much the Yoda of the luthier world in my mind at this point. Looking forward to learning what nifty techniques you use to duplicate a neck. Best of luck with things cooperating a little more from here on out!
I love the professional integrity. I’ve had to do this a time or three in my field of work, flooring. It’s not fun, and never cheap. But the message it sends is priceless and lasts a lifetime. Customers never forget when they’ve been taken…or taken care of. Great decision Ted.
Ted, I have high admiration for your decision to address this situation with absolute integrity and the sincere desire to make things right. You are in a minority of artists who work to such high standards. You have my sympathy for the unpredictable outcome of the non-curing epoxy and my respect for treating your customer and his guitar with the utmost respect. There are others on RUclips who claim to work in your area of expertise that would have told the customer that the guitar was THEIR PROBLEM. You stand head and shoulders above them.
I've been watching all your videos religiously but it's the first time I'm commenting. First off, THANK YOU for making those vids. Your work is nothing short of exemplary and it's always kind of zen watch for me. Right now is a very difficult time for me as my beloved cat is sick with leukemia and a debilitating anaemia and this video is the first thing that took my mind off of that for a while. Once again, thank you!
My song writing kitty Bilge, of 21 years is having seizures, and I was holding her and watching Ted's Zen, Darn critters capture our hearts, I wish you and your little beastie well. Kindness is a blessing.. Here is a clip of my kitty at 3 minutes ruclips.net/video/KB5kmdN337Y/видео.html
i've always suspected that this sort of thing can happen. and it's not surprising that those doing the repairs are reluctant to acknowledge it. good to see that you are. it says a LOT about one's integrity. kudos!!!!!
Every week I'm reminded why I love this channel more than any other. It's not just the meticulous and well articulated guitar repair stuff. It's mostly the little history lessons on topics you might never otherwise encounter, the sense of dedication and responsibility that's evident always, and the general cantankerousness in the face of a world that tries its best to befuddle and swindle us all. I don't know how Ted does it, but I sure am glad he does.
My very first drum kit had 'Morris' hi-hats, given to me by my Mum for Christmas 1980, a.k.a. the best Christmas ever 😊👍 Most likely the same company 🙂
You did it all right an yet it failed. I admire your honesty. This would have been an easy one not to display. can't wait to see how it finishes. Thank you Ted
I know Ted doesn’t spend a lot of time in the comments, but as a watcher of every single video of his, I want to put it out there that he is all class, 100%. Full Stop... Immensely thoughtful and experienced, cautious yet measured in his approach and genuinely upstanding in his commitment to the outcome that best represents the multitude of factors, stabilized by his experiences. I know he will do well by the customer in this situation and I am thankful that he shared this experience for all of us to appreciate and learn and be reminded of what true craftsmanship is made of…
My Dad would say “you can explain a higher price but there is no excuse for poor workmanship.” A trait not common these days, thanks for taking the high road. It will maintain your “miracle worker” status. Good on you.
I dont normally make comments on youtube, but as a custom builder this was awesome to see. Every now and then things go really really badly, and on occasion ive had to start from scratch sometimes half way or even 3/4 of the way through a build. It sucks and feels terrible - knowing youre the only one that can fix it and make it right again is a heavy burden. This is the first time ive ever seen anyone in our industry be honest when mistakes get made. We are human and this reminds me of that. Good on ya for being real about it. Good luck with the new neck!
When I had my own electronics repair shop, a customer brought in a video disc player(remember them?) that was inoperative. I spent a couple of hours disassembling, and repairing it, until it was working fine. Just to be sure, I left it running on the work bench mostly disassembled. I thought it was in a stable position. I went to the front of the shop, and heard this horrible crash, and crunching sound... the main circuit board had broken in two, upon hitting the floor. A circuit board was not available for replacement, of course, so I spent 6 or 8 hours repairing each broken circuit board land that had broken. It worked flawlessly when I was done. I returned it to the customer, and charged him for the original repair, never telling him about the disaster. I saw him again a couple of years later, and found out he had never used the player after the repair! Being a conscientious technician means doing what is necessary to "make it right". Bravo for your work ethic, and thank you for sharing even when it's a cluster.
With all of my love and Admiration I would like to say that this RUclips channel is the AM radio station of my subscriptions. I watch it analytically and attentively and it adds a layer of calm to my viewing experience. Great work as always.
Not only do I admire your skill, I also admire your honesty and integrity. Thanks for showing this video. My Dad always said you reap what you sow. Cheers
I own a Giannini 000-28 knockoff that I bought new in 1973 that has the exact same problems as this. I love the guitar as it has traveled a long road with me in my life. Today it has acceptable action, barely. The saddle is very low to accomodate playability, but the sound it produces is not what it once was. I might just slot the saddle for a better break angle on the strings but I really want to remove the fretboard, replace the truss rod and do a neck reset. I've been hesitating on that for several years now as I am unable to find any data on this Giannini in regard to the neck attachment and glues as you sadly found out on this Morris. If any one out there knows how these vintage Giannini's were put together it sure would help. I scour the internet hoping to find a similar Giannini to experiment on, the sacrficial lamb, so to speak! Thank you for all of your insights.
Despite the failure of the repair, massive respect for showing this process on RUclips. Many repairers might have buried the bad news by not even uploading this video but in seeing how a repair can spring nasty surprises we can all learn a couple of great lessons. Sometimes you have to quit while you're ahead, sometimes even the most reliable epoxy can surprise you by refusing to bond. Thinking about the epoxy, maybe you measured one chemical twice into the mixing pot by mistake?
In the custom drapery business a long time ago I once washed a ladies draperies that were made of a fabric that never should have seen water. Oh the shame. Eating much crow I supplied her with new draperies. All to say I can commiserate. So Ted I commend you for even posting this vid...honesty, integrity and courage exemplified! I watch all you vids and like someone else said....time to buy a T!
Thanks for sharing such a difficult situation. Your dedication to doing what’s right for the customer speaks volumes and you are a credit to professional luthiers everywhere 🙏
I've watched you for years and have great respect for your skill and methodology, but it is less than the respect I have for how you handle a disaster. You are a good man.
Wow! Ted - I'm so glad I'm making electric guitars, repaired them for years and never had complaints from anybody so far. I've taken some acoustic guitars just to add piezo, mics or pickups. If someone had wood structure damage they'd ask me and I would point out the opportunity to use their lifetime warranties from their builder's contracts such as Martin, Gibson or Taylor as examples. Especially the higher end instruments built. I feel for you but my wife knew I could and did make parts-casters so now she wants me to focus my 50 years and make electric guitars and I'm doing just that. She smart that way. It's still fun and being 65 years old with physical disabilities and playing with wood and electronics. My dad repaired TV, recievers to studio equipment and that's what I learned first. The woodshop is harder because I just started learning this 10 years ago, it's new to me. Even using a face shield is new to me or sharpening tools, even handplanes is knew. I use Stanley #3 - 4 & 6.2. I have a Taylor 4.5 and a Buck Brothers smoothing plane and the 6.2 (Stanley Sweetheart) are low angle planes. When they cut they are fun depending if they grab the wood period. The Stanley #4 is everything RUclips has shown me. Learning this stuff is at my fingertips and my cellphone. Wow!
Wish my auto mechanic had the same mindset of "making things right" as you do. You are a credit to the whole world of guitar repair. Keep on. We're proud of you.
You reminded me of something with that truss rod. I tried building an electric guitar when I was young. I designed, assembled/glued,cut and finished the body. I picked up a cheap guitar for a temporary neck just to get it working (A gremlin I think). I tried to adjust the truss and it popped right out the back of the neck. Needless to say this set me back as I attempted a glue and repair and re-shape the neck, I ended up giving up because I determined that I made the body out of the wrong wood, it was maple, and it was very heavy. You live and learn. Lots of love for what you do.
In my line of work we have a problem with ‘results dissemination’ called the file drawer effect - where inconvenient results never see the light of day. This a good example of openness when it’s not a happy ending. As always, your ethics are commendable Ted. Great video, really looking forward to Part 2.
LOL, after doing some home renovation projects this week, I am really enjoying the emotional therapy your mess is offering. I wish us all the best of luck in salvaging our projects and sanity.
I am a metal worker/fabricator by profession and have worked on guitars for over 30 years. My thought at this point would be to set the neck into the Bridgeport mill and mill the fretboard off. If it could be clamped extremely straight and secure, you could end up with a very straight neck onto which a new fretboard could be glued...after replacing the truss rod, of course. I love watching your work Ted!
My thought would be to preserve the neck but replace the fretboard. I’d yank the frets, then carefully machine off most of the fretboard with a router jig, leaving only a small bit left to be scraped off. With fretboard gone then you would know if it’s a dovetail or what, and upgrade the truss rod and reset the heel.
Ted, since I discovered you channel a few months ago, I slowly made my way through all of your old videos, and am now caught up! Can't wait for part 2 next week.
Man looks in the abyss, there’s nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss........
I totally understand the owner's perspective, because I did the same thing and threw good money after bad. Last year I bought a mint condition 1977 S. Yairi dreadnought case queen for $600 that unfortunately had intonation issues above the 12th fret so... New bridge and a neck reset later, I am $1,500(including purchase price) into a guitar that has veneered sides and back. Being light as a feather with mahogany veneer inside and out, we couldn't tell it was veneered until the neck was removed. The luthier was honest, kept me informed and I had final say over each step so it was all my own fault. For the money I had into it I could have could have skipped the repair, sold the guitar then purchased a brand new, all solid wood, Eastman E10D with perfect intonation and low string height for less. Too soon old, too late smart.
I know it doesn't feel good, but being honest and putting in the work to hand back your customer a playable (and even better) guitar is what makes a good, trustworthy businessman. If I were in your area this is the sort of thing that would make me want to send you my work even more than I did before. It tells me that no matter what, you'll do your best by me. You're good people.
Props for integrity good Sir! I have now watched ALL of your videos. I bought the Veritas Carver's Knife, love it, fits my big paws wonderfully, much more control. Picked up numerous tips tricks and the most I have ever done was install pickups, wiring and a pre-amp or two only one of which required wood work. Absolutely love your narrative style....... I wish you many happy tunes!😁
Holy shit snacks, that turn at the end was not what I was expecting! You are a phenomenal luthier and I have every confidence that this will end up being awesome. I really appreciate seeing when things go bad though, it shows that you’re human and that you don’t just give up, you find a solution.
My store imports a lot of used instruments from Japan and amongst them is always a few mid to high range Morris models. They are phenomenal for their prices and so many of the higher ones use old stock Brazilian rosewood for backs and sides.
Not gonna lie,to watch you make a new neck is best outcome for us.You are master at your craft and a great guy.Its only human to make mistake once in a while.You own to it like a man and thats admirable.Best of luck!
Hi, great videos, and thanks to your knowledge and free sharing i had the courage to reset my 10yr old Tanglewood, just a saddle lowered and truss rod let off a bit... but it was fun and worked a treat, thanks again. keep it up
If you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plans... Thanks for letting us share this life lesson. You're the best repair channel on RUclips without a doubt. Ta.
what a nightmare also, people are commenting on "learning from our mistakes" but i'm not sure what the actual _mistake_ was here; it was more two painful _discoveries_ , both really unlikely, both involving epoxy and both just completely randomly happening to the same guitar a fretboard glued with epoxy in the first place (!) and a form that wouldn't soften with heat at that, then an apparently well-regarded brand of modern epoxy that decided to completely fail
Do I really want to see it go wrong? No, not really. I'd prefer it all works out. However, as someone who frequently does things wrong, I can't deny that I'd also appreciate seeing how a master fixes things when they do. Thanks for the learning experience.
OMG. My heart goes out to you. All of us who work for a living have had this happen. It seems to be an unjust reward for our intentions. After all, we’re just trying to make things better and earn a living while we do it. Best regards to you and looking forward to see the neck duplicating video.
The insight and honesty is always appreciated. This is why people want to sent you their instruments over international borders, no matter how impractical that may seem. Sure, there might be closer repairmen and women just as good or even better than you, as you say, but they haven't shown us all that you have. We've gotten to know you and your methods and thought process. That's worth a lot to many of us when it comes to out cherished instruments. I wouldn't blame someone from outside your country for trying to convince you to take on their guitar issue, regardless of the potential cost. I look forward to Part Two.
Ted, thank you so much for sharing a “failure” repair (so far). It goes a long way in confirming my suspicions that you are a human. We all have failures that we can hide or be responsible for and make right. Congratulations on being a responsible adult human who isn’t “perfect”.
@@kindisc agreed. As an armchair luthier, my first thought when he started was replace the fretboard. Maybe pull the frets and use 40 grit sandpaper and get rid of that fretboard.
AND also having customers that prefer to 'maintain' their worn out stuff at any cost. maybe suggesting to the customer that there are thousands of perfectly good, used, acoustic guitars on the markets that sound and play better than the junk on your bench. if your making nicer music more easily, that''s a plus. it also the point of having an instrument. you can always hang you beloved 'companion' on your living room wall, to resonate in sympathy whilst you're actually making music with a nice guitar.
Without in any way wanting to poke around in your misfortune, this was hands-down one of the BEST videos I have seen from you. Not only because of the fascinating account of the failed repair, but also because I am now anticipating a possibly even more fascinating neck rebuild.
Your perseverance, sir. You maybe are the best. I'm really excited for the next part, however I offer condolences for all the trouble this thing has been causing you. I personally just had to scrap a quarter sawn ebony fretboard because I made a huge mistake. We won some we lose some. Keep winning.
Huge Respect Ted, Thank You! I used epoxy on building a wood boat with our local Jr High and emphasized weight or volume ratios, recording temperature changes and mixing, mixing, mixing until your sure, then keep mixing. Unfortunately the Epoxy didn't cure. We had to start over with fresh reagents, and the same friggin' thing happened! One definition of insanity is repeating the same steps expecting a different outcome. I hate Epoxy, any other adhesive is preferred in my shop. I agree the the Enemy of Good is Better! You graciously Teach So many very Wise Lessons Again Thank You and Respect!
What a brilliant example of reality check! Just as in life, things go wrong, oh boy they do, even when no one's to blame, despite all known caution. Yet you handled this calmly and diligently, at least for the camera! I do minor repairs by comparison but always warn the owner, bad things might happen, d'you want me to go ahead?
I got some secondhand anxiety realizing when things were going south as it's a feeling I can relate to from my many failed repairs on both cars and musical instruments. Best thing to do in these circumstances is try to stay calm, because your first instinct is always to try some desperate hairbrained scheme that usually makes the situation worse, at least in my experience. I totally destroyed a few necks when I was younger by doing exactly that, becoming more experienced helps mitigate it but we're humans and we make mistakes. Many times I've been handed instruments that were "repaired" by "luthiers" that were done so incredibly poorly that I was inspired to learn how to do it myself, so it's nice to see that you're one of the few who both takes responsibility when things go wrong and goes the extra mile to make sure everything that leaves your workshop is the best that you can make it. I'm very much still learning, but you're the kind of luthier that I try to learn from.
As luck would have it, I have a guitar in my shop which needs to have the fingerboard replaced. Rather than using heat etc to remove the existing board, your video has now convinced me to simply pull the frets, remove the nut, and plane it off.
Total bummer, but much respect to you Ted for taking responsibility and making it right for the customer. Your dedication and integrity to the craft is exemplary.
Yes I do want to see it go wrong. Looking forward to part 2.
This is a perfect amalgam of the few major failures I've dealt with in my shop.
1: A Takamine where the owner tried to adjust the truss rod himself instead of dealing with the 20% humidity level at his home. Truss rod broke and needed replaced. The epoxy was basically impossible to separate. Absolute nightmare, but I made it work.
2: A low-end one-off classical that had a faux Spanish heel, and desperately needed a neck reset. After trying to remove the neck like a normal dovetail, it wouldn't budge, and appeared to be an actual Spanish heel (you know what that means). Client decided on the "Kung-Fu" neck reset. Turned out that it was a dovetail, just a bizarrely wide and long one with the joint end _between_ the frets.
3: Japanese Fender Jaguar with a substantial warp in the neck. Heat set it, planed the board, and refretted it. Seemed great for the first few weeks, but the problems came back. I couldn't charge the client more, and didn't feel right with him having paid for work that didn't pan out, so I built him an exact copy with torrefied maple and other premium parts and materials at no extra cost. He liked it so much that he had me build him a new body too. So it worked out in the end.
99% of things work out perfectly, but in a real shop, these issues happen. I really appreciate you showcasing them, because everybody else's portrayal of lutherie on RUclips is heavily curated and tries to fabricate this fantastical image of everything going right 100% of the time, which is nonsense. I started making videos to show the reality of this work, but your videos have filled that void, so less work for me 🙂
I appreciate you, Todd! When people ask me who to watch for this stuff, you're my first and only choice. Everybody else is either so-so, or falsely portray the job. Your videos are exactly what was needed in this field.
Thank you for sharing your experiences as well!
@@tonyt.1596 You're welcome!
Everyone gets bitten once in a while. I admire you for stepping up and accepting what you have to do to "make it right". I used to be an automobile technician. I really understand that feeling! Thanks for sharing.
Same. I was pretty glad I got into the habit of telling management immediately when I screwed up. Other guys would wait and hide it until the customer came to get the car and saw it, then asks "what happened here?" or "why isn't my car done yet?" Because Jim didn't tell them he popped a tire until he was done with the car.
Well, because someone with no integrity screwed up and didn't tell anyone until 20 mins before the customer got there. I learned not to do that the first time I tried it.
Mr. Woodford was raised properly. Ethics, there is NO substitute.
@@eliduttman315 no subsitution for ethics, and penetration is paramount.
Used to tell my coworkers and clients in the world of graphics and communication, expect a perfect result every time and the world will school you. Sometimes things go badly in spite of everything. Your honesty and work ethic are commendable. Informative and instructive video, much appreciated!!!
I needed to hear that right now. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this Ted, I look forward to part 2. I know it’s no longer about profit and you’re a good man for taking it for the customer. Given the information, a new neck and fretboard seems like the only thing to do and a huge improvement. You do museum quality work so this will be super interesting for us. God Bless.
I love the fact that even with the absolute shit show that this turned into you still didn't have an ounce of defeat in your voice! Yeah, there was angst and trepidation...but no defeat! Bravo! Can't wait to see how this plays out.
There was probably a good half hour of profanity left out when he edited this video.
Me either! "Next week" has come and gone. Where's part 2?!? 😉 J/K
I just recently discovered your channel and have been amazed by your skills. You're pretty much the Yoda of the luthier world in my mind at this point. Looking forward to learning what nifty techniques you use to duplicate a neck. Best of luck with things cooperating a little more from here on out!
Looking forward to seeing how this repair turns out! Definitely a tough one! Excellent video! Thanks for sharing this !👍😃🎸🎶
one thing to make right your mistake with the customer. its another to show the entire world. my hat too you sir
I love the professional integrity. I’ve had to do this a time or three in my field of work, flooring. It’s not fun, and never cheap. But the message it sends is priceless and lasts a lifetime. Customers never forget when they’ve been taken…or taken care of. Great decision Ted.
Ted, I have high admiration for your decision to address this situation with absolute integrity and the sincere desire to make things right. You are in a minority of artists who work to such high standards. You have my sympathy for the unpredictable outcome of the non-curing epoxy and my respect for treating your customer and his guitar with the utmost respect. There are others on RUclips who claim to work in your area of expertise that would have told the customer that the guitar was THEIR PROBLEM. You stand head and shoulders above them.
So much integrity, being willing to go the extra mile to correct a mistake. The owner is lucky they came to you.
I've been watching all your videos religiously but it's the first time I'm commenting. First off, THANK YOU for making those vids. Your work is nothing short of exemplary and it's always kind of zen watch for me. Right now is a very difficult time for me as my beloved cat is sick with leukemia and a debilitating anaemia and this video is the first thing that took my mind off of that for a while. Once again, thank you!
Sorry about your kitty…I’ve been in the same situation and finally had to have her euthanized.
My song writing kitty Bilge, of 21 years is having seizures, and I was holding her and watching Ted's Zen, Darn critters capture our hearts, I wish you and your little beastie well. Kindness is a blessing.. Here is a clip of my kitty at 3 minutes ruclips.net/video/KB5kmdN337Y/видео.html
i've always suspected that this sort of thing can happen. and it's not surprising that those doing the repairs are reluctant to acknowledge it. good to see that you are. it says a LOT about one's integrity. kudos!!!!!
I think you knew how important this was for everyone to see, and it made for a great video.
Every week I'm reminded why I love this channel more than any other. It's not just the meticulous and well articulated guitar repair stuff. It's mostly the little history lessons on topics you might never otherwise encounter, the sense of dedication and responsibility that's evident always, and the general cantankerousness in the face of a world that tries its best to befuddle and swindle us all. I don't know how Ted does it, but I sure am glad he does.
Oh, and I laughed so hard when he said applesauce that I scared my cat. One of those giant spring straight up into the air things. Fun!
Well, that settles it ... time for a Woodford t-shirt! Fascinating video, as ever, Ted - looking forward to Part 2!
Got mine in the mail yesterday!
My very first drum kit had 'Morris' hi-hats, given to me by my Mum for Christmas 1980, a.k.a. the best Christmas ever 😊👍 Most likely the same company 🙂
You did it all right an yet it failed. I admire your honesty. This would have been an easy one not to display. can't wait to see how it finishes. Thank you Ted
I know Ted doesn’t spend a lot of time in the comments, but as a watcher of every single video of his, I want to put it out there that he is all class, 100%. Full Stop... Immensely thoughtful and experienced, cautious yet measured in his approach and genuinely upstanding in his commitment to the outcome that best represents the multitude of factors, stabilized by his experiences. I know he will do well by the customer in this situation and I am thankful that he shared this experience for all of us to appreciate and learn and be reminded of what true craftsmanship is made of…
Ho Lee Buddy , Ted is Canadian . it is not 'full stop' , it is 'full send', and i can tell you that for free , eh ?
Stepping up when it all goes pear shaped. Kudos. Looking forward to round two.
My Dad would say “you can explain a higher price but there is no excuse for poor workmanship.” A trait not common these days, thanks for taking the high road. It will maintain your “miracle worker” status. Good on you.
I dont normally make comments on youtube, but as a custom builder this was awesome to see. Every now and then things go really really badly, and on occasion ive had to start from scratch sometimes half way or even 3/4 of the way through a build. It sucks and feels terrible - knowing youre the only one that can fix it and make it right again is a heavy burden. This is the first time ive ever seen anyone in our industry be honest when mistakes get made. We are human and this reminds me of that. Good on ya for being real about it. Good luck with the new neck!
I haven't come across this level of integrity from a service provider in my entire life.
When I had my own electronics repair shop, a customer brought in a video disc player(remember them?) that was inoperative. I spent a couple of hours disassembling, and repairing it, until it was working fine. Just to be sure, I left it running on the work bench mostly disassembled. I thought it was in a stable position. I went to the front of the shop, and heard this horrible crash, and crunching sound... the main circuit board had broken in two, upon hitting the floor. A circuit board was not available for replacement, of course, so I spent 6 or 8 hours repairing each broken circuit board land that had broken. It worked flawlessly when I was done. I returned it to the customer, and charged him for the original repair, never telling him about the disaster. I saw him again a couple of years later, and found out he had never used the player after the repair! Being a conscientious technician means doing what is necessary to "make it right". Bravo for your work ethic, and thank you for sharing even when it's a cluster.
Ouch! This is painful on many levels!
In my industry, if we fuck up, we charge the customer to fix it. Yours is a labour of love Ted. Love the videos and hope tomorrow goes better for you.
Good on you Ted - integrity is everything.
Ouch.
On a more selfish note, looking forward to part 2. A treat, I suspect.
Integrity. Such a delight to see it in your work ethic, my friend. Well done. This alone deserves respect and admiration.
With all of my love and Admiration I would like to say that this RUclips channel is the AM radio station of my subscriptions. I watch it analytically and attentively and it adds a layer of calm to my viewing experience. Great work as always.
Not only do I admire your skill, I also admire your honesty and integrity. Thanks for showing this video. My Dad always said you reap what you sow. Cheers
This is a video I’ve wanted to see for a long time, a professional making an error and having the guts to put it out there. Good on ya Ted.
One has to give credit for not only taking responsibility for the outcome, but also sharing it with us.
It's nice to see a REAL craftsman at work.
It is good to see the good and the ugly as stuff does get very ugly. Thank you for sharing.
Nice to see it actually go wrong, followed by your commitment to make it right. That's what a true craftsperson does.
The most troublesome cases make for the most compelling viewing. Can't wait for next week!
You poor dude. Ted, you did your best and you'll make things right in the end. You can do it! 😊
The honesty of this man is outstanding
Your honesty and integrity are beyond measure. I hope you made some money on your other work that month.
I own a Giannini 000-28 knockoff that I bought new in 1973 that has the exact same problems as this. I love the guitar as it has traveled a long road with me in my life. Today it has acceptable action, barely. The saddle is very low to accomodate playability, but the sound it produces is not what it once was. I might just slot the saddle for a better break angle on the strings but I really want to remove the fretboard, replace the truss rod and do a neck reset. I've been hesitating on that for several years now as I am unable to find any data on this Giannini in regard to the neck attachment and glues as you sadly found out on this Morris. If any one out there knows how these vintage Giannini's were put together it sure would help. I scour the internet hoping to find a similar Giannini to experiment on, the sacrficial lamb, so to speak! Thank you for all of your insights.
WOW Ted...just WOW...certainly a rock and hard place on this one!😵💫
Despite the failure of the repair, massive respect for showing this process on RUclips. Many repairers might have buried the bad news by not even uploading this video but in seeing how a repair can spring nasty surprises we can all learn a couple of great lessons. Sometimes you have to quit while you're ahead, sometimes even the most reliable epoxy can surprise you by refusing to bond. Thinking about the epoxy, maybe you measured one chemical twice into the mixing pot by mistake?
In the custom drapery business a long time ago I once washed a ladies draperies that were made of a fabric that never should have seen water. Oh the shame. Eating much crow I supplied her with new draperies. All to say I can commiserate. So Ted I commend you for even posting this vid...honesty, integrity and courage exemplified! I watch all you vids and like someone else said....time to buy a T!
Thanks for sharing such a difficult situation. Your dedication to doing what’s right for the customer speaks volumes and you are a credit to professional luthiers everywhere 🙏
We learn most from our mistakes. Although frustrating I’m glad you shared this with us.
I look forward to part 2
ruclips.net/video/pDgpSlmMBP0/видео.htmlsi=RCnGiEak1x7-rsuh
I've watched you for years and have great respect for your skill and methodology, but it is less than the respect I have for how you handle a disaster. You are a good man.
Wow! Ted - I'm so glad I'm making electric guitars, repaired them for years and never had complaints from anybody so far. I've taken some acoustic guitars just to add piezo, mics or pickups. If someone had wood structure damage they'd ask me and I would point out the opportunity to use their lifetime warranties from their builder's contracts such as Martin, Gibson or Taylor as examples. Especially the higher end instruments built. I feel for you but my wife knew I could and did make parts-casters so now she wants me to focus my 50 years and make electric guitars and I'm doing just that. She smart that way. It's still fun and being 65 years old with physical disabilities and playing with wood and electronics. My dad repaired TV, recievers to studio equipment and that's what I learned first. The woodshop is harder because I just started learning this 10 years ago, it's new to me. Even using a face shield is new to me or sharpening tools, even handplanes is knew. I use Stanley #3 - 4 & 6.2. I have a Taylor 4.5 and a Buck Brothers smoothing plane and the 6.2 (Stanley Sweetheart) are low angle planes. When they cut they are fun depending if they grab the wood period. The Stanley #4 is everything RUclips has shown me. Learning this stuff is at my fingertips and my cellphone. Wow!
Wish my auto mechanic had the same mindset of "making things right" as you do. You are a credit to the whole world of guitar repair. Keep on. We're proud of you.
You reminded me of something with that truss rod. I tried building an electric guitar when I was young. I designed, assembled/glued,cut and finished the body. I picked up a cheap guitar for a temporary neck just to get it working (A gremlin I think). I tried to adjust the truss and it popped right out the back of the neck. Needless to say this set me back as I attempted a glue and repair and re-shape the neck, I ended up giving up because I determined that I made the body out of the wrong wood, it was maple, and it was very heavy. You live and learn. Lots of love for what you do.
Oh Ted, I feel your pain. Your honesty and integrity is second to none.
Chin up and press on.
Sending love and light to you,
Keep safe 👍
In my line of work we have a problem with ‘results dissemination’ called the file drawer effect - where inconvenient results never see the light of day. This a good example of openness when it’s not a happy ending. As always, your ethics are commendable Ted. Great video, really looking forward to Part 2.
Wow, that was a really spicey episode. Thanks for sharing this with us. Looking forward to part 2 next week!
LOL, after doing some home renovation projects this week, I am really enjoying the emotional therapy your mess is offering. I wish us all the best of luck in salvaging our projects and sanity.
I am a metal worker/fabricator by profession and have worked on guitars for over 30 years. My thought at this point would be to set the neck into the Bridgeport mill and mill the fretboard off. If it could be clamped extremely straight and secure, you could end up with a very straight neck onto which a new fretboard could be glued...after replacing the truss rod, of course. I love watching your work Ted!
Uggg.....That sinking feeling you get when a project goes sideways and it keeps compounding. I know your pain my friend
I would have been tempted to plane the fretboard off. Love your enthusiasm even in the face of problems.
Oh Man! So sorry about this repair going south. You're going above and beyond with the fix. Hope you're feeling better physically.
Sorry for your troubles. Thank you for your integrity.
The DRAMA!!! I'm all a-tingle with anticipatory delight!
My thought would be to preserve the neck but replace the fretboard. I’d yank the frets, then carefully machine off most of the fretboard with a router jig, leaving only a small bit left to be scraped off. With fretboard gone then you would know if it’s a dovetail or what, and upgrade the truss rod and reset the heel.
So happy to see him close to 100k subs!! I remember he had only 20k. Such an amazing channel, both entertaining and educational.
Ouch... yup it happens. Good intentions to go the full distance... but Lassie forgot to mention the road was washed out.
Ted, since I discovered you channel a few months ago, I slowly made my way through all of your old videos, and am now caught up! Can't wait for part 2 next week.
Enjoying the drama of this episode, keep doing what you do... 👈😉👍
Man looks in the abyss, there’s nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss........
I totally understand the owner's perspective, because I did the same thing and threw good money after bad. Last year I bought a mint condition 1977 S. Yairi dreadnought case queen for $600 that unfortunately had intonation issues above the 12th fret so... New bridge and a neck reset later, I am $1,500(including purchase price) into a guitar that has veneered sides and back. Being light as a feather with mahogany veneer inside and out, we couldn't tell it was veneered until the neck was removed. The luthier was honest, kept me informed and I had final say over each step so it was all my own fault. For the money I had into it I could have could have skipped the repair, sold the guitar then purchased a brand new, all solid wood, Eastman E10D with perfect intonation and low string height for less. Too soon old, too late smart.
I know it doesn't feel good, but being honest and putting in the work to hand back your customer a playable (and even better) guitar is what makes a good, trustworthy businessman. If I were in your area this is the sort of thing that would make me want to send you my work even more than I did before. It tells me that no matter what, you'll do your best by me.
You're good people.
I am in awe of your transparency and integrity. You're an honorable man.
Props for integrity good Sir!
I have now watched ALL of your videos. I bought the Veritas Carver's Knife, love it, fits my big paws wonderfully, much more control. Picked up numerous tips tricks and the most I have ever done was install pickups, wiring and a pre-amp or two only one of which required wood work. Absolutely love your narrative style.......
I wish you many happy tunes!😁
Holy shit snacks, that turn at the end was not what I was expecting! You are a phenomenal luthier and I have every confidence that this will end up being awesome. I really appreciate seeing when things go bad though, it shows that you’re human and that you don’t just give up, you find a solution.
Haha shit snacks
epoxy boat builder says a long "OPEN" time means no cure, especially in cold weather
My store imports a lot of used instruments from Japan and amongst them is always a few mid to high range Morris models. They are phenomenal for their prices and so many of the higher ones use old stock Brazilian rosewood for backs and sides.
Not gonna lie,to watch you make a new neck is best outcome for us.You are master at your craft and a great guy.Its only human to make mistake once in a while.You own to it like a man and thats admirable.Best of luck!
I can actually feel your pain. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. You are a stellar human being. Thank you for your videos!
Hi, great videos, and thanks to your knowledge and free sharing i had the courage to reset my 10yr old Tanglewood, just a saddle lowered and truss rod let off a bit... but it was fun and worked a treat, thanks again. keep it up
Thank you for showing the integrity within you Ted. I had no doubt it was there. You are an amazing man :)
While on one hand, that sucks and I feel your pain. On the other, this is content gold! It's gold, Jerry! Gold! I can't wait to see how you fix it!
better than any drama on tv!
Damn, there is attention great attention to quality and customer care.
The positive swell of music as you somberly conclude your tragic tale is the kind of juxtaposition I come here for. Great video even in failure.
Dang Ted, thats a total bummer. I am so impressed with your willingness to meet your customers needs and give you kudos for the act. Well done sir!
If you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your plans...
Thanks for letting us share this life lesson. You're the best repair channel on RUclips without a doubt.
Ta.
what a nightmare
also, people are commenting on "learning from our mistakes" but i'm not sure what the actual _mistake_ was here; it was more two painful _discoveries_ , both really unlikely, both involving epoxy and both just completely randomly happening to the same guitar
a fretboard glued with epoxy in the first place (!) and a form that wouldn't soften with heat at that, then an apparently well-regarded brand of modern epoxy that decided to completely fail
Do I really want to see it go wrong? No, not really. I'd prefer it all works out. However, as someone who frequently does things wrong, I can't deny that I'd also appreciate seeing how a master fixes things when they do. Thanks for the learning experience.
OMG. My heart goes out to you. All of us who work for a living have had this happen. It seems to be an unjust reward for our intentions. After all, we’re just trying to make things better and earn a living while we do it. Best regards to you and looking forward to see the neck duplicating video.
As an electronics repair guy, I also live the knowledge that occasionally I’ll end up with a complete fail. Experience just reduces the likelihood.
The insight and honesty is always appreciated. This is why people want to sent you their instruments over international borders, no matter how impractical that may seem. Sure, there might be closer repairmen and women just as good or even better than you, as you say, but they haven't shown us all that you have. We've gotten to know you and your methods and thought process. That's worth a lot to many of us when it comes to out cherished instruments. I wouldn't blame someone from outside your country for trying to convince you to take on their guitar issue, regardless of the potential cost. I look forward to Part Two.
Ted, thank you so much for sharing a “failure” repair (so far). It goes a long way in confirming my suspicions that you are a human. We all have failures that we can hide or be responsible for and make right. Congratulations on being a responsible adult human who isn’t “perfect”.
i think it was the epoxy that wasn't perfect. ted's O.K.
AND THE FRET SLOT ERROR.
@@kindisc agreed. As an armchair luthier, my first thought when he started was replace the fretboard. Maybe pull the frets and use 40 grit sandpaper and get rid of that fretboard.
AND also having customers that prefer to 'maintain' their worn out stuff at any cost. maybe suggesting to the customer that there are thousands of perfectly good, used, acoustic guitars on the markets that sound and play better than the junk on your bench. if your making nicer music more easily, that''s a plus. it also the point of having an instrument. you can always hang you beloved 'companion' on your living room wall, to resonate in sympathy whilst you're actually making music with a nice guitar.
Without in any way wanting to poke around in your misfortune, this was hands-down one of the BEST videos I have seen from you. Not only because of the fascinating account of the failed repair, but also because I am now anticipating a possibly even more fascinating neck rebuild.
Thanks for making this two parts. I’m going to need the relief. That was honest, but painful.
This one broke my heart man......much respect to you Ted!
Your perseverance, sir. You maybe are the best. I'm really excited for the next part, however I offer condolences for all the trouble this thing has been causing you. I personally just had to scrap a quarter sawn ebony fretboard because I made a huge mistake. We won some we lose some. Keep winning.
Huge Respect Ted, Thank You! I used epoxy on building a wood boat with our local Jr High and emphasized weight or volume ratios, recording temperature changes and mixing, mixing, mixing until your sure, then keep mixing. Unfortunately the Epoxy didn't cure. We had to start over with fresh reagents, and the same friggin' thing happened! One definition of insanity is repeating the same steps expecting a different outcome. I hate Epoxy, any other adhesive is preferred in my shop. I agree the the Enemy of Good is Better! You graciously Teach So many very Wise Lessons Again Thank You and Respect!
The success is the fascinating video, can't wait to see part two.
What a brilliant example of reality check! Just as in life, things go wrong, oh boy they do, even when no one's to blame, despite all known caution. Yet you handled this calmly and diligently, at least for the camera!
I do minor repairs by comparison but always warn the owner, bad things might happen, d'you want me to go ahead?
I got some secondhand anxiety realizing when things were going south as it's a feeling I can relate to from my many failed repairs on both cars and musical instruments. Best thing to do in these circumstances is try to stay calm, because your first instinct is always to try some desperate hairbrained scheme that usually makes the situation worse, at least in my experience. I totally destroyed a few necks when I was younger by doing exactly that, becoming more experienced helps mitigate it but we're humans and we make mistakes. Many times I've been handed instruments that were "repaired" by "luthiers" that were done so incredibly poorly that I was inspired to learn how to do it myself, so it's nice to see that you're one of the few who both takes responsibility when things go wrong and goes the extra mile to make sure everything that leaves your workshop is the best that you can make it. I'm very much still learning, but you're the kind of luthier that I try to learn from.
...looking very forward to the next one!!
Can’t wait to see the next video. We feel your pain (but delight in the unintended benefits). Thank you for documenting and sharing it. 🤙
As luck would have it, I have a guitar in my shop which needs to have the fingerboard replaced. Rather than using heat etc to remove the existing board, your video has now convinced me to simply pull the frets, remove the nut, and plane it off.