To all the commenters who express amazement at the tone and sustain of this Weissenborn ---- have you never listened to David Lindley playing one of these? Where have you all been? You've never heard "Cat Food Sandwiches", "Little Green Bottle", or "The Jimmy Hoffa Memorial Building Blues"? Nor his versions of Mercury Blues (aka TunaFish Blues), BonTon Roulet, or various Warren Zevon songs? I actually met Lindley and got to talk to him at length at one of his gigs around 2000 -2001 or so. He has quite a collection of Weissenborn lap steel guitars*, but he doesn't take them on the road anymore as they're too fragile and valuable to risk; when I met him he was using Mexican-made Weissenborn copies that were imported by Berkley Music and cost around $600 or so. He said that in stock form they sounded merely okay but by experimenting with the string heights at the nut and bridge saddle he could dial them in and make them really sing. He let me hold one, and it was like holding a feather made of wood, they seemingly weigh almost nothing. *indeed he has quite a collection of instruments from around the world, some 600 or so IIRC, and he plays them *all*. At a typical gig, he'll have two or three Weissenborns in various tunings, a couple of Turkish Saz or maybe an Oud or a Bouzouki, and occasionally a "normal" "Spanish-style" acoustic or electric guitar (ie, with round neck and frets). I remember him playing "Do You Want My Job?" on an electric 12-string at that show.... I nearly peed myself with laughter at "Cat Food Sandwiches" and "This Barstools Reserved For My Heart", however, it was the encore, "Cottonmill Blues", thrashed out on a Saz at nearly light-speed, that really brought the house down.
The side trick was absolutely worth twice the price of admission. That guitar went from kindling to playable. The sustain on that was a huge surprise to me.
One added bonus to making these videos must be that the customer can see the process, keep it for future luthiers, standing on your shoulders, so to speak, while, in the case of a dispute over the final bill, provides testimony for how much time and work was involved.
Well done! It’s nice to see an old sweetheart like this put back in playing condition. I’m a big fan of Weissenborns and have built five Weissenborn-inspired instruments, one of which I kept to play myself. It’s a great design.
I love a good back removal and seeing what's inside. This one was extra fun because of the hollow neck, and what a repair job on the back! Kudos, brilliant as ever
Is this genius? I don't know guitars or lutherie, tho I have trimmed a house, built a cabinet, finished a boat, or two, but this sure looks like genius to me. Absolutely stunning and with the pace of the video surely boom he hits us. The best part is you can hear the pride on his voice. If there is a guitar heaven Ted Woodford would surely be the VIP guest of honor, where he will lovingly gaze upon his children again
I am always impressed with you patience in repair. Some would jump right into their tried and true methods without giving much new thought to it. Thanks again!
Not a player, maker or anything really but completely fascinated by your skill, patience and explanations. Loved the comment at the end of the repair "looks ok" looks bloody perfect to me.
Thank You so much for showing this and all of the tips and episodes that you show . I always learn something that helps me further down the line . You've become a resource of knowledge for me and alot of others ,,,, thank you !!!
Excellent job! I restored an old Knutsen hollow-neck Hawaiian once, I wish the back had come off as cleanly as that Weissenborn, took me hours! Love the tape & superglue cleats...
I love it when a new professional meets an older professional. Would love to know what Mr. Weissenborn thinks of your work. He and I are totally impressed. I love Weissenborn guitars and your work. Great video . Made my day. Thanks for sharing.
the raised seam from the old top repair may be from if the instrument dried out and developed a crack which was then filled, then after a while in a properly humidified space the wood expanded again and pushed the old glue out.
Very impressive job. Listened back to the sound of the finished item with the cans on. That thing sounds amazing, would have loved to hear a glisando with the slide. Thank you sir.
I really enjoy watching your work...thank you! :) Indeed...the sustain on that guitar was amazing. Not crazy about the looks of the guitar, but the sound and sustain won me over. :)
Another really interesting video. The guitar is quite a rare bird with amazing tone and sustain. The inside construction looks pretty crude and random but they obviously knew what they were doing.
Great idea with the masking tape glued bars for keeping the sides splayed out! You can just see a little grain and curl on the repaired side. Shame that finish obscures it.
I have one of these, and I don't think the added box and bridge in the neck are original - mine was badly broken but still assembled and did not have that box in it. It's also Koa and brand stamped. The sides on mine were both broken and had perpendicular breaks on the surface of the neck block as if someone just tried to rip the sides off - I'm guessing a HARD blow to the end block did all the breaking... Sides were mostly separated from the back and top, and the sides are broken across the grain at the high point of both bouts. I decided that if I ever get to it, it'll need entirely new sides - not sure I have 100% of the parts... haven't looked at it in a long time, but seeing this video inspires me. Also, it's been more than 30 years since I acquired it, but I recall that crackled dry finish - it was just falling off when I got it - I believe the guitar was exposed to water or heat or both before I got it... Now seeing this video, I know better what it's supposed to look like inside! Time to sharpen my Marples! Thanks!
Nicely done once again Ted. The sustain is amazing, would have like to hear it played as I'm wondering how overpowering the bass string might be. In any case, thank you what you do.
What materials is this made from? I watched a couple times and you said the bridge was maple, but I missed it if you described the other parts. Thank you!
I don't know much about guitars, so I am probably going to ask some stupid questions here. Please forgive me. Is this meant to be played flat on a table, with a glass or metal tube to hold the strings down? I see that there are no frets, so you can get that kind of sliding sound without steps. Do people ever play something like this the same way you would play a regular guitar? If so, what would that look like? You can't get your thumb around the neck. If not, what is that end pin for? The strings or a tailpiece don't connect to it, and you wouldn't need a strap, I don't suppose, if it is on a table or stand. I can't see a structural reason for making an end pin. Is this just vestigial?
Mostly played sitting down with it on your lap (thighs). But can be played standing with it flat in front of you. In the former case the strap helps keep it on your lap. In the latter it supports the instrument at playing height. And of course a strap makes it easier to carry when not playing. The slide doesn't hold the strings down, just rides on top of them. A resonator/Dobro can be played the dame way or in a traditional guitar manner. It has a thinner neck and frets.
The effect with the mirror lamp in which we can see you talk while also watching you work is actually pretty cool…!
Nice job.
Wow, you're a miracle worker for sure. That side repair was one thing but getting the back back on was a whole another! That trick sir was slick sure!
To all the commenters who express amazement at the tone and sustain of this Weissenborn ---- have you never listened to David Lindley playing one of these? Where have you all been? You've never heard "Cat Food Sandwiches", "Little Green Bottle", or "The Jimmy Hoffa Memorial Building Blues"? Nor his versions of Mercury Blues (aka TunaFish Blues), BonTon Roulet, or various Warren Zevon songs?
I actually met Lindley and got to talk to him at length at one of his gigs around 2000 -2001 or so. He has quite a collection of Weissenborn lap steel guitars*, but he doesn't take them on the road anymore as they're too fragile and valuable to risk; when I met him he was using Mexican-made Weissenborn copies that were imported by Berkley Music and cost around $600 or so. He said that in stock form they sounded merely okay but by experimenting with the string heights at the nut and bridge saddle he could dial them in and make them really sing. He let me hold one, and it was like holding a feather made of wood, they seemingly weigh almost nothing.
*indeed he has quite a collection of instruments from around the world, some 600 or so IIRC, and he plays them *all*. At a typical gig, he'll have two or three Weissenborns in various tunings, a couple of Turkish Saz or maybe an Oud or a Bouzouki, and occasionally a "normal" "Spanish-style" acoustic or electric guitar (ie, with round neck and frets). I remember him playing "Do You Want My Job?" on an electric 12-string at that show.... I nearly peed myself with laughter at "Cat Food Sandwiches" and "This Barstools Reserved For My Heart", however, it was the encore, "Cottonmill Blues", thrashed out on a Saz at nearly light-speed, that really brought the house down.
The side trick was absolutely worth twice the price of admission. That guitar went from kindling to playable. The sustain on that was a huge surprise to me.
THAT was a seriously impressive repair, Wow.
I love that finish! Your repair looks so much better than the previous attempts!
One added bonus to making these videos must be that the customer can see the process, keep it for future luthiers, standing on your shoulders, so to speak, while, in the case of a dispute over the final bill, provides testimony for how much time and work was involved.
Just beautiful! Thanks!
Well done! It’s nice to see an old sweetheart like this put back in playing condition. I’m a big fan of Weissenborns and have built five Weissenborn-inspired instruments, one of which I kept to play myself. It’s a great design.
Hey, thanks Fred! That means a lot coming from you.
I love this Lap Steel Acoustic Guitar
I always find these repair videos to be very relaxing to watch.
This man is an artist. At the beginning I thought he should just trash the guitar. He brought it back from the dead. It looks and sounds great.
Na na na na; na na na na..... BAT-BRIDGE! That’s a cool guitar.
Wow that's an awesome repair sir
What a beauty and it sounds like a freaking harp. Another outstanding video and excellent job overall. Thanks for sharing your craft.
its so much fun watching someone repairing instruments and actually be really good at it
I bet your customer will be very happy.
I love a good back removal and seeing what's inside. This one was extra fun because of the hollow neck, and what a repair job on the back! Kudos, brilliant as ever
Is this genius? I don't know guitars or lutherie, tho I have trimmed a house, built a cabinet, finished a boat, or two, but this sure looks like genius to me.
Absolutely stunning and with the pace of the video surely boom he hits us.
The best part is you can hear the pride on his voice.
If there is a guitar heaven Ted Woodford would surely be the VIP guest of honor, where he will lovingly gaze upon his children again
I am always impressed with you patience in repair. Some would jump right into their tried and true methods without giving much new thought to it. Thanks again!
Not a player, maker or anything really but completely fascinated by your skill, patience and explanations.
Loved the comment at the end of the repair "looks ok" looks bloody perfect to me.
Beautiful sustain
Thank You so much for showing this and all of the tips and episodes that you show . I always learn something that helps me further down the line . You've become a resource of knowledge for me and alot of others ,,,, thank you !!!
Incredible techniques. I am learning daily. Thanks for sharing
Excellent job! I restored an old Knutsen hollow-neck Hawaiian once, I wish the back had come off as cleanly as that Weissenborn, took me hours! Love the tape & superglue cleats...
That was amazing. The repair was brilliant!
Thank you for making this video! It was great to see inside the instrument. Well done and congrats on getting it back out there and making music.
Your videos are always very informative. Love your tone and all the details you show without any unnecessary talk. Excellent all around.
Great video as always. It never fails that I learn some wonderful little thing that is just part of your process. Thanks for sharing your Talent.
Enjoy your repair commentary I’ve been building and repairing instruments for about 16 years I seem to learn something from most of your videos thanks
Really impressive repair. It looks fantastic!
I love your videos, certainly the best on RUclips... And Weiss are incredible instruments.
Awesome repair great expanding sides tip Brilliant !!!!!
You're a brave man.
Wonderful video. You did a fantastic job.
I love it when a new professional meets an older professional. Would love to know what Mr. Weissenborn thinks of your work. He and I are totally impressed. I love Weissenborn guitars and your work. Great video . Made my day. Thanks for sharing.
So very informative as usual.
I still won't be able to work to this standard, but at least I know how it should be done.
Superb Video Thankd
Beautiful repair and the guitar sounded amazing
the raised seam from the old top repair may be from if the instrument dried out and developed a crack which was then filled, then after a while in a properly humidified space the wood expanded again and pushed the old glue out.
Really nice video. Very instructive and informative. Thank you.
Never seen inside on of those things before, great repair job!
Very impressive job. Listened back to the sound of the finished item with the cans on. That thing sounds amazing, would have loved to hear a glisando with the slide. Thank you sir.
That is, again, excellent work.
GREAT VIDEO > thank you very much & congratulation to the amazing result !
Several useful tips. Thanks very much. A real pleasant surprise on that tone and sustain. Thumbs up to crush a troll.
Amazing work!!!
Looks so much better in every way.
Wow! Amazing job
This is my new ASMR. So good!
I love this type of guitar
Love your content.
You're very good at your chosen vocation. Videos are always clear and to the point. I wish you played that instrument a bit more. It sounds wonderful.
Thank you! I've always wondered how did these guitars were in the inside. now I know!
That was x-tra special ! Thank you so much !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very good indeed, thanks.
I really enjoy watching your work...thank you! :)
Indeed...the sustain on that guitar was amazing. Not crazy about the looks of the guitar, but the sound and sustain won me over. :)
Great tips!!
Speechless. Just speechless. Please tell me some of these projects don’t always come out so perfect. This is crazy skill.
Loved that video
Another really interesting video. The guitar is quite a rare bird with amazing tone and sustain. The inside construction looks pretty crude and random but they obviously knew what they were doing.
you're one of the best....
Wow good job.
lovely video :) the comment "I took a picture, I know where it goes" was very cool though, too :D
I love: I know nothing, or very little about this: then speaks the entire history minus what the craftsman was wearing that day.
Grreat vid. You are superb sir.
Great job👍
Great idea with the masking tape glued bars for keeping the sides splayed out! You can just see a little grain and curl on the repaired side. Shame that finish obscures it.
fantastic!
Nice work.
What a wonderful guitar! I may have to find one or a reasonable facsimile. Excellent repair job, by the way!
tnx for posting
I have one of these, and I don't think the added box and bridge in the neck are original - mine was badly broken but still assembled and did not have that box in it. It's also Koa and brand stamped. The sides on mine were both broken and had perpendicular breaks on the surface of the neck block as if someone just tried to rip the sides off - I'm guessing a HARD blow to the end block did all the breaking... Sides were mostly separated from the back and top, and the sides are broken across the grain at the high point of both bouts. I decided that if I ever get to it, it'll need entirely new sides - not sure I have 100% of the parts... haven't looked at it in a long time, but seeing this video inspires me. Also, it's been more than 30 years since I acquired it, but I recall that crackled dry finish - it was just falling off when I got it - I believe the guitar was exposed to water or heat or both before I got it... Now seeing this video, I know better what it's supposed to look like inside! Time to sharpen my Marples! Thanks!
You're truly a magician! Great work, love your vidoes!
Excellent 👍🏻
nice job !!!
Nice work:)
thats great video.
If you find one of these somewhere, you've gotta think of it as a Lap Steel Acoustic Guitar, that's all it is.
Awesome TIP! Gonna use that one..... %)
Nicely done once again Ted. The sustain is amazing, would have like to hear it played as I'm wondering how overpowering the bass string might be. In any case, thank you what you do.
90 degrees?!?! Holy crap man, I hope you have some decent fans or something going.
Skillz
Like deployed 👍
Hello, is the thing about putting alcohol on the blade only for hide/fish glue, or does it work for titebond /white glue as well?
Pls make more vids. And longer. Thank you!
What materials is this made from? I watched a couple times and you said the bridge was maple, but I missed it if you described the other parts. Thank you!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎸🎸🎸🎸good job work on guitar
The. Sustain. Wow.
Wow.
Would the hollow neck be responsible for the increased sustain?
Why don't yoo slide !?🤩
Marvellosso job !!
surprised you use fish glue and or hyde glue ,most guys dont use it much it seems ,I have only used titebond ,not knocking it was just wondering why
Is the additional sustain caused by the hollow neck?
Paul Horn it seems likely.
cool
what were those circular saw cuts on the inside of the back done for? Thickness planing?
Do you have to remove the old glue before your apply the new glue? If so how?
do they have a radiused top and back and do you know the the radius is
Jesus Christ the sustain on this thing rivals Carlos Santana;s PRS!
No walruses were culled in the making of this tailpin.
I don't know much about guitars, so I am probably going to ask some stupid questions here. Please forgive me. Is this meant to be played flat on a table, with a glass or metal tube to hold the strings down? I see that there are no frets, so you can get that kind of sliding sound without steps. Do people ever play something like this the same way you would play a regular guitar? If so, what would that look like? You can't get your thumb around the neck. If not, what is that end pin for? The strings or a tailpiece don't connect to it, and you wouldn't need a strap, I don't suppose, if it is on a table or stand. I can't see a structural reason for making an end pin. Is this just vestigial?
Mostly played sitting down with it on your lap (thighs). But can be played standing with it flat in front of you.
In the former case the strap helps keep it on your lap. In the latter it supports the instrument at playing height.
And of course a strap makes it easier to carry when not playing.
The slide doesn't hold the strings down, just rides on top of them.
A resonator/Dobro can be played the dame way or in a traditional guitar manner. It has a thinner neck and frets.
I kind of smoked too much, but watching this looked like you were working on a guitar made of orange leather. Am I the only one seeing this?
i’m so fucking high bro this thing looks like it s out of skyrim for xbox 360