Welcome in Kamikazie The place for kitchen's luthiers

rlspt : I'm not a trained luthier, by any stretch. never took a class. I did read a book or two over the years and visited a couple websites. I own only rudimentary tools, but I've always been handy with them. I just started messing about with my guitars when they didn't play like I wanted them to. I started with replacing saddles and nuts, then replaced a bridge or two, and before long... Nice sounding guitars with high action... I did my first neck reset on a cheap junky guitar that was in ruins anyway, so if I failed I was just making kindling, at no great loss to me or the world. It turned out okay, and after I did a few more it seemed fairly easy and the guitars played better after I was done.
So please take this as it's intended, an amateur demonstrating an operation he's done personally on his own guitars, for fun and education. It ain't the gospel, it's some idiot demonstrating his ignorance. Kamikaze luthiery personified.
okay?
thanks

This section is dedicated to JJ Cale, King of all Kamikaze Luthiers (click to check video)

Archived articles here in Kamikazie

Acoustic flat-top neck reset by rlspt Laurie details operations to reset a H1233 and a H6583 flat top guitars

k1w1 Lounge Lutherie - archtop neck reset/refret by k1w1 k1w1 resets and reftrets his H950 Monterey

"Lyra" parlor guitar, first reset project by Zhyla Zhyla resets and refrets an old "parlor style" flat top guitar

H950 Monterey reset project by Zhyla Zhyla repairs the bridge and resets the neck (with some side effects..) on his H950 Monterey

H1327 Monterey reset project by Zhyla Zhyla repairs the bridge, resets and refrets his higher grade H1327 Monterey

Trussrod in Sovereign neck by Louie7, Simon, François Some photos to illustrates how a trussrod works

Golden Tone and "Hershey bar" pickups re-born by François Before rewinding faulty pickups, nothing to loose, two tricks you can attempt

Torture for bowed neck by François Reverse the process : clamp it and wait !

Beater guitar - neck reset, separation by Jaydee Jaydee practices saparation on a beater no-name guitar

Harmony H1000 - presentation by Jaydee Jaydee introduces his nice 1938 "cheapo" flat top

Harmony H1000 - bridge cosmetics and new nut by Jaydee Jaydee restores and old cracked cheap wood bridge, and makes a new nut

Harmony H1000 - neck separation by Jaydee Jaydee separates the neck in pure kitchen kazmikaze style

Replacing a trussrod, H79 by Raz Paul replace the trussrod on his 12 string H79 (and uses a "Aria" neck heater)

1969 Harmony Stella H942 restore project by Dan Dan removes grafitti and permanent marker, flatens a belly bulge, refrets

Another Harmony Stella H942 #2 restore project by Dan Dan opens the guitar for complete restoration, reglue braces, reset the neck, etc

More salvaged guitars and a H1203 by George

Silvertone 615 restore project by George ...and an Italian made Silvertone

H1215 Archtone project by George long cracks on sides...

H56 Roy Smeck project (sagged top) by François Reglueing a separated neck, and some tips to clamp inside a archtop

Silvertone 1478 finish project by Michael Michael does a complete red burst refinish

Meteor project by Michael Refinish and re-assemble of a Meteor. Tips to put the electronics back inside...

Guts - Internal views by Snapcase and others A collection of photos to see how it's made inside the guitars

Bolt on neck conversion by Kev Say goodbye to originality, reset the neck the easy way.

H1260 shipyard lutherie by Simon H1260 Sovereign : removing the back, neck reset and scalloping the braces

H420 slim line bass body repair by François Repairing a badly cracked body, damaged during transport. Reglueing inside the sound post too.

H73 Roy Smeck crack repair by François Pushed-in endpin, repairing cracks at end block.

H1457 restoration by Zhyla Repairing severe cracks, and refinishing the blonde spruce top.

Clamping bridges by Kev, François, Toadman Different ways to reglue and clamp a lifted bridge

Special sound post against soundhole valley by François An easy experimentation. No miracle but may help...

H942 Stella total customization project by Dan Dan wants a custom neck and x-braces on his H942

Long detailed talk about removing neck by MisterSov, Simon and others About the tools and method to separate neck from body

Steam Injection Through Truss Channel by Simon Simon experiments an alternative way to steam the neck joint

Neck straightening techniques : straightening by heat by Snap Snap details how to heat and clamp a warped or twisted neck

H1203 Sovereign neck reset by Bluelick Great report and discussions about a H1203 neck reset

H1456 Monterey work, heat applied on neck by Micky True kitchen lutherie to unbow a neck with heat

Opus X, the "no warranty" guitar by Simon Neck reset - Crooked neck

Butterfly Tuners by Bluesy Molding Repro Supro Butterfly buttons for Kluson Tuners

Neck joint restoration by Nick ('ReproductionBridges') Nick restores a H1442 Roy Smeck with broken neck joint

Real Luthier's places :

• Frets.com with detailed luthier's operations - HUGE !
• Finger Lake Guitar repairs
with excellent repair reports
• Ed Beaver Guitars repair shop in Nashville
• Bend Instrument repair in Oregon
• Alternative neck reset technique at Mr Glyn's guitar repair

Other places of interest :

• The Musical Instrument Makers Forum - Don't miss their links page !
• guitarmaker.org, journal of fretted instruments
• Reranch about guitar finishing, and its Forum

This kamikaze John Hiatt plays a Alden Stratotone !...