The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Hi Everyone,

First time poster here! I just picked up this Lyle 630L. Got it yesterday and it has more issues than the pics showed. So now I need to figure out if I should save it or hang it on a wall. I have a good guitar guy who is going to look at it next week. But the issue becomes how much money will it take to get back to play able condition and is it worth dropping $300+ into it, maybe more.

Here are the issue:
1. Bridge is coming up from the back, and the guitar is "Belling"
2. String height is very high almost half inch and the adjustable bridge is all the way down.
3. Body is separating from the back of the guitar
4. Neck was cracked but repaired, it looks ugly but works
5. The neck might have been set one time before

Check it out!

http://s846.photobucket.com/user/Evituc ... slideshow/

Well sir, this poor old gal sure has seen a very dry environment for a very long time, eh?
Everything looks to be repairable. The real cost would be in refinishing the area afterwards.

The exception might be the "bellying up". It's hard to tell from the picture just how bad that is. The lifting bridge is a common problem and easily re-glued, but once the top raises up it's near impossible to bring it down successfully. Lay a straight edge across the width of the bottom bout just behind the bridge and have a look. A small amount of rocking is normal but if you're seeing a lot of daylight and you've created a teeter-totter then it's pretty much buggered.

It is possible though that the lifting bridge may be a blessing in disguise. The hundreds of pounds of tension that would have otherwise been there pulling at the top has been diminished and that might actually have saved it.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

She has had a hard life, My Guitar guy didn't think it looked to bad from the pics. I am taking it to his shop for an estimate next week. As for the budge its not super high but its noticeable and it is causing the action to be high, its far worse when the guitar is in tune. I may have to try a JLD Bridge Doctor to help it out.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/To ... oC76Lw_wcB

A lot depends on that bridge. Of course the action would be high because of its lifting. Once it's down you may find everything is closer to normal. From there it's mainly cosmetic.

The Bridge Doctor may be helpful. It's no guarantee though. It's hit and miss. Didn't work for me, but that was a on a 12 string.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

I had an Alvarez 12-string that had "bellied".

This tool seems to work...

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Ty ... ducer.html

Missed that tool, thanks for the link Crusty.
It might be a tad pricey for a one-off repair though, even if it is my APII-12.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

Years ago there was a gizmo you could install in the guitar that countered the pull of the strings. You did have to take the bridge off and that's where it screwed in. If I can find the pics I'll post them. I made one my self.

Are you talking about this http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/To ... oC76Lw_wcB

That link seems to be broken.

I think that may be the Bridge Doctor that I referred to earlier: http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Bridges/JLD_Bridge_Doctor.html
You do not remove the bridge to use it, but it has mixed results. When it works, it's magic. When it doesn't...
http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9662&hilit=VA+30N+12&start=30#p63352

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com