This Larrivee Jumbo-05 met with a tragic accident and is in need of a top replacement. This is a big job that involves a new top with braces and rosette, new binding, a neck reset and refinishing, as well as re-installing the bridge and a set up. Once done, this guitar had a new lease on life.
Soundpost Patch on 1890 German Violin
A sound post patch is an unfortunate, yet common, repair with violins. This soundpost was installed too tall, adding pressure to the violin top causing it to crack. This is a delicate repair and the only way to save the top of a beloved instrument once this has occurred to ensure the crack will not re-open. As you can see, this violin also had a bass bar crack, so the bass bar crack was cleated, a new bass bar made, and the top doubled.
Lowden O25 Neck Reset
A Lowden O25 came into the shop with high action but no room to lower the saddle into the bridge. The angle of the strings behind the saddle was a scant 6 degrees, and the projection of the neck was 3mm below the top of the bridge. One other major issue was that the intonation was off, way off, meaning that this guitar would not play in tune up and down the neck. There was only one solution: this Lowden guitar needed a neck reset.
Telecaster Electronics Mod
A middle pick up was added to this Tele that has a separate lead for each pole piece, making a pick up for each string. It is wired so you the low E, A, D, and GBE as a combo can be turned off or on. This runs to the stereo output jack where the regular tele sound still goes. The owner of this guitar uses the bass strings run through an octaver and a separate amp as if he was playing bass and guitar at the same time, which now, he really is!
Neck Carve of an Egan Bebop Guitar
Joe Egan is a creative young builder from Vancouver Island. This Bebop guitar is a beauty to behold, but for its owner the neck was too big to hold comfortably. He loved the sound and look of this guitar, but was having trouble getting through a set without hand fatigue. So it was decided that the neck would be carved to match another neck that he already loved the feel of. The results were exactly what he was looking for, now it looked, sounded and felt great!
"Airlines may break guitars....
Nicole Alosinac fixes them! That's exactly what happened to my 30 year old hand-crafted EMI acoustic. My heart sank when I saw the state it was in after a flight. It looked like someone had taken a hatchet to the base and the back. I thought I'd lost an old friend. But Nicole said, "I can fix this, and it will look, play and sound just fine." Well, she was true to her word, and now I have my trusty old friend back with me. Thank you, Nicole!"
~Barry Truter, November 2014, Vancouver BC
1949 Migma Aschado Restoration
This 1949 Migma Aschado had seen better days. A hole had been cut in the soundhole for a pick up, it was missing inlay, missing its pick guard, and back was being held on with tape. After extensive structural and cosmetic repair, this guitar was restored to its former glory and ready to make music.
1915 Syrian Oud Repair
This beautiful oud sustained a near fatal accident one night after a gig. I can tell you that a proper hardshell case for an oud is not easy to find. It was painstakingly put back together to ensure, barring any more accidents, that it will make music for years to come.
New Skin for a Kingston Ludwig Tenor Banjo
This Kingston Ludwig tenor banjo has a natural banjo skin that has torn and needs to be replaced. A natural skin head can dry out and rip easily if it gets dehydrated.
Original Duolian Dobro Resonator Repair
This Dobro was hard to play with very high action and its owner wanted to play it guitar style. It needed a neck reset, some repairs to the structrual housing of the cone and a new nut to give it a new lease on life. It left the shop sounding and feeling good as new!
New Handmade Bridge for an Alvarez D70
This Alvarez D70 came into the shop with the bridge lifting and cracked. To keep this guitar playing it needed a new bridge. This particular bridge is not run of the mill and needed to be made by hand to keep the original look design of the guitar. Wood selection, grain direction and precise work are needed for any bridge which sits in the heart of tone prodution on any guitar.
Sawchyn A-5 Mandolin
This mandolin needed the frets dressed, the bridge carved for proper intonation, and the McIntyre Feather pickup repositioned for more treble.
Charango Neck Repair
The charango is a small South American stringed instrument of the lute family also known as the South American ukulele, although it has 10 stings. They were traditionally made with armadillo shells. The neck on this charango separated at the scarf joint, leaving this instrument useless without repair.
Guild S-100 Bridge Replacement
This 1970's Guild S-100 had a very common problem for these particular guitars. The bridge was unstable, strings "pop" off the saddle make it hard to play. There were no replacement bridges available at the time with the correct string spacing so it was repaired with a Schaller bridge with adjustable string spacing.
Refret of a B&D Montana Silverbell Tenor Banjo No.1
This banjo came into the shop with very worn frets and in need of a few bolts and set up. The Silver Bell line of banjos by Bacon & Day were considered the finest banjos ever made between 1922 and 1938. These banjos were known for their rich, voluminous sound, impeccable cutting power, and superb craftsmanship.
W. Huttl Archtop Headstock Repair
This archtop was made in the late 50s or early 60s in Germany by W. Huttl. This unique guitar seems to have survived the years quite well except for the headstock drying out and losing its overlay. The guitar also had a few other repairs while in for restoration including a neck reset and regluing some binding. It left the shop ready for another 50 years of making music. It actually had a really good "rootsy" sound for some types of jazz or folk. Definitely an interesting project!
Taylor 420 Side Crack Repair
This Taylor 420 guitar was hit and has multiple cracks running along the side and butt of the guitar. The sides also separated from the tailblock.
Warrior Signature 5 String Bass
This Warrior Signature Bass needed no major structural repairs, but it did need a new nut and a set up to make it play to its full potential.
Repair of West German Tenor Ukulele
This West German all solid mahogany tenor ukulele came into the shop in need of some repair. There were two top cracks, a lifting bridge wing, a separation of the fingerboard and the top, with high action and poor intonation.
