Restoring an Acoustic Guitar for a Local School Music Program

I've had several guitars in my possession over the years. I've hung on to my battle tested axes while others have made their way back into the music community. Many children, like my daughter are getting ready to go back to school so the end of the summer is filled with last minute plans, purchases, and preparation for the new school year. If I had to do it over again I would have participated more in school music programs. In the 90s our school music programs were overshadowed by the popular radio stations and every kids desire to be a rock star. There was a guy in my class of '98 that had to fight and plead with the music teacher just to get his guitar into class! I'll bet if I donate a guitar to the music program then everyone will get a chance to play. So here is my new idea.

I have a couple old acoustics lying around, so I thought that restoring and acoustic guitar for a local school music program would be the perfect project. I got the guitar as payment from some old college friends for a landscaping job that I did for them over 20 years ago. The guitar recently has been just sitting around and would be a great demo piece for builders and players. Its a solid acoustic that is showing its age on the finish, but with total spa treatment it'll play like a million dollar ax. It has been through the ringer and now its time for a restoration and a new chapter in its life. I'm going to take it apart, clean the body, restore the fretboard, polish the frets, upgrade the tuning key hardware, replace the nut and saddle, re-string, tune and intonate, all for the sake of the kids. Let's see what this is going to look like.

Carlo Robelli Acoustic guitar

Carlo Robelli saddle after 20 years

The saddle is petrified and cracking to the point where the string has lost its intonation. I'll have to shape and fit a new saddle here. The headstock and tuners are in ok shape, but years of smoky rooms and dingy practice spots have just coated this guitar in a layer of gunk. The hardware is now corroding and showing pock marks from the metal oxidizing. The backs of the tuners looked just as bad, so I removed all the tuning pieces. I cleaned up the tuners by taking them apart and soaking them in naptha. I had to use new ferules on the tuners because one had completely separated from the threads.

Tuning key replacement on acoustic guitar

The last important part of the upgrade is the new nut I shaped and fit into place. The old one was playable, but years of tarnish have rendered it discolored and not very appealing to look at. With a new nut you have to really use your luthier intuition and proceed methodically. Measure twice cut once. There will be shaping, sanding and test fitting multiple times when replacing the guitar nut. Intonation, string height, and general playability will all be affected when replacing any one of these parts.

Nut replacement for acoustic guitar

Before you start any maintenance on a guitar you have to set up your workspace properly. Electronics are sensitive to all forms of debris, especially scrapings of old metal and gunk that can get lodged in between electronic components. When taking a guitar apart always be ready for small pieces of whatever to come off of the instrument. There could be dirt and grime under the pickups, scratch plates and tuners. The wiring compartments are often dusty or crusty, so proceed with care when inspecting your instrument. Scraping a non-lacquered fretboard is a great way to revive the fretboard and remove all the oil and grime that has been worked into the wood. Most guitars use small mounting screws specifically designed to blend into the guitar while still being functional. That means they are hard to deal with and easy to lose.

Another thing worth mentioning is the appearance of the finish on the outside of the guitar. Lots of players prefer the road worn look on the neck, body or the entire guitar. Other players will opt for a shine and polish after every use (which is recommended) to maintain that mirror sheen for years. Gloss finishes wear over time creating the aged look. There are varying forms of guitar body work that can repair dings and eliminate swirl marks and evidence of normal playing. Many acoustic guitar finishes will become brittle over years of playing and changes in environment. Be mindful of guitars that have crossed the 20 year old mark. Many of the mounting screws are liable to be corroded or even rusted over, so be mindful when undertaking any kind of adjustment to the guitar.

When I started playing over 30 years ago, I was excited and nervous all at the same time. The maintenance required on my gear forced me to learn new skills. When you break a string, you better be able to change it on the spot or the jam is done. I dropped a prize ax of mine just months after bringing it home. It was due to a design flaw in the strap button placement (you know who you are single cutaway). Back then my quick fix was a steel washer that fit between the button and the strap to keep me from dropping it. To this day I still have those same washers on every strap button on every guitar. Eventually, that forced me into the realm of strap locks and strap construction that is designed to prevent drops and accidents like mine. These were all crucial learning experiences for better and for worse.

LKN Guitar Works is here for every guitar player, no matter what stage of your guitar journey you are in. Be inquisitive, ask questions and start conversations with like minded people. Visit all your local music shops because you never know what knowledge you'll find unless you look. My wife and I love going to random thrift stores and I have to admit I get excited every time I see an old cast aside guitar. Pawn shops are great for parts and introductory pieces. You may even find some rare gems that for the right price you could own your very own unicorn too!

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