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Post by cynical1 on Jan 9, 2016 4:07:08 GMT -5
Well, that just sucks. I'm sorry it went that way, man. You mentioned pulling the fingerboard earlier and planing the neck level again. That's about where you are, but that's a helluva lot of work. It might be easier to keep an eye on eBay and wait for one to show up. You could put a nut extension on it and use it for slide guitar. Seriously, until you decide what to do with the neck it would make the guitar more interesting. Happy Trails Cynical One
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2016 10:33:07 GMT -5
BladeMaster, did you put on the heavier (11+) strings? Any difference?
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Post by newey on Jan 10, 2016 10:58:58 GMT -5
Just a point here that won't necessarily help solve the problem, but bear in mind that Teisco guitars were the real budget brand back in the 1960's. Japanese guitars got much better over time, but I played quite a few Teiscos back in the late 60's and play-ability was always an issue.
I played a lot of them because that's what my friend's parents would buy their kid so he could begin playing. If a kid stuck with it, then the folks would spring for a Fender, etc. down the road.
I'd be willing to bet that neck had that backbow from the factory. Low action was never part of the program with Teiscos. You might find a neck on Ebay that was no better. Often, they can be made to play better, but as Cyn1 notes, major work may be required.
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Post by cynical1 on Jan 10, 2016 16:56:23 GMT -5
Well, newey just pointed out the 800# gorilla in the room. Teisco was never all that great to begin with. IMHO, Teisco, and their ilk, were responsible for causing more potential players to give up the instrument, as they were generally pretty unplayable out of the box. The stores that primarily sold them had no ability to set them up, so what you got was all over the map.
I would also suggest that this 50 year old piece of wood is the best candidate for pulling the fingerboard and planing the neck as you'd want to find. This wood has moved about as far as a piece of wood is ever going to move, and once planed straight, should be about as stable a a neck can be. This is a lot of work and time, so it's not a trip for the faint hearted. It does require some very specific tools and a good deal of rework to the neck, truss rod replacement, potential rerouting of the truss rod cavity, fingerboard, frets, nut and finish...just to name a few things...
This is a lot like the post about restoring an old Silvertone guitar we had here a few years ago. The amount of work required to make this right will far exceed any recovery of value if sold. It's either a learning experience, a labor of love, or the next thing posted on eBay. My only caution is to be absolutely certain you want to perform surgery on the neck before you start. A little time researching all the necessary steps and seeing how they line up with your ambition and wallet would be time well spent.
Happy Trails
Cynical One
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Post by blademaster2 on Jan 11, 2016 10:00:07 GMT -5
It is tantalizing to consider removing the fretboard and re-planing/re-installing. As long as I do not mess it up I would enjoy the experience, and learn more about the process for fretboard removal - I have glued several fretboards already, so the removal is the scarier part for me. Acknowledging that this is not necessarily a financial move as far as its value is concerned, it would still be good to get my old friend back to being the best it can be. Also, this particular Teisco is a much nicer design and better made compared to other Teiscos I have seen (that company evidently loved variety), so as an instrument I think it can be respectable.
My debate now is whether to risk learning to remove the fretboard, or to take the easier path and only reshape the fretboard in-situ. Given the relatively small amount of backbow that it has, and its market value, I might try the latter first since I have successfully done a re-fret before. Either way I believe it needs new frets and a new string nut.
I still plan to try the heavier strings first, just to look at all options in sequence.
Thanks again to all of you for the expert opinions. I will post again when I have more news.
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Post by sumgai on Jan 13, 2016 14:28:42 GMT -5
bm2, .... My debate now is whether to risk learning to remove the fretboard, or to take the easier path and only reshape the fretboard in-situ. Let me interject here that cynical1 has given you some solid advice, and more to the point, it's the same kind of thing he's been espousing ever since he started posting here. Such experience should be taken as a positive, I'd like to believe. Now, in the manner of speaking historically.... For many years, ProBoards has been steadily upgrading the Forum's software. In previous versions, the Search function was highly inadequate, to put it nicely. (BTW, I've noticed another thing of consistency in c1's posts over the years - he's prone to calling it like he sees it (hence his nom-de-plume), which is unfortunately all too often a matter of something being found in high state of suckage!) But now, when I decided to check it out again, Search is working more than usefully - it actually returned just what I wanted!! So, in the spirit of being teachers here in The NutzHouse, I'd like to direct your attention to these threads, wherein fretboard removal is discussed: dunklefalke started this thread in December of 2009: Are fret leveling and polishing really neededyug started this one in May of 2011: Next project: a new top for the Silvertone This is two-pager, and you might want to read the whole thread, but the important posting is from new member guitarhospital, about halfway down this second page. And last is this tidbit from jcgss77, started back in May of 2010: Lumpy fretboard Herein, we find a post from, you guessed it, none other than cynical1, who cogently points us to this reference: Removing a fretboard, with pictures and everythingNow that last should be enough to help you decide how far to go with your project. Me personally, I'd jump on it, providing that you have the time and space to do the job correctly, without any shortcuts. Like c1 says, after 50 years, your neck has finished screwing around, and is not gonna require this kinda work again. But with this experience under your belt, you need no longer be afraid of whatever you may find at pawnshops, swapmeets, on craigslist, etc. HTH sumgai
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Post by blademaster2 on Feb 1, 2016 16:33:40 GMT -5
Minor update: I installed the heavier strings suggested by greekdude (11 gauge). Logic tells me that there must have been some difference in the deflection/deformation of the neck, but I cannot see it - the slight backbow is still there. I raised the action a little higher and it is playable, so my debate still resides in whether I want to make it play *really* well versus putting up with it as it is. After all, as unique as it sounds it is still a Teisco and is not worth a huge effort to make it play better except to serve as a learning exercise.
For now I will take the lazy route on this one, as I have a few other nicer guitars that need some fret dress attention.
Thanks again for all of your advice. I will update again if/when there is a next step for this axe.
New update from 2022: See my thread for the second part of the story from January 2022. I reprofiled the fretboard and refretted the neck and made a new bone nut. After a subsequent fret dress it now plays fabulously well, and looks as good as ever or better. I love this old guitar - again.
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