The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #51664   Message #788812
Posted By: Thomas the Rhymer
21-Sep-02 - 10:04 PM
Thread Name: Ovation Guitar: how to reattach top?
Subject: RE: Help: Ovation Guitar: how to reattach top?
O.K., here. Take off the strings, leaving them and the pins in place on the guitar. Coil em up so they won't get in the way... all as one coil, and stuffem in the soundhole. Locate all the points where the top is comming loose from the back, and make a note of them.

Buy some epoxy.

Since epoxy is the binding substance in most fiberglass, epoxy is THE stuff for you.

Now. you have to figure a way to get epoxy into the cracks, and all covered on both sides quickly. Epoxy stays 'wet' for ten to twenty munutes, and you have to get it all... though you can do one crack at a time...

Now. Don't do ANY gluing until you've figured out how to clamp or press the crack closed after you've glued it. Clamps, lotsa books, big rocks all can work, but ya gotta try'em before you glue to find out what's gonna work for EACH crack. no two will require the same force. I've had exceptional luck with long semi-flexible sticks wedged between your instrument and the roof. try it!

You have to wait until it's all the way dry... undoubtedly the hardest part for a diehard player like yourself, but just do it. Wait Wait Wait Wait and Wait.

It is for this waiting that I try to glue it all in one application. Otherwise, you have to wait over and over...

Be quick, be thorough, and plan it all out in advance. Epoxy is REALY HARD.

PM me if you like!ttr