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u/arb_90

r/classicalguitar r/Luthier r/guitarrepair
▲ 3 r/classicalguitar

Methods/tips to transition from tab to sheet

Hi all!
I have been playing classical guitar for some years, although never too consistent.
I am happy with my current skills as I can comfortably play whatever chord I try to learn and learn how to play the tunes and pieces I like to learn.
However, for years I have tried to change from reading tabs to reading music sheets, because I think it is the language of music and it makes much more sense visually to see the connections, harmonics, scales, etc.
I struggle quite a bit beyond using the major scale in the end of the fretboard and I always end up giving up and coming back to the comfortable numbers of tabs.

Any piece of advice, methods, etc. to abandon the tabs forever?
TIA

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u/arb_90 — 3 days ago
▲ 3 r/guitarrepair+1 crossposts

Where can I get spare plastic tuning pegs for classical guitar?

Hi! When I thought I had finished repairing my old guitar, I was stringing it when one of these white nylon pegs snapped (only the plastic, rest is all working).

I would like to keep the original tuning hardware and I've seen plastic pegs can be replaced by heating the metal and melting it into it.

I have found similar ones on the Internet but in other colours or shapes, but would someone know if these specific ones (shape and color) are available anywhere? I would prefer not to have one in a different color to the others..

TIA

u/arb_90 — 6 days ago
▲ 3 r/guitarrepair

Bringing Bjarton B-15 HPF (1989) back to life.

Got a fairly cheap second hand Bjärton B-15 HPF from 1989. Nothing too serious, but for a good price. It's a Swedish classical guitar from a small factory (Bjärnum, closed 1990), according to serial nr. this one's near the end of their run. Spruce top, mahogany back/sides, rosewood board, gloss finish (not sure if poly or or nitro?). It has not been treated very well, so I thought that for the little money I paid, I may as well try my hand at fixing some defects. I have pretty much zero experience, so this is just for fun and to learn a bit. It's not too bad, even the bridge is holding tight still.

Needs fixing: a crack in top below the bridge, broken nut (I think original one was plastic, mostly yellowed in the exposed part. Same for saddle. I could not find an alternative one that thin, so some sanding and caliper measuring will be needed to match old dimensions), dirty frets/hardware (I will clean and polish with 0000 steel wool, crazing (just aesthetic, I know but would like to try something if there is something to do).

So far I have: cleaned the pegs/hardware (some citric acid solution for 15mins and toothbrush and toothpaste left it shiny! see pics), wiped the body (wet cloth), removed the old nut.

Plan is: glue the crack with gelatine (after reading for a while in the internet that hide glue is pretty much the same I tried it with some pieces of leftover wood and the stuff is strong!), sand a bone nut to the dimensions of the original one, oil the fretboard (lemon oil), polish frets, restring, play and enjoy 😄 .

Questions:

  1. The crack seems to be in the middle of the top, where the spruce plates join. Thing is, right underneath along the joint there is a brace, so the crack is not accessible from underneath. I don't know if I can join and glue the crack at all (or whether the brace will keep it together). My plan was to humidify for the wood to expand and for the crack to close, apply gelatine as deep as I can into it and clamp. Thoughts?
  2. I would like to oil or treat the head to protect the wood... can I use the same lemon oil for the fretboard or a different one / nothing?
  3. Bridge, should I oil it as well (avoiding saddle)?
  4. I have read this kind of crazing usually means nitro, not poly — best way to confirm before I touch it with anything and screw it up? I know it is purely aesthetic and I could leave it like this as a legacy of its history and character. But Since I'm into it I would like to try to leave it shiny and neat. Not too bothered if it's a crazy idea to abandon.
  5. Curious: The binding of the top and sides seems (brown stuff in pics)... is this some kind of palstic?
  6. Curious: The rosette, is it nice rosette woodworking or a cheap imitation / print?

First time doing this, so I'm happy to be corrected.

Will post photos/updates as I go.
Thank in advance!

u/arb_90 — 8 days ago