Viewing a thread - Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Forum Search | Statistics | User Listing

Your are viewing as a Guest. ( logon | register )

Random quote: “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” -Plato

Jump to page : < 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... >
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]

Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

View previous thread :: View next thread

Member Communities -> Bottom Feeding Luthiery Guild

Message format

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-07 11:32 PM (#556707)
Subject: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

"Only Hope remained there in an unbreakable home within under the rim of the great jar, and did not fly out at the door; for ere that, the lid of the jar stopped her, by the will of Aegis-holding Zeus who gathers the clouds."

So, releasing the evils from the container, and maintaining the prospect of beauty & grace. I have some work to do. I have given the guitar a cursory examination. It appears to be functional, in its present state, and will require adjustments to the playability. The strings are pretty dead, though the instrument has quite a bit of punch & depth, though presently a bit muddy in the bass end. The highs are clear. Sustain is pretty good.
The nut has been replaced & there is a compensated saddle in the bridge. The neck fills my hand real well, and there are no cracks. The peghead still has both ears intact. Everything needs a good scrubbing- tuners & fretboard, especially.
As I surmised, the paint is awful, and the binding is a mess. The bridge appears sound, and will need a bit of paint removal, also.
First plan of action is to scrape off all that paint & see what the top looks like. The upper, bass end of the x-brace is loose, but everything else is secure. It looks like the MOP from the rosette is still on the guitar, so there needs to be a plan for the soundhole decoration. It looks like the rosette was recessed into the top, also.
So Paul, I may be able to save the top. That will be a major coup.
And Dave, you were correct. It is x-braced. With the A-918 serial #, the guitar was apparently made in late 1968.
Okay, so a few images to start this saga:

(1127 front view- smaller image.jpg)

(back view- smaller image.jpg)

(label 1.jpg)

(scraped top with binding pattern- small image.jpg)

Attachments
----------------

1127 front view- smaller image.jpg (87KB - 1 downloads)
Attachments

back view- smaller image.jpg (84KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

label 1.jpg (81KB - 1 downloads)
Attachments

scraped top with binding pattern- small image.jpg (82KB - 1 downloads)

Standingovation

Posted 2022-01-08 7:31 AM (#556711 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6197

Location: Phoenix AZ

Good luck Chris. Can't wait to see how this turns out. I meant to send you a new rosette for it, but mistakenly sent it to another member who has offered to forward it to you. Small cosmetic improvement, but I guess every little bit helps. Keep us posted.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-08 8:51 AM (#556714 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

I shall! And our generous fellow compatriot has contacted me. Thanks, Al! I will need all the help I can get. It is inherently a fine instrument, and deserves refurbishment. It has seen a long life, and its playability was maintained. I think it was gigged a long time. There is a name on the folded paper, used as a shim under the saddle, which I will pursue further.
What are the suggestions for that torn label? Should I just varnish it in place, or attempt to replace it?

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-08 1:50 PM (#556718 - in reply to #556714)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Sent a request to GEWA about a graphic file for an age-appropriate paper label, since they have the legal rights to Ovation copyright and materials. See what develops from that.
I have a date with my cabinet scraper, probably extend into next week. Lotta nasty blue paint to remove. The lacquer thinner and citrus remover options look messy and tedious. Then, make some serious decisions about soundboard and neck angle issues. I think the neck may need to come off to install the replacement rosette, unless someone has clever means to accomplish the task, without major surgery.

moody, p.i.

Posted 2022-01-08 2:23 PM (#556722 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664

Location: SoCal

If it was built in late 68, then it was probably one of the very early GCDB's. I believe in an older thread here we postulated (with Beal's help) that there were maybe 50 built all total. A really wonderful guitar with a short run at the factory.....

Love O Fair

Posted 2022-01-08 3:23 PM (#556726 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
February 2016
Posts: 1801

Location: When??

@seesquare - >>>What are the suggestions for that torn label?<<<

Hopefully GEWA will participate. If not, then perhaps a suitable duplicate can be made using your own graphic platform and printer. Then there is always DaveKell if you want something custom to represent the project-- as in the very cool "BBurg" label he made for Bernie's Viper creation.
Does the autograph signature on the top appear as anyone we may recognize?

Edited by Love O Fair 2022-01-08 3:27 PM

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-08 6:34 PM (#556727 - in reply to #556726)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

That signature is illegible to me. And, it isn’t even close to the name on the saddle shim. So, just someone’s self-expression. The tuners get a good cleaning next. Really funky.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-09 1:27 PM (#556734 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: RE: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

The tuners have been cleaned. A question for conjectural analysis. What is the optimal lubricant for repacking the gears? Got a supply of Vaseline, but wondered if there was something better.

(tuners 3- smaller image.jpg)

(clean tuner parts 2- smaller image.jpg)

(clean tuner parts 1- smaller image.jpg)

Attachments
----------------

tuners 3- smaller image.jpg (60KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

clean tuner parts 2- smaller image.jpg (92KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

clean tuner parts 1- smaller image.jpg (74KB - 0 downloads)

FlySig

Posted 2022-01-09 5:54 PM (#556736 - in reply to #556734)
Subject: RE: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4043

Location: Utah

seesquare - 2022-01-09 12:27 PM

The tuners have been cleaned. A question for conjectural analysis. What is the optimal lubricant for repacking the gears? Got a supply of Vaseline, but wondered if there was something better.

Just an amateur opinion, but I'd use a very tiny amount of gun grease. Oils eventually evaporate. Gun greases seem to stay in place for a long time. Use as little as possible.

Shooter's Choice makes a good grease in a syringe style applicator.

Another option is a food grade lithium grease. This is what I use on my guns because it works and it is cheaper than gun-specific products.

You can probably get away with no lube at all. idk.

DanSavage

Posted 2022-01-09 6:02 PM (#556737 - in reply to #556718)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
June 2012
Posts: 2315

Location: Pueblo West, CO

seesquare - 2022-01-08 11:50 AM

I think the neck may need to come off to install the replacement rosette, unless someone has clever means to accomplish the task, without major surgery.

If you are using a rosette with a raised one, I've replaced them with the neck installed several times.

If you're inlaying one, then that's going to be a bit more trouble.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-09 6:13 PM (#556741 - in reply to #556736)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Thanks for the input! I just figured, since the tuners come lubricated, I will repack them with some type of lubricant. How about some aerosol silicone? Doesn’t constitute much mass, but has great slippery properties. And it will get inside the tuner housing pretty well. Doesn’t attract dirt, either.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-09 6:20 PM (#556742 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Thanks Dan. I will play it by ear for now. Will have to evaluate my options, as this project progresses. I’m just not relishing the idea of pulling the neck, if I don’t have to. Kinda depends on what I find after scraping the top.

Love O Fair

Posted 2022-01-09 8:35 PM (#556744 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
February 2016
Posts: 1801

Location: When??

+1 on the Shooter's Choice with the injector. A little dab'll do ya and it's great stuff to have around for other uses as well.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-09 8:56 PM (#556745 - in reply to #556744)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Thanks for the suggestion and product endorsement. I will put it on my shopping list.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-11 8:31 AM (#556775 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: RE: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Well, at least the tuners are looking better.

(finished tuners 1- smaller image.jpg)

(finished tuners 4- smaller image.jpg)

Attachments
----------------

finished tuners 1- smaller image.jpg (86KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

finished tuners 4- smaller image.jpg (66KB - 0 downloads)

moody, p.i.

Posted 2022-01-11 9:51 AM (#556778 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664

Location: SoCal

Heck, you practically have the entire guitar done!

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-11 10:07 AM (#556779 - in reply to #556778)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Thanks for the optimism, Paul.
My date with the scraper is arriving soon.
Perhaps, in the current set of expectations, I also need to construct a long-throat clamp for that fissure below the bridge. Needs to be about a foot long to reach the end of the body. Heck, probably gonna need one about 9 inches, too. Gots lots of 3/4-inch square tube laying around from all my pedalcraft fabrications- piece-o'-cake.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-11 3:04 PM (#556788 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Got a response from Ovation Customer Service. No label graphics available. They gave me some interesting history, related to that issue, also.
"Additionally, in the mid/late 1990's, in the early days of internet sales and businesses selling online, we discovered a large quantity of counterfeit guitars being offered for sale-coupled with weekly calls for "replacement" labels and headstock appliques that we decided we would not produce or provide reprints for any requests for these "parts" as it was obvious to us that most of the requests were to correct these counterfeit guitars."
So, the search will continue.

Old Man Arthur

Posted 2022-01-11 3:29 PM (#556790 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR

Yeah.... Bullshit.
Because during THIS century, John Budny send me stickers and tuners and saddles and preamps (no rosettes).
Did you tell them that you probably know more about Ovation history than they do?

BCam

Posted 2022-01-11 3:50 PM (#556791 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
October 2014
Posts: 270

He sent me a rosette.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-11 4:37 PM (#556795 - in reply to #556791)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

I understand what “not available “ means. Whether the current support crew is accurate or even motivated is conjecture, at best. As Blanche DuBois opined, “I depend on the kindness of strangers.”

Old Man Arthur

Posted 2022-01-11 4:41 PM (#556796 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR

Yeah. I am not trying to be rude to them.
They probably just don't HAVE all of the stuff that JB had.
Sadly, a bunch of stuff went into that dumpster.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-11 10:26 PM (#556800 - in reply to #556796)
Subject: Re: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

S'OK. Jonmark is probably right, "We are nerds". Albeit, passionate & devoted. The world keeps spinnin' & times (and resources) change. I don't need to ask often if we're having fun, yet. That's cool.

Patch

Posted 2022-01-12 8:07 PM (#556810 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: RE: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4226

Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent

Yep! Gonna be checking in on this one regularly....

Apparently I'm a nerd too.

seesquare

Posted 2022-01-12 9:07 PM (#556812 - in reply to #556707)
Subject: RE: Pandora II- The GCDB Restoration

Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3611

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire

Thanks for swelling the gallery, Patch! This is going to be a cooperative enterprise, & any conjecture, wild guesses, or ***-forbid, real science & accurate facts, are welcomed & expected. I will be the chief-cook-&-bottlewasher & attempt to cobble together a decent restoration of the GCDB.
So then, more progress. Got the top scraped & found several areas in need of significant repair. Answered a few of the prior concerns, i.e., the rosette was inlaid in the soundboard, and there was no repair to the top, before that awful blue goo was slathered onto the soundboard. Actually, I am fortunate Ovation put a thick epoxy topcoat on their instruments. The paint removal required a little less, let's term it "precision", to accomplish the task. I have discovered the binding was lost at the bottom of the guitar, and based on the backlighted photo, it appears there is no kerfing in that vicinity, though a lot of (probably epoxy) filler was used to secure the bottom edge of the soundboard to the bowl. That may be a challenge to remedy, after the top is cleated & flattened, since there won't be anything to reglue the top to, or glue the replacement binding onto.
OK, enough already. Here's some current photos:

(Scaping- treble side- smaller image.jpg)

(Scraped top 1- smaller image.jpg)

(scraped soundhole- smaller image.jpg)

(scraped fissure- smaller image.jpg)

(lighted fissure 3- smaller image.jpg)

Attachments
----------------

Scaping- treble side- smaller image.jpg (92KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

Scraped top 1- smaller image.jpg (86KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

scraped soundhole- smaller image.jpg (67KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

scraped fissure- smaller image.jpg (88KB - 0 downloads)
Attachments

lighted fissure 3- smaller image.jpg (55KB - 0 downloads)

Jump to page : < 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... >
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]

Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread


This message board and website is not sponsored or affiliated with Ovation® Guitars in any way.Registered to: The Ovation Fanclub™ Copyright (c) 2001

(Delete all cookies set by this site)