Making a New Guitar Top Plate
Source: Guitar Plate Repairs
Making a New Top Plate:
The time will inevitably come when despite all of your best efforts, a top plate cannot be saved. You are then faced with the prospect of completely re-constructing the top and replacing it on the instrument.
I’m not going to repeat all of the lengthy steps required for making a new back plate for the guitar in this article. We do have some very detailed, informative information on exactly how to build a guitar back plate from scratch on Ultimate Guitar Building. The articles you will want to read are:
Guitar Brace Selection:
Guitar Top Preparation:
Guitar Tonewood Selection:
Bracing the Soundboard:
Fitting the Guitar Top:
Guitar Bridge Plate Installation:
Shaping Tone Braces:
Thickness Sanding Guitar Plates:
How to Make a Go Board Tool:
On To Top Plate Replacement:
Once you have absorbed all of the information in these articles we can continue with the business at hand – replacing the guitar top. I would like to supplement some of the information in the above articles to more closely address a back plate replacement vs. a new guitar top plate. Some things you should be aware of are:
Match Wood Figure, Species and Tone:
Be keenly aware of the type of wood that was used on the previous guitar top plate. There are many choices and some may be hard to recognize. Use this article to help guide you – Guitar Tonewood Selection.
While most species of wood have common charteristics, the wood figure and color tone can still vary quite a bit. The best option is the ability to sort through sets of wood top plates at a instrument lumber supply house. If that isn’t possible, some of the online wood shops have pretty good photos of each wood set you can purchase.
Match Existing Guitar Appointments:
Also, it is best to match the existing guitar rosette design and installation see the article Installing Guitar Rosettes for more information on this.
Locate Bracing:
You should also be sure to locate the bracing in exactly the same location as the existing top. Cut the scalloping at the brace ends down to the same height as the original.
If the existing top is to be tossed anyway, take a 1/16″ drill bit and drill down through the top at the very end of each brace, even if you have to drill down through the brace. This will give you a positive location of the brace pattern.
Next lay the existing top over the newly construction top and line the centerlines and sound holes up exactly. Put a small dot or mark through the existing top onto the new top locating the braces.
Dry Fit The Top:
Now, once you have built the top plate, dry fit the top on the guitar sides. This can take a bit of doing and you may need to make some adjustments to the lining channels where the bracing is inserted. Make sure the top is centered and lined up properly. Take a pencil or marker and trace around the underside of the top, about 1/8″ out from the sides.
Make All Your Preparations:
Prepare your Clamps. Make sure your spool clamps are ready for instant use, are properly opened and you have enough of them to span the entire guitar perimeter.
Check to see you have your (2) Wooden Cam Clamps with the required cauls for the head and tail blocks.
Grab a roll of masking tape and cut about a dozen strips, each 4″ long. Have them ready to go too.
Glue:
Spread the Titebond III glue over the linings and the tops of the block only. Use a thin piece of veneer to get the glue even. Clean up any spill over now, before to apply the plate to the guitar.
Set The Plate In Place:
Now take the Top Plate and drop it into place. Align the Plate over the Tail Block and place a piece of masking tape to the side and pull it over the back and adhere it to the back. Do this at the opposite block, at each waist and each bout.
Now take your Wood Cam Clamps and cauls and carefully clamp the Head Block and Tail Block areas. Check the alignments and adjust as necessary.
Take a Spool Clamp and clamp the waist. Make adjustments to the sides by applying pressure to align the surfaces. Now do the same with the opposite waist. Do this with each bout, both upper and lower. Now it is time to re-check everything. Make sure all edges are lined up and the top plate is seated properly. If you have excessive glue squeeze out, you used too much glue. Clean up as best you can.
Now apply spool clamps shoulder to shoulder all the way around the perimeter, checking that everything is lined up as you go. When done set aside to dry overnight.
Remove all clamps and tape and inspect your work.
Assembly of wood or plastic bindings will be the subject of another article. Finish touch-up will be covered elsewhere as well.
Ultimate Guitar Repair Tip: If you have an exceptional fit between the mating surfaces, do not hesitate to use tape to set the top plate. You can use masking tape with 3 to 4″ long strips. I prefer to have a drafting tape dispenser screwed to the side of my work bench so I can quickly dispense tape from it. If you want a stronger solution, use Filament Tape, where you can apply a lot more downward pressure.
Just start on the top plate surface, hold the plate into correct alignment with one hand and apply a downward pull with the tape and adhere it to the side of the guitar. Do this at about 4″ intervals around the whole guitar and then come back and fill-in. If you have a stubborn place, just apply more tape or use a helper clamp like a spool clamp.
Tags: guitar top replacement, how to repair a guitar top, major guitar repairs, replace a guitar top
