Sunday, 29 June 2014

Bernd 's Klira Patricia 196X jazz box renovation project

guitarz.blogspot.com:  Bernd writes to tell us about his renovation project as follows:
Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Klira Patricia 196X as I bought it ... Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; the original headstock
I am Bernd from Straubing in Bavaria, Germany. I found a 196X Klira Patricia Archtop at an auction and decided to "restore" it to a blue Jazz-Machine with abalone-celluloid inlays.

Some people think, those old Kliras (and Lindbergs and Triumphators) should stay in the cellar - others think, they have some worth. As I didn't have such a Jazz-Box, I was ready to invest a few Euros and some elbow grease. The lacquer and the whole finish was very bad, and it seems to have been in a very humid environment for a few years. But the neck was straight and the frets were OK.

The headstock inlay was already dissolving - what looks like a kind of pearl inlay was in fact some kind of laquer, also in a very bad shape. The guitar looks much better on the images, as it was in reality.

Problem: I don't have a workshop, don't have any woodworking tools and I don't have any woodworking experience ...

Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Bling Bling ... Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Stained
So I stripped her and gave her some new abalone-celluloid inlays and also an abalone headstock and some "new clothes" - a RAL 5005 stain.

Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Playable ... Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Some More Bling Bling
Added a little make-up - two sheets of teak oil (I will add some more in the future ...) and some Grover like tuners from a Guild F130, a Gretsch bridge and her old tailpiece.

Now she sounds very loud and clear ... Great tone ...

Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Neck Pickup Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Controls
As she is a modern girl now, she gets some electronics - a Schaller Vintage 44 floating single coil and a volume and tone control. With a Yamaha THR 10c, she sounds absolutely stunning.

Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; Nearly Ready
OK. This is in no way a perfect restoration. I did a lot of mistakes and everbody who takes a closer (and even a not so close) look will find some. But I like her, wife and daughter like her, people like her and she has great sound ...

Bernd D.: Archtop Restoration Project &emdash; The Very First Time ...
Already looking for the next old guitar ...

Bernd

Many thanks to Bernd for sharing his guitar renovation project with us. I'd like to congratulate him on tastefully bringing an old guitar that has seen better days back to life. - GLW

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2 comments:

  1. Just for the sake of balance, I'm gonna say - this is not brilliant, and it's not a restoration, it's the kind of unpleasant modification of a vintage guitar that was in fine original shape that should have died out in the 1970s.

    "Already looking for the next old guitar ... "

    Please for the love of god, no.

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