Cole Clark guitar rattlle

[rickP]

Hi all, and thanks for adding me to the site. A question I have, has anyone reglued the long alloy bar which a pickup transducer is mounted on inside a Cole Clark acoustic guitar? It sure looks to have been epoxied in place originally but has now come loose down the lower bout. I think I can work some titebond or ca down into it but that may not hold well to the existing glue which I wouldn’t be able to clean out without the back being removed. Any suggestions welcome, except the bonfire, it’s a customer’s instrument Cheers

[kiwigeo]

Welcome to the forum.

Perhaps a photo might help visualize the issue youre dealing with.

[rickP]

The owner has taken it back, hoping for a refund as it was recently purchased. Thanks for your attention anyway. Cheers

[Taffy Evans]

Hi, yes I have come across that issue, I'll have to check back records to see what it was I have done.
Taff

[Taffy Evans]

Hi again, I found a heap of photos but no info on the glue. But looking at the applicator I made up I think it was Titebond. It worked ok anyway. The problem was up near the tailblock.

Not much help sorry
Taff

[kiwigeo]

If you're gluing metal to wood then epoxy will be required. You might have got the Titebond to hold but it wont hold for long.

[rickP]

Hi again, I found a heap of photos but no info on the glue. But looking at the applicator I made up I think it was Titebond. It worked ok anyway. The problem was up near the tailblock.
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Not much help sorry
Taff

Thanks very much for your time and effort Taff , much appreciated- I’ll let the Owner know about this, if he’s unable to refund his purchase we can at least give it a try… maybe with some epoxy glue. Cheers

[Taffy Evans]

Hi, I should have explained, the strip in this case was firmly glued, I just filled a void between strip and the inside of the top that caused the buzzing with glue. Must have been three years ago now. The original epoxy type glue was still holding the strip.
Taff

[rickP]

Oh, ok. Thanks again

[Taffy Evans]

Hi, at the time I remember I did consider making a couple of spruce saddles to span the strip and tightly glue them to the top. Similar to the checked-out braces in the photos, but I did not have to.
Taff

[kiwigeo]

Is it just me or do the braces on that Cole Clark look pretty rough. Looks like they've come straight off a band saw and been plonked on to the top.

[Taffy Evans]

Hi Martin, I think you are dead right there. I have done many repairs on Cole Clark guitars and I have photos as you see here of them all. Really bad work and I think at times design flaws that should have been thought through better. As a repairer, I repair but also remedy the problem, which at times means improving bracing.

I often think about how much longer would it take to do a proper clean job. Although they have the same top and bridge issues as Maton, Maton's work is far cleaner.

Years ago my wife asked me why I worry so much about areas of the guitar that can't be seen, my answer was that somebody one day may open this guitar up, and my name is on it.
Taff