An old friend revisited

Bridgehouse · March 2017

I was up in the loft yesterday looking for something the missus was after, and I spied a gig bag in the corner that I'd forgotten about.

Decided to bring it down. I thought @HarrySeven might like to see some pics actually - the acoustic version of your kind of thing I reckon mate!

This was my very first proper guitar. It was given to me by my aunt, and she bought it from new. I think it's about 1973 or so. She's sadly no longer with us - so this has all sorts of special meaning to me. First guitar. Given to me by a much loved family member who is no longer with us. Played my first gig with it, wrote my first song on it..

It's a 000 bodied Kay KDG-77. Made in Japan in the days when the Japanese guitars were so well built to compete with the American market.

Ok, so its not particularly spectacular, and neither is it particularly collectible. But it's going nowhere!

I've been thinking about getting it back into playing condition. I'm concerned about it's fragility, so I need some really nice light strings for it - any suggestions? Also, the tuning knobs are getting loose - a couple are cracked and under tension slip on the pegs - any suggestions here also greatly appreciated..

There's no bridge/soundboard lift or sink so it's basically sound. Binding is all still fine as well.

It's an old friend. I'm glad I dug it out of the loft. It doesn't deserve to be up there.

Nitefly · March 2017

Ooh, that's very tasty! I really like the 3-panel back.

ICBM · March 2017

Very nice, and it's in great condition. These old Kays are much better than their brand reputation. (Although its true that there are many which aren't, hence the reputation…)

You can fix the machineheads easily if you can find a set of other ones with the same spacing between the 'hooks' - just undo the gears and you can replace the key shafts. What's the exact distance between the inside and outside edges?

If the top hasn't pulled up I wouldn't be worried about fragility or stringing it too light - these are actually pretty robust guitars and were always intended to be strung with at least 12s, that's what acoustics were like back then! 12 was "light" gauge

.

Bridgehouse · March 2017

ICBM said:

Very nice, and it's in great condition. These old Kays are much better than their brand reputation. (Although its true that there are many which aren't, hence the reputation…)

You can fix the machineheads easily if you can find a set of other ones with the same spacing between the 'hooks' - just undo the gears and you can replace the key shafts. What's the exact distance between the inside and outside edges?

If the top hasn't pulled up I wouldn't be worried about fragility or stringing it too light - these are actually pretty robust guitars and were always intended to be strung with at least 12s, that's what acoustics were like back then! 12 was "light" gauge .

I'll post a close up of the machine heads so you can see how they are constructed - I may have to bite the bullet and replace the whole strip, if I can find something with the same screw hole placement.

Bridgehouse · March 2017

@ICBM - here's the machine heads in close up. I'm not sure the pegs will come off the plates or hooks tbh as I'm not sure if there's the clearance, but then again I haven't tried yet

I will have a go a bit later on!

Also not sure where I might get replacements from..

ICBM · March 2017

They will come off - you need to undo the black screws that hold the gears on, remove the gears, push the post through towards the front of the headstock and then you can get the keyshafts out. All you need is new ones which fit the same spacing.

I've replaced literally hundreds, both individually and as full sets. You just need to remember to slacken the strings off first or removing the gear can be amusing

.

I may even have spares, but if not and we know the size then any set of modern classical heads with similar keys that fits will do the job - or if you swap the rollers for the metal posts from your set you can use the whole strips if you need to. The mounting screw spacing is the only issue, and these look fairly standard. Classical-type tuners with metal posts aren't common usually.

Bridgehouse · March 2017

@ICBM - thanks chap! I'll take them off a bit later and photo/measure up and hopefully you can give me an idea as to where I might be able to get a set from!

I'd like to get it up and running again. Despite the age and undesirability it really is a super playing and sounding acoustic. I think I've even got an old track from a previous folky band somewhere with it recorded on!

richardhomer · March 2017

In your bloody loft? Is there a guitar equivalent of Childline I can report you to?

Bridgehouse · March 2017

richardhomer said:

In your bloody loft? Is there a guitar equivalent of Childline I can report you to?

I know, I know..

To be fair, we haven't been in this house long, and I put it up there out of the way whilst we did some decorating and other stuff.

I, er, might have forgotten about it.. *ahem*

Went up today, saw it, and thought "Crikey, I need to bring that down!!"

All is well though..

bbill335 · March 2017

That's reeeeeaaaaallllyy nice. I'd love to find an old, cheap small-bodied acoustic. The eko ranger sounds nice enough it's just that dreads are too big for me.

Bridgehouse · March 2017

@ICBM - progress!

But also issues.

First things first. Strings off. I noticed a bit of creaking in the top and stuck my fingers in the sound hole. One of the cross braces has split. Poor photo:

I reckon I should be able to get in to get some titebond along it then clamp it. Going to try tomorrow in better light tho.

Now, tuners:

Clip is 12mm inside width, peg is 6mm diameter. Photos:

Bridgehouse · March 2017

bbill335 said:

That's reeeeeaaaaallllyy nice. I'd love to find an old, cheap small-bodied acoustic. The eko ranger sounds nice enough it's just that dreads are too big for me.

Thanks!

Its a lovely size, well made, plays beautifully and sounds really really nice. Nicer than it has any right to..

Bridgehouse · March 2017

Well I decided to have a go at glueing and clamping the brace.

Lots of swearing and glue infested fingers later....

It's recovering in ICU...

We shall see if it holds... was a tricky bit of keyhole surgery...!

Next, time to start scouring the internetz for replacement pegs..

Bridgehouse · March 2017

It worked!

Brace has stuck. I've reattached the tuning pegs for now and will restring tomorrow once the glue has dried properly. Will bring up the string tension slowly and check everything is ok, and then it's time to remind myself of how it sounds...

Bridgehouse · March 2017

It's dried over night. Brace seems stable and secure. I've popped the strings on and kept them loose. I'm going to start winding up the tension in a bit and see if the brace holds.

I'll get it up to a tone or two below the usual, and let it stabilise a bit more.

Will post some pics later on with it's new strings on. I've even given it a polish and a clean. Have I redeemed myself now @richardhomer ?

I'm going to keep an eye out for some new tuner pegs as well - I think stewmac have a set which will do the job.

Bridgehouse · March 2017

I'm sure this is as interesting as paint drying, but hey - it's amusing me anyway.

I've strung it up. Got brave and put 13's on. Currently tuned a tone down to let things settle in. I'm actually quite amazed.

Relief was .010 straight off the bat. No adjustment needed.

Action is 2.5mm low E and 1.6mm top E. No adjustment needed.

No buzz anywhere - it's bright, articulate and has just snapped into life.

The peg on the G string is a bit loose - it will come off eventually, so a replacement set will need to be ordered. For now, they are serviceable.

I should have done this a long time ago. It's in the rack and back into playing rotation. I'm a bit sick really. My Gibson Songwriter Deluxe has more projection, but this is easier to play, and sounds more subtle and rounded.

Thanks to @ICBM for chiming in and telling me to grow a set, man up and put strings on it.

ICBM · March 2017

Very nice

.

Something I didn't quite notice before… it has a "3 piece" back on the outside, but a "2-piece" on the inside. Doh! You'd think that if they were going to fit an ornamental joint strip, they would have at least tried to get the illusion right

.

usedtobe · March 2017

That's a really nice looking thing!

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An old friend revisited

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