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Post by Michael Messer on Mar 17, 2024 9:27:41 GMT
Good morning. I since also received a msg from Mike Lewis whom I will have so the necessary repairs, also confirming the neck to be likely to be original (is that proper English?) so let’s sum up the artefacts at this point: - player grade style 0 - neck likely original, logo recent - SN leaving some questions about neck/body combination Then it continues to be a player grade 0 and I am fine with it. Next I will try to make a short vid showing the guitar and how it sounds in the current state, then I am tempted to understring and show the effect to see how the break angle will impact the sound. If the impact is small I am tempted for now to just lift up the biscuit a bit, I think that I can do this myself (like the gasket, just with real wood and nicer made). The gasket was 1,2mm, I would lift up by 2mm. If the break angle impact is very clear, I will send her to Mike Lewis for a real repair including neck adjustment and so forth. Any thoughts? Best Andreas Hi Andreas, The best thing to do is to send your guitar to Mike Lewis. No more trying little adjustments yourself, just send it to Mike and you will have a guitar that plays perfectly. Shine On Michael |
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Post by schlumpfmeister on Mar 18, 2024 18:11:38 GMT
I have since received more information from Jason from NRP based on additional images stating that fretboard and frets are likely to be original, but side dots have been added and of course a neck reset has already been done.
i have followed Michael’s advice, packed everything up and sent it to Mike Lewis. So no further updates, once it is back I will report.
Thanks everyone, best Andreas
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Post by Mike lewis on Mar 22, 2024 12:05:40 GMT
Hi Andreas, I think you’re right. The neck is probably correct. It could be a ‘Variation 7’ with that back. I could accept the replaced NRP logo. I still think it is strange that, in a group of possibly 9 or 10 ‘spade head’ variation 8 Style 0s that one of them should be an earlier style 7 in that grouping of B series guitars Hi Mark , Of course you are dead on for the b series serial number , it was put on after the re-varnish . If you look closely at the serial number you can see a N° 7 under the varnish from the original numlber |
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Post by schlumpfmeister on Apr 12, 2024 9:23:06 GMT
It has been a little while since I last reported.
The guitar is back from Mike Lewis. He replaced the (replacement-) cone due to a dent, he fixed some metal cracks in the cone cavity (which he explained is very typical for 14fret Nationals), and reset the neck, including some corrections on the neck heel.
What can I say - it sounds MUCH better - louder, more pronounced, more "honk" (for sake of a better word, the typical slide sound when it almost cries). Total turnaround time was 3 weeks including 2x international shipping, and cost for the repair was very fair, the personal interaction was extremely nice. So Mike if you read this - thanks again!
As to the specific mysteries - I think they have all been clarified: The neck is original, so are fretboard and frets, there has been some work done to the neck - repainted, new / wrong serial number punched in, new NPR replacement logo, side dots added. The original serial number is unfortunately barely visible, it certainly ends with a 7, it might also start with a 7, but this is very difficult to decipher. Whoever removed the body top coating didn't even bother removing neck, let alone the tailpiece, underneath, there are remnants of the original coating.
The challenge is with me now to learn playing it. Due to the slightly higher action suggested by Mike, slide playing is very easy now, but I am still struggling with standard playing, so I have to build up some more strength, then I might be posting a vid showing the guitar and making an idiot of myself...
I want to thank all supporters who helped with questions, suggestions and comments - foremost, Mike Lewis for the great work, Michael Messer offering the forum for exchanges like this one, and for commenting, Mark Makin for the sharp eye and the great book (which I have bought since, I should have done this way earlier!), and everybody else who commented.
So I am off now practicing Bukka stuff :-)
Thanks and best, Andreas
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 13, 2024 8:32:01 GMT
Hi Andreas,
I am pleased to hear that your guitar has been to Mike Lewis and is now all good and ready to play.
All you have to do now is just keep playing and the learning process will happen.
Thank you for your kind words.
Shine On
Michael
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