So you’ve been playing your guitar for a while now and have become pretty good, so your parents decide to take you and your brother to visit your grandparents in Florida. Before you go, they tell you that they’ll let you bring your guitar on the plane with you if it will fit under the seat in front of you. Of course, you immediately agree because this way you can practice whenever you want and maybe show off a little bit on the plane.
The day before the trip, however, you accidentally drop your guitar and crack the soundboard. Being without a guitar for a week is definitely not an option. What do you do? Your parents won’t buy another one and won’t rent one either because they are afraid that it will get broken or stolen while on vacation.
What if I told you that there was a cheap way to fix your guitar without having to buy another one? No, I’m not talking about tape or glue. I’m talking about celloglass. Celloglass is a material that luthiers use to repair broken stringed instruments all of the time. It’s also cheap! For example, a piece that is 8 inches by 8 inches only costs $1.15 at stewmac.com!
Celloglass sounds
Recently, I was given a guitar with a broken headstock. The neck was split in half, and I was told it would be very expensive to have repaired. Not one to give up easily, I began researching alternative methods for putting this guitar back together. My research led me to celloglass.
Celloglass is basically what it sounds like: a thin sheet of glass that is flexible enough to mold into the shape of an instrument. It’s about 10 inches by 15 inches and comes in sheets of varying thicknesses, from .025 to .110 inch. There are many different types made from various materials like fiberglass or kevlar, but the most common type is plain old cellulose fiberglass, which is the kind I used. Celloglass can be found at almost any hardware store or home improvement center and costs between $3 and $5 per sheet, depending on where you buy it.
I cut the celloglass in half, since I only needed enough for the headstock repair. I then soaked the pieces in water for about 30 minutes until they were pliable enough to bend without breaking into shards and placed them into position on either side of the break and held them there using duct tape. Once the pieces were in place, I
Your guitar has been damaged in transit – what do you do? The answer is simple – use celloglass. Celloglass is a thin, strong and transparent material used to repair dents and cracks in various types of stringed instruments. It is composed of two layers of cellophane with a layer of glue between them.
We have all heard about the troubles that well-known performers, such as Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, have had with their guitars being damaged mid-flight. These stories usually end with the musician deciding to sell some island or mansion in order to pay for repairs to their beloved instrument! While these stories are wild exaggerations, it is true that airline personnel are often careless with the luggage they are entrusted with, and insurance can only cover so much damage.
With celloglass, you can repair your instrument at a much lower cost than paying a professional repairman. This incredible substance can be used on any number of instruments, not just guitars. For example, celloglass can also be used to repair violins, mandolins and cellos.
The idea behind celloglass is simple enough – we all know that if you drop a glass object onto a hard surface it will shatter into a million pieces. Similarly
Celloglass is a material that has been around for years. It is used in the furniture industry, automotive industry, and even in the medical field. It can be purchased from your local hobby store or from places like Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target.
Celloglass is a product called “fiberglass”. This is a non-toxic cloth that is soaked with a resin and hardener. When it dries it becomes very hard and strong. You can cut it with a razor blade or similar item but you should use caution because it can be sharp. The resin and hardener are sold separately and come in many different colors so you can match the color of your guitar or bass. You can also use this product to make the scratch plate on your guitar look better if you want to do that as well
A celloglass repair is an efficient, cost effective way to restore the original sound and beauty of your acoustic, classic or electric guitars, violins and other instruments. The process is a unique method of repairing cracks in the body and top of musical instruments using a highly specialized resin system.
The celloglass material is a high-tech composite that consists of a combination of materials that are well known for their strength and durability. It is made from carbon fiber, Kevlar and epoxy resin. Celloglass was developed to replace carbon fiber as it provides more flexibility and can be used in smaller areas.
The end result is a repair that will not change the sound or appearance of the instrument. Once cured, the celloglass material is harder than wood so it will protect the instrument from future damage while maintaining its original acoustic properties.
Celloglass repairs are done by hand with use of special tools made specifically for this purpose. The work surface must be free of dust and debris so it can be used effectively by the technician.
Most repair shops charge between $400 to $600 dollars for this repair but you can find many online resources where you can learn how to do it yourself for about $40 dollars in materials. The process involves applying layers of cell
In the past, whenever I’ve damaged my guitar on tour, I’ve sent it to a repair shop for fixing. The expense was always such that I felt it was worth it. This time however, the damages were too serious and I was faced with the task of having to do it myself or give up touring.
I started out looking at the finish through a magnifying glass and could see tiny cracks in the wood grain. Then as I ran my fingers over the surface, I could feel small bumps where pieces of wood had torn away from the grain and risen slightly above the surface. The area in question was approximately 3″x2″.
The following is a list of materials and tools used in this repair:
* Superglue (cyanoacrylate)
* 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper
* 0000 steel wool
* Denatured Alcohol (wood alcohol)
* Celloglass tube (about 3″ x 2″)
* 2-part epoxy glue
* 2 small squares of newspaper for mixing epoxy glue
* X-acto knife with sharp blade for cutting cellulose material
The Travel Guitar
If you prefer to travel with a guitar, but don’t want to risk the possibility of getting it damaged due to the rough handling of baggage handlers, consider a travel guitar. Travel guitars are becoming more and more popular as technology improves them. They are small enough to be carried on an airplane under the seat in front of you. They have come a long way from their early days when they were very quiet and had poor tone, but they still have limitations. Epiphone makes a great travel guitar, and so does Martin. If you’re looking for a travel guitar, check out these models at Guitar Center.
If you’re flying with a full size guitar, be sure to buy an ATA case. ATA cases are designed to protect your instrument during airline travel much better than soft cases can. You should also carry the case with you rather than checking it as luggage so that you can keep an eye on it at all times. The downside is that ATA cases are expensive and heavy and big – about $300 for most standard sized guitars and about two feet by three feet in size and at least 25 pounds in weight. But if you’re traveling with a good guitar or bass, it’s worth the extra money over what is called a “