1970s Japanese Hokada 3751 Part 1

[@walterbaker2324]

Besides high action, does a belly affect tone? Will it keep getting worse until braces fall off and the top breaks? I'm thinking of just doing a neck reset and hopefully all the wood has met its maximum flexure

[@engine-room]

I haven’t noticed a change in tone, in theory as the belly bulges there is more pressure on the bridge, so more transference of vibration. I will have to give the next one I work on a listen. The wood only seems to bulge to certain degree, it is warping more than expanding so I haven’t seen one that’s split -yet. Normally the glue on the bridge would give out before things got too extreme. The guitars that I use steam on are normally the ones that don’t justify a neck reset, either because of value or I simply am not sure of the joint/ glue used on them. The Japanese had a nasty habit of using epoxy. A neck reset is the more permanent repair as wood has a memory and the bulge will eventually return. Hope that helps.