Hensel Artist Guitar Restoration

Another Hensel-made RS Williams guitar from the '30's or 40's! This one had a serious intonation issue right from the day it was made.

[@stigselsmark6898]

It’s a pleasure to see you work and how you go about finding solutions, keep up the good work 👍😀

[@p_mouse8676]

Nice job, as always! I personally would have gone for a slight oversized bridge to cover up the seam.

[@rustyaxelrod]

I recently flipped an inexpensive Harmony guitar over to left handed, new nut, bridge saddle re-route, etc. and managed to clean up the back of the pickguard nicely and flipped it also. It looks like the back of that one was nice enough to flip over also and would have the added benefit of keeping it with the guitar.

[@mobobb3555]

This is the 3rd video that I have watched showcasing your guitar repair talents. I am thoroughly enjoying these free lessons. Thank you Sir.

[@doak4886]

I would think anyone would be more than happy to have you work on their stringed instrument. You are a master.

[@bkh1324]

Hey Ted your a classy guy. You took us through this other guy's work and didn't try to shame him or say alot of terrible things and I think that's great.

[@richardalanprow283]

I watched a bunch of your work today. Very enjoyable! I like your philosophy and attitude toward the work.

[@mushroomsamba82]

I've convinced myself I need to track down one of these hensel guitars based on the videos, and I'm not even Canadian.

[@jbann23]

Nicely done. Looking forward to seeing more of your work. Thanks.

[@iwerkalone]

your videos are top notch! FYI white paper would absorb less heat from light energy, not radiant. Your video's are the standard to which all others are measured in my opinion. Keep up the great work.

[@tonysheehan7766]

Absolutely fascinating. Thanks for sharing

[@nicholasbrusky3441]

"Thanks buddy" comment was great :)

[@RJDCR]

kool , nice work...I love your methodic approach to things....Thanx for all the tips & tricks too RJ

[@emersonvella]

I've just been binging on your videos. Really nice work dude. I hope one day I will have enough dough to buy a place with space for a workshop, maybe I can someday start working on wood too, not just setting up guitars. I live in a really small place at the moment. Your videos are really inspiring and calming to watch - your attention to detail is great and really satisfying. Just one comment, I think I would have made a bit of an oversized bridge and hidden away the graft under the bridge. Might look a bit goofy though, but just an idea for similar future repairs maybe?

[@davidthebiker2955]

Loved watching that and listening to what you were thinking as you assessed the guitar. Great video

[@doovie101]

"Part of a clan". Hahaha! I love your videos, bro.

[@Jkautsky]

In medieval guitar guilds, you were drawn and quartered for sinking bridges into the surface of the guitar.

[@mobobb3555]

Some of us still prefer this punishment for those that would defer to the absolute ruination of a stringed instrument. :- )

[@chrisofnottingham]

I think the bridge was moved forward for getting the intonation correct, exposing the rear of the pocket. If the bridge was wide enough to still cover the rear of the pocket and the front was 5mm further forward the dimensions would look all wrong.

[@ThelBosch]

In Moorish guitar guilds, you were boiled in oil for gluing in the saddle.

[@mikeherrell1356]

Why didn't you make the new bridge wide enough to fill the pocket?

[@mobobb3555]

I believe that the pocket was filled prior to installing the new bridge. Other than replicating the measurements of the old bridge I would have recommended increasing the bridge width also to a large enough dimension to cover the new to old bridge placement.

[@darensamuels5208]

A wider bridge might look worse than the patch behind the new bridge. Also, I imagine that weight of the bridge is the enemy of good tone? More mass to move on the top slows it down and deadens the tone? I watch all of this guy’s videos and he knows what he is doing. He takes it seriously and is very conscientious in his work. I’d trust him to make the right call on something like this.

[@wyattsdad8561]

That came out excellent

[@seanobrien7568]

that guy just likes sinking bridges, he loves it

[@velvetunderpants44]

:-D

[@mtut]

Until he moved west and switched to sinking hookers. Really disturbing method.

[@petemay538]

This was a nice video to come upon by accident I repair violins but I have a Hansel 1952 a different model...one that does not show up anywhere on the web...so far.It has the very narrow fret wire and I was searching for that.Nice video thanks.I hope to see some more of your well done videos.

[@MikeGervasi]

If I lived locally you would be my guitar tech. Just quality work in all your vids.

[@SynergyCeleste]

Question... If I accidentally chisel the wood under the bridge too much, trying to level it... Can I fill that with some Titebond and wood shavings...dry and then glue and clamp the bridge?

[@stevesoldwedel]

Superlative work. Just masterful. It looks like the reveal on the bass side is narrower than on the treble side, is that just an illusion? Also, the pickguard looks like it could have been flipped over; it didn't look like it was beveled. Did the client just not want it?

[@wyattsdad8561]

Hi great vid, What type of oil do you use on the fretboard?

[@twoodfrd]

For old boards i usually use a lemon oil mix from Circa 1850. On new builds I apply two coats of polymerized tung oil. It helps seal the surface a bit.

[@wyattsdad8561]

twoodfrd thanks man, what are your thoughts on linseed oil?

[@twoodfrd]

@@wyattsdad8561 it's fine but it smells and it can build up into a gummy mess if used too often.

[@wyattsdad8561]

There is another luthier that I watch on KZbin that says lemon oil has certain solvents in it because lemon oil, or what we call lemon oil is a furniture polish. He claims linseed oil is what’s advised for a fretboard. Anyway, you seem to know your stuff so I thought I should ask ya. Thanks man

[@xodusattack]

@@wyattsdad8561 Ive always used BOILED linseed oil on all of my guitars. Haven't had any problem over the years with that stuff.

[@francisdasta8646]

I'm just wondering why you didn't make the bridge slightly wider to cover the footprint of the original bridge without having to do any refinishing? I would rather have a bridge that's a sixteenth of an inch wider than have a big scar

[@ThePillenwerfer]

5mm is more like three-sixteenths but I thought the same. Then again it isn't my guitar and I'm not paying for the repair.

[@theayatollahofrockandrollah]

has the bridge inlaying culprit been identified yet?

[@alnicospeaker]

How do you determine that the top is likely "eastern"(US) spruce?

[@Ricopolico]

It's all about the nuance.

[@haplessdilettante]

m,y god, you're good at what you do,

[@bkebradley]

Seeing the fuckups on guitars that you fix makes me really apprehensive about sending my guitars in to get work done

[@bradhibbitts8188]

Nice job

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

This Pickguard could be used w/ another Instrument

[@CDaisy-tp7hw]

I'm just wondering here. . . That area behind the new bridge, could you have made the new bridge large enough to cover that blemish rather than try to color match it?

[@agwbcfjc2]

Imho, even if you can't play a left handed guitar, please go ahead and strum the strings so we can get an idea of the type and quality of the sound. Thanks.

[@harlanbarnhart4656]

Just curious, why not make the new bridge big enough to cover the spruce inlay. Thanks for the video, you do a great job.

[@amunderdog]

symmetry

[@cs-ub4we]

Why not make the bridge a bit wider to meet the old line?

[@mtut]

Valid question. Could be a concern if the mass and stiffness of the new bridge changes the sound of the top. This is also kind of a distinctive bridge and it's accepted that vintage bridges were not always properly placed and needed to be moved (Martin was placing them wrong for many years, and that's one of the greatest brands of the 20th century...). Extra width could call attention to the fact that not only had the bridge been moved (and converted to LH), but that the repair and conversion didn't acknowledge the original design. Could be an issue for collectors who will tolerate modifications and repairs but don't like to see a "cover-up." This way it's not hidden that there was a repair, but the repair shows respect for the integrity of the original design. Probably a philosophical issue, but the worst thing when you pick up a supposedly historic guitar is to feel like someone is pulling something over on you. What's worse - a vintage car with some dents, or a car where you've established there is Bondo in the fenders?

[@MarkMarvin1983]

I noticed that the string holes and pins aren't the correct spacing

[@G4m1c]

White paper to reflect heat? You are really cautious. I must say an aluminium foil would do that way better than white paper. But heat radiantion is a smaller problem than heat conduction here, so the cardboard alone would do the majority of the work anyway ;) Great vid!

[@ahf5471]

That Hensel is so hot right now...

[@pallecla]

You deserve more subs! This is pure guitar repair porn 🤓

[@agwbcfjc2]

Taken all-in-all, I think Hensel's guitars would have been of a much higher quality had he not be so distracted with grief. He lost his twin sister Gritel to that mean old witch, with the oven, in the deep dark forest. He never was quite the same after that.

[@wayneg296]

👍👍😎✌️

[@tvviewer4500]

why would anyone inlay the bridge?

[@matthewsalyersjr4965]

I really enjoy watching your videos, I’ve seen all of them and learned a heck of allot from you.. and there was a video you posted about people wanting you to teach them.. and you’re right! This kinda thing has to be inside you like.. a… pre program I guess you can say lol. Wood working and other talents run my family.. although I’ve had to learn what I know about guitars myself and watching you.. I am “Not” a master at it… at all!! Lol. But thank you 🙏

[@craigusselman546]

Nice guitar not crazy about the pickguard it might look better to me in black I dunno.

[@Catonius]

Hopefully that guy is watching, picking up some tips..

[@Ricobass0]

Nice work but if it were my guitar, I would have wanted you to make the new bridge wider/longer(?) to hide where the old bridge had been completely. p.s. Why does anyone want a left hand guitar? You can't buy left handed pianos!

[@stevesoldwedel]

Why do you care how anyone chooses to orient their guitar?

[@c3N3q]

10:04 :-)

[@ScottGreenMusic]

Look how they massacred my bridge.

[@spacejamgoliath]

L o l

[@robertrodriguez6029]

Can you at least strum the guitar for sound. Thks again Nice work!