How to fix a crack on the soundboard of a classical or flamenco guitar

In this video I explain how you can fix a crack on the soundboard of a Spanish guitar. You can use this technique to also fix a crack on the side or on the back of your guitar.
For info about the courses I run in Spain go to guitarmakingcourse.org
For the complete guitar making course on video format go to
onlineguitarmakingcourse.com

[@dannyboy9978]

Wonderful explanations, Pablo. I am a semi-retired owner of a guitar repair & custom shop in California and have repaired many cracks. I've also made many electric and acoustic electric guitars. I too love your masking tape method of squeezing Titebond into a crack. I will add it to my arsenal of glue methods! ;-)

[@alberellos]

Excellent explaination as always! Loved the masking tape trick

[@BrianMered]

Great job Pablo, your videos are always interesting and informative!

[@EdoardoCatemarioMusic]

Well done, my friend!

[@YouTubeHandlesAreMoronic]

Excellent presentation. Thank you.

[@robertmcdonald1664]

Awesome thank you so much. So clear and concise I’m excited to fix my guitar 👍Rob

[@adrienami8958]

Amazing how you make things so simple!

[@johngeddes7894]

Really valuable skills being taught here. Thank you.

[@Philrc]

Nice to see a new video from you pablo

[@davekeith1480]

Yes my glue was darker because of the reaction with magnets, Good tip you gave about that.

[@Philrc]

@@davekeith1480 :) i don't think magnets change the colour of glue.

[@robhead22]

A wonderful lesson!! Im going to try this. Thank you!

[@catrionanicthamhais]

Brilliant. Thanks so much, Pablo!

[@jasielcalixto]

Amazing explanation. Thank you, Pablo. I

[@ambroseharper8316]

Excellent video, thank-you 😊

[@kowal767]

Great job Maestro.

[@RM-qi5sd]

Yesss, thank you so mutch, Pablo! I hope its going to work on my guitar as easy as it looks in your video. All the best! Rolf

[@Dnicovich]

Thank you for this video! It’s a huge help!

[@enricopg1]

Great video! You are always number 1!!!

[@keithtpullin]

How clever, excellent thank-you.

[@elvinwheel]

Gracias Señor Requena, easy to follow technique, excellent result.

[@zensational.]

Thank you very much for sharing your techniques, sir!

[@fernandoadamoli9137]

Excelente Pablo. Gracias!

[@richard9492]

Pablo: I have one important improvement if I may, "First clean the crack". I just purchased a beautiful Seagull acoustic guitar at a substantial price reduction due to a 3 inch hairline crack under the sound hole. Prior to starting Pablo's method, I observed that the crack had a grey / black color imbedded in it. I needed some kind of high pressure water or air to flush out the impurities. I got an inspiration to use my Water Pic device which I use to clean my teeth and it worked like a miracle; no more impurities in the crack. Just ensure the area is dried off with a towel immediately after! Now the crack is clean and ready for Pablo's method using the CA glue from Amazon.

[@martymetcalf]

Thank you so much for the informative and well done video. You have inspired me to fix a crack on my acoustic guitar.

[@tezkejbjes]

Great tutorial , thank you so much ...

[@MrEvitaerc]

Excelent!! A very simple solution that seems potentially better than the little suction cup and can be achieved using a simple material that can be found in any shop. Bravo

[@russellscott1151]

Very interesting, thanks.

[@davekeith1480]

Good stuff .I am no expert but I sealed the sound hole and inserted a vacuum cleaner hose ,one magnets in place. Then suck the glue in to the crack. Its good to see and know it's in.. but magnets darkened glue .? Tape is good.+.

[@jaywilliams4084]

I love the Australian accent shining through :) Very helpful techniques, thanks!

[@townbeach3603]

Flush ,very good teacher thanks

[@guitarcat5]

Brilliant!

[@apollohill6733]

Thank you for the demonstration it worked perfectly on my guitar. Magnets great idea. I wish I would have known this in 1988. I purchased a used 78 Ramirez flamenca with clavijas. It had a few cracks on sound board. If I know what I know from your demo I could have fixed up the sound board. I ended up having a new sound board put in. What a tragedy.

[@christopherlord3441]

Muchas gracias, perfecto.

[@engleharddinglefester4285]

Thanks so much!

[@adrianogomes1871]

Great teaching

[@adrianogomes1871]

I've learnt many important thinga with Maestro Pablo Pequena

[@michaelbirdsong9004]

Thank you

[@desmo5514]

I have what I think is a ," humidity based" hairline split on the centreline from bridge to end of the guitar. Now I know how to deal with it if it gets any worse. Great video, Awesome teacher 👍🇭🇲👍 Cheers from Oz

[@alandust2188]

Thanks!

[@philatkin1025]

Great idea to use the magnets but how would you do it in a ukulele when you can't get your hand inside?

[@oscarjagal1081]

Great demonstration thank you for sharing your experience. I like to ask you about french polishing after I've done the finishing on my guitar I build with French polish using dewaxed shellac and everything going good with no problem and i put the guitar until dry about a month so after the drying time I put strings on guitar... and playing No problems ..... but after 2 or 3 months the shellac on guitar especially on the soundboard showing like craks or some small lines also on the back as well .... what cause that ? So this is a crack or that's normal from shellac I was thinking maybe from the sound of the instrument...? I always keep shellac in fridge and i always make fresh mixing french polishing using 100% alcohol . Thank you

[@brittneymeyst9903]

brilliant!

[@johnhowlett1502]

You clearly added my interest, mainly because the sound of your Voice makes everything easy to understand and follow. I consider the Guitar Luthiers to be the greatest People on Earth. They build guitars to create the Sounds of Mystical feelings. There is nothing more Romantic than the Sound of a Classical or Flamenco guitar.

[@james9789]

Lovely comment

[@RmsPaintStudio]

Pues, "simple y rápido" he visto tantos videos en los que luce como un proceso tan complicado y peligroso y después de ver esto pues a darle!

[@GarlandStringedInstruments]

Your videos are always excellent, Pablo, I always pick up something useful! Just one thing on the cleat: I guess you made sure the grain of the cleat was running perpendicular to the crack, but I didn't see how you did this. Was it just making sure it was oriented correctly on your finger as it went in? I've marked the cleat grain direction on the back of the inside magnet once the cleat is taped to it, then checked inside after fitting to make sure it's correctly turned.

[@redkitekk]

Yes, I try to have the grain perpendicular but if there is an angle it doesn't matter too much as it will do the job equally well.

[@paulcrawford5153]

you forgot to check the poles of the magnets... they will only stick together properly if the north pole faces the south pole of the other magnet

[@redkitekk]

I did check the magnets went in with the right polarity. Apologies if I didn’t mention that properly on the video.

[@SalvvOrtiz]

Tengo una guitarra con tres grietas bastante abiertas, ya le puse un vaso con agua adentro para humedecerla a ver si se cierran un poco y hacer la misma operación.

[@yoheff988]

Excellent tutorial! Do you always use clits, or is OK sometimes not to use them? The reason I'm asking is because usually a guitar top is made of two parts and the glue joint is holding very well without any extra support, so in a way it's like having a crack (A long one).

[@redkitekk]

Yes, the clits are there to help the two sides of the crack to stay leveled as well as to support that crack. The center joint in a top is also supported not with clits but having one of the fan struts right on the glue joint. This isn’t always the case but most guitars have it. Please check out the course I have available on www.onlineguitarmakingcourse.com

[@morgmoll1]

can you then reverse the top magnets to release the inside magnets ? thanks

[@christophe2317]

Gracias maestro .que lastima que no lo hiciera en español .pero la informacion pasa .

[@yihanacurl8419]

I didn't watch the entirety of the video. But is the magnet there just to support the glue drying? You eventually take it off right?

[@ryanmccawley6301]

What direction should the grain of the cleat run relative to the crack? I would assume perpendicular to the crack.

[@redkitekk]

Yes, perpendicular if it is possible.

[@k0p7185]

I wish I saw your video 10 years ago when my vintage ovation developed a crack. I totally ruined it and replaced it with an expensive AAA grade sound board.

[@ramrocker1004]

Hello! Is it ok to use an NGR penetrating wood stain on an acoustic guitar? I have bought one online but I'm worried it could muffle my guitar or something. The plan is to stain both fretboard and body and then apply clear lacquer top coat on the body. Got a pretty old spruce top, mahogany back and side Stafford here which sounds great but really needs repaint and stuff

[@redkitekk]

The best thing to do is to try first in a similar type of wood and see if you like the result. Once you know what you are doing you can do it to your guitar.

[@ramrocker1004]

@@redkitekk yeah thanks but what I'm really concerned about is if it might muffle or dampen the sound

[@redkitekk]

@@ramrocker1004 if you are worried about the quality of the sound you need to make sure that the final amount of lacquer you use is as little as possible to get the job done. I thick layer of lacquer is what dumps the sound. I have never used NGR stain so I can’t give any advice on it.

[@ramrocker1004]

@@redkitekk thanks a lot, mate

[@yeauld]

awesome video1111

[@barbjacques8806]

What is the name of the glue? Is it special for guitars?

[@redkitekk]

The glue I am using here is called Titebond. But you can also use hot animal glue.

[@barbjacques8806]

@@redkitekk thank you so much! I’m going to give it a try.

[@barbjacques8806]

Watching you from Calgary, Alberta. 🇨🇦

[@eduardo261881]

gitar doctor

[@Larry-Art179]

😁

[@robert9754]

I watch stuff like this because I see a slight crack in my finish and then can't help but think that willie nelsons guitar has a f*****g hole in his guitar.. idk what to do

[@katermu]

its absolute a gambling... - you cannot be shure - is the grainof the tip in sqare of the crack?

[@Brooklynonian]

Glue but no clamping? So you are just filling the crack with glue and putting a cleat on underneath? I'm sorry but if you are't clamping it, aren't filling it with spruce dust or a spline, then you are just stabilizing the crack with the cleat, not actually fixing it.

[@koontzman123]

Magnets used for clamps Einstein.

[@hampshirepiano6383]

Hot hide yes, bottled plastic-no.

[@lohndavis3794]

Thank you

[@ivanfegen1367]

Thank you

[@redkitekk]

You're welcome