596 RSW Can This Wall Hanger Become Playable? - A 1920's Mail Ordered Vintage Guitar Repair

[@SawDustLiveMusic]

Years ago that guitar was someones friend. You can tell by the scars. Thanks for not letting it die alone Jerry. You're the Best!

[@littleblackcar]

I was just getting on here to say--somebody played that thing a lot at one point. That is not minor finger wear.

[@walterkentriley9829]

JERRY GREAT JOB ON RESTORING IT I LIKE IT JUST THE WAY IT LOOKS NOW.THE SOUND IS AMAZING CONSIDERING AGE AND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE!

[@walterkentriley9829]

A GOOD COWBOY GUITAR SIT OUT AT NIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE BY THE CAMPFIRE

[@harryodum5598]

Back in the 50s and early 60s when I started playing, I use those blue diamonds strings. I believe it is still made. I know you know what I’m talking about. I’m sure you used him to.

[@Shesachanel]

Llppppp

[@davesworld9537]

This reminded me so much of my young years. I used to get all manner of junk to learn how to repair guitars. Most if repairable I gave away. That one reminded me of an old Stella that really gave me a fit. Once I finished I laid it back and forgot about it. A guy I worked with had more bills coming up at Christmas than I did and he said his daughter wanted a guitar to learn to play and did I have something cheap. I immediately thought of the Stella and told him I'd drop by first chance I got. When I arrived the little girl, about 10 years old was waiting with shiny bright eyes. I had it in a trash bag but she didn't notice and when I pulled it out she started crying and so did I. I played a little Jingle Bells and handed it to her. I drove away choking on tears as was her dad on the porch. Thanks for bringing this memory back, good times

[@lindamorgan2678]

Aww what a wonderful story Dave..thanks for sharing with us.. BTW a friend of mine is a huge fan of yours and directed me to your channel.. I subbed and hit the alarm..You have a great channel also

[@youknoweverything7643]

Wonderful story b

[@debl8727]

Thanks a lot Dave....I'm sitting here crying now! I received my first guitar at 10 years old. My mother had been raising my sister & I alone since I was 8. Every year my sister & I always got to ask Santa (Momma) for one big present. That year I couldn't make up my mind to ask for a guitar or a pair of snow ski's. I asked for the guitar.....& was one happy little 10 year old girl when I received both "big" presents that year. I'm 64 now....& will never forget that Christmas. Just like I'm sure that little 10 year old who you gave that guitar too!

[@ben2808]

Jesus Christ loves you

[@ben2808]

@@lindamorgan2678Jesus Christ loves you

[@NickRatnieks]

Guitar Geek time! Those tuners Jerry cleaned up so well are extremely early Kluson units which do not have the scalloped plates. Kluson began making tuners in 1936 and it appears this guitar was made in January 1937 so Richter- based in Chicago- like Kluson itself, must have been one of the first- possibly the first company to adopt them. Very quickly other makers began using Kluson- Gibson in about 1937 and then Regal in 1939, followed by Kay and Harmony in 1940 or so. Harmony also of Chicago (Kay and Regal, likewise) was owned by Sears- which is why Sears retailed guitars were made by Harmony until 1940. 1940 was the year that Sears sold the company to its management- and Kluson helped Harmony's managers to buy out the company. So, there it is- just some tuners but an interesting history illustrated by this one guitar which now sings again, after Jerry's sterling efforts.

[@justinlarsen2011]

Awesome history, thanks! Do you know anything about Tango? I have a faux resonator with Tango on the head, shares a lot of similarities with this guitar here. Tuners look to be the same, no Phillips screws, etc.

[@68RatVette]

Great tuner info! My first guitar is downstairs here at my sister's place and I am here for a visit! Decor for the game room. Was my uncle's and of the era and configuration of the guitar in the video. 1930s most likely. College Pal on the headstock.I do not j anything visible in the sound hole.. The video has inspired me to see if it can get a similar resurrection! Thanks for making the video JERRY!

[@ChickenboneJohn]

Late 30's early 40s is about right. The vee neck, machine heads and the beveled end to the fretboard are good indicators. I'm pretty sure this was a Harmony made guitar, I've had plenty of them through my workshop (and still have few in my possession) and they are remarkably similar in shape and construction from the late 1930s through to the early 1970s.

[@NickRatnieks]

@@justinlarsen2011 I have not heard of Tango- it would be a brand name from a retailer but most of the faux resonators were made by Harmony, Oscar Schmidt and Kay but I think Regal made some as well- not sure of Richter. If your guitar has the Kluson tuners it is more likely to be Kay or Harmony. Harmony and Richter guitars like the one Jerry has worked on look very similar- there are small differences but they are there. You will need to look at faux resonators and see if you find one the same and somebody has identified it. The only problem is that so many people get this wrong. The classic example is the Blue Comet resonator mandolin- it is on Wiki as a Regal product- it is not- they were made by United of New Jersey but that Wiki enrty now means everybody says they were made by Regal!

[@NickRatnieks]

@@68RatVette Go for it!

[@shannononeil2751]

I learned on an old Harmony back in the late '60s similar to that one. I still have my mothers1931 Slingerland Songster that my Grandfather ordered out of a Wards Catalog for her 13th birthday. They were living in Alaska at the time and it had to be shipped from Seattle aboard a steamboat. Good Memories!

[@nyzywok5439]

This old guitar ain't mine to keep Just taking care of it now It's been around for years and years Just waiting in its old case It's been up and down the country roads It's brought a tear and a smile It's seen its share of dreams and hopes And never went out of style The more I play it, the better it sounds It cries when I leave it alone Silently it waits for me Or someone else I suppose

[@deadmanswife3625]

Credits?

[@nyzywok5439]

@@deadmanswife3625 A Young guy !😉

[@deadmanswife3625]

@@nyzywok5439 ☺

[@lucretiabanks8334]

Neil Young

[@SteveBoler]

"It's just a walk hanger". Then he works on it like a million dollar guitar. Jerry is a true craftsman.

[@aquajew3000]

1937 Richter Harmony arch top.

[@louisbailey4900]

That tone speaks of craftsmanship when it was made....and craftsmanship when he restored it. It's putting forth life and happiness again

[@MegaTerryNutkins]

One of the hidden benefits of KZbin is that worn out old workhouse instruments can get completely uneconomical repairs as they provide great content. Fantastic job on this one, revealed itself to be a rather handsome little guitar at the end.

[@MikeHensley-sc3ns]

A lot of old gems on KZbin… not old but hidden.💎

[@greghenson254]

I love how he explains EVERYTHING he does, so people don't make comments about why he did or didn't do something.:) So patient.

[@66twiggs2u]

I enjoyed the video of you restoring that old guitar. My daddy recently passed away and he played guitar all of his life. He loved it so much. When I got to the end of your video and you played that song I just burst out in tears. That’s the one song that his pastor wanted him to sing one more time and he never got to. He moved here to East Tennessee with me a few months before he passed away. Thank you so much for restoring that old guitar. Also for singing that song.

[@alanjacob8542]

He must be smiling from above🙏

[@bullwinklemoose8291]

Just a note to say that when you first strummed her after so many years gathering dust I got a rush of goosebumps. When an instrument makes beautiful sounds, it's impossible not to think of her in human terms and think of her as coming back to life after lying dormant for half a century. I love what you do Jerry.

[@guygagnon7433]

Hi Jerry, That piece of wood you took off the neck block was the company badge. It's a Ritcher guitar 1938 build date

[@CyRanger]

@@guygagnon7433 the badge was dated at 1937 (Richter). He talked about, and read it aloud, in the video. He changed the orientation of the badge, when he reassembled it. Peace

[@voornaam3191]

@@guygagnon7433 Is "Richer" your wishful thinking version of Richter?! Even pilots called Jaeger, which is a hunter, they change their name into Yeager. Those are Gamer families. Ehm, German. Not Gamer.

[@grannykelly5799]

Great trades mamn ,good to see.

[@paulvanniekerk1027]

Well said

[@railroader555]

I repair a lot of these old cheapies but I'm a nobody. It's nice to see a guy of your stature take the time to bring this back to life. There would be no need to make anymore guitars in this world if we only repaired the old ones. Thank you for this.

[@ElGatoCiego]

If you have the ability to repair an instrument of this kind or any you're definitily somebody sir!!

[@glennjenkinson1103]

I wouldn't call it a cheapie at the prices they go for

[@railroader555]

@@glennjenkinson1103 Well, if you go by the asking prices on Reverb you are correct but I'm not so sure a lot of them fetch that kind of money. The ones I've sold on that platform typically sold for between $350CAD and $500CAD after a whole lot of work. Thanks for the comment.

[@Felix-dx2ci]

It isn't an old cheapy It's a 1937 Richter made in the US Built by Harmony worth $1,849.00

[@germainegoguen1334]

@@Felix-dx2ci I apologize if my comment sounded negative. I really do love these old Harmony instruments and I wouldn't work on them if I did not. By cheap I meant what they would've cost when they were made as compared to manufacturers like Martin, Gibson etc.

[@richardmarino5658]

You brought back life to this Ol Lady. Longer may she live.

[@saoirsepaddy]

Nice job Jerry bring that old guitar back to life

[@johnstoutenburg7163]

loved the song at the end: fallen leaves

[@clivehorridge]

I don’t play any musical instrument, but I’m watching this with tears in my eyes. Why so emotional over a few bits of old wood? I just don’t know, but hats off to anyone restoring old things. At the end of the day, history is the only reality. I really like thee way you didn’t correct the worn fret marks on thee neck, you’ve kept the character of it’s former life. Bless you ❤️🇷🇴

[@voornaam3191]

Sounds like it's about time you buy a secondhand guitar, from somebody who played it some years and he is now ready for a better one. More frets, better quality. That's a way you can get a decent guitar for the right price. And when you have learned basic playing skills, you start knowing guitar things, then it is a great hobby fixing real cheap and slightly damaged guitars. Replacing worn out "sprockets" of the tuners, cleaning them, greasing them, such jobs are not complicated and it's rewarding, it's good having such skills. When you've done repairs like that, one day you are ready for such a sketchy guitar. Sure Jerry can fix anything, even blindfolded I guess, the thing is, you can get a nasty surprise. Example? You can come across an air bubble in the glue, and such voids can get you desperate when there is something small, ratteling inside a guitar. Try finding such a tiny samba ball. Such problems are rare, still, when your guitar keeps making a weird noise and it is not the pick you have lost.... And this is just one example. But okay, that is why we all admire Jerry, he certainly knows a thing or two.

[@aznboycols]

Partner...it's never too late to learn.

[@kenallen6866]

Love when something old gets brought back to usable.

[@Daniel_cheems]

I am so amazed how that sorry poor guitar came back to life and she's happy to sing again! Beautiful work Jerry!

[@houseofsolomon2440]

Amazing! That guitar got some love so it can give love back, now. ♡

[@wildeman1253]

I've reglued the braces in some pressed archtops mandolins before and did it just like you did, but I wet the top and heated it up with a heat gun first, it worked well. You know, I feel like these old budget instruments are always worth fixing up, these are the real instruments of folks, very few people could get a Martin back then, regular families just didn't have extra money, it was hard enough to come up with $10.00 for a guitar like this one. Someone loved that guitar and felt real lucky to have it I bet.

[@TypingHazard]

That's how I feel about my $15 mandolin lol. Lucky garage sale find, not worth much, but it's mine.

[@unknowuser1843]

@@TypingHazard feal kind of the same about my baritone uke. Got it as part payment for helping to load someone's truck at a flea market was busted up when I got it. Was all good with some glue

[@caiusmadison2996]

There is a Squier I recently gave away for the some 6th time... it's always come back cause I give it away to someone and tell em, if ya get another guitar, give this to the next person who needs it. It's returned to me as I always know another person 5 times, I've just given it to a neighbor and am starting them on learning. They're doing well! Little 50dollar find on a porch one day, thought multiple students, all for free.

[@TheSecretOfNem]

"It would be simple if it would just be simple". Best repair line/quote, ever.

[@jhimag]

I have an old Stella that looks a lot like that guitar. It was given to me by my grandpa. Thank you Jerry for the song always loved that old tune.

[@rafaelcuadra5009]

OH, BATMAN, as many times as I've watched this, I'm still in wonderment. Thankyou for the posting of this repair!

[@LarryDeSilva64]

Amazing what people through in the trash that Richter Harmony guitar from 1937 could be worth anywhere from $400 to $1800. What a great save from the trash. Well you sure made that sound a bit better than a wall hanger Jerry. Thanks for the informative video.

[@margaretthorpe5565]

It definitely is a little harmony I have one similar to that one! It sounds good! Good job on your work! Sir thanks for the knowledge I learned ..

[@larryflanagan8799]

Enjoy seeing the guitar brought back to play again. Good job Jerry. Thanks'

[@ninjasmart]

One of the best hour and 15 minutes of my life ever spent...

[@shanemaddison9407]

I love seeing you repair these old guitars. They might not be high value but I would definitely say they have cultural value which is just as valid. Nice job Jerry. 👍

[@doorguru168888]

Someone right now is trying to sell a similar 1937 Vintage Richter Harmony Arch top Guitar for $1800.00 !

[@WrittlesCave]

Thank you dude, faith in humanity restored.

[@edwardmorton6691]

I just loved to hear that old guitar singing again. I've found old guitars and brought them home just to give them another chance to bring a bit of musical joy to someone that I pass it on to. It does your heart a power of good. Good job sir.

[@panchopuskas1]

Videos like these make KZbin worth watching.....thank you for posting.....

[@telekhal]

Yes, this guitar has a soul, thank you for giving her back her body. The song in the end touched me, so sincere, so honest.

[@TexanUSMC8089]

That's incredible to hear you actually play that guitar. You never know, maybe someone from long ago was watching and smiling.

[@stevebumstead9840]

I love to watch you bring these old instruments back to life. Thanks Jerry.

[@texanasimmons1761]

Im not a musician but I love listening to music. You did an amazing restoration of this little beauty! You breathed new life into this inexpensive (at the time) guitar and because it was from a beloved uncle, you didnt just breathe life into it, you gave it back the love it had lost. Thank you!

[@madisonmasontv]

What a beautiful job bringing that old guy back from the dead. It's singing once again thanks to you. Once again it can do its job, making people happy. You rock!

[@scadstersworld5634]

Dang if you didn't make that guitar a gem. It sounds very nice and you sing and play very well, Jerry. You have pure magic in your hands, Jerry. Many folks wish that they had your ability and know how at repairing and building stringed instruments. BRAVO !

[@38kari]

Thanks for bringing that old guitar back to life! That’s really cool! 🎶

[@blindsphynx5834]

as a guitar player, I would never try to repair such a guitar, what you did is a great job!

[@tdkrei]

Nice work Jerry. You just proved an old fable wrong, you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear! Keep on smiling.

[@turnsufficient4971]

Nice work indeed !

[@SilverPaladin]

So glad to have this platform where the masters of the trades can pass on the secrets of their labour! Great job, Jerry!

[@PenTwist]

That was thoroughly worth watching. Good job.

[@robbytheremin2443]

That's an interesting one. Arched top with a round sound hole, what looks like a significant V neck profile and a bit of figure in the wood. And that much fret and finger board wear tells me it was played a lot. Very cool. 👍

[@skiziskin]

I love your videos a lot but this one really gets me in the feels. Thank you. About 12 years ago I was visiting my then 88 year old, WW2 veteran uncle in the southern Illinois small town where my mother was born. Rummaging around with him in his basement, I spied a guitar across the room and asked him if I could play it. He said sure but when I picked it up, part of the finish on the end remained stuck to the floor. The back was separated from the sides in several places, the action at the 12th fret was about 7/8ths inch, it was missing the pick guard, and the tuners were all so bent they couldn't be turned. The strings were like the ones you removed from this guitar when you started. My uncle said to me, "You're a can-do kind of guy. I bet you could fix this guitar and then you can play it." I was 56 years old and had never done anything remotely like restoring a vintage arch top guitar. But I am a ski tech and I had a good workshop so I agreed to give it a try, as long as I wouldn't be committing blasphemy on any kind of valuable instrument that would really need a professional's attention. We went downtown to the music store where he bought the guitar in 1964 intending to learn to play but never got very far. The grandkids had obviously used it as a prop in some kind of game decades ago and left it in this completely unplayable condition. The shop owner remembered me from when I was a teenager visiting and bought my first album from him, Who's Next by The Who. He said that the arch top was a Regal Auditorium model, only made in that year. Regal is better known as a Chicago company that makes dobros. He assured me that in perfect condition it might have brought around $200, that's all. He gave me license to do whatever I wanted with it and a box to carry it home in. I brought it back to Colorado with me and began a six month project to bring it back to playable condition. I wish I had been able to watch your videos then. But I did study up on each task as I went and while the job was hardly professional, it ended up looking a whole lot better and it plays and sounds amazing. I re-glued the back to the sides, removed and reset the neck, sanded the painted fret markers off the fingerboard to reveal some beautiful rosewood. I dressed the frets, found a pickguard on eBay, refinished the sides and back in black to contrast the sunburst on the top because it had all been sunburst that distracted the eye from the beautiful top. Finally, I replaced the tuners with some vintage ones that looked nice on it. My uncle lost his hearing before he could really hear me play it. But I'm not very good in any case. And my singing is truly atrocious. But he was so happy that I brought it back to life and remembered that until the day he died in February of this year just a few days shy of his 100th birthday. I am retired now and living in Japan. I still have it but find it hard to play with arthritis and a bad neck injury. Here is a video of me playing it and singing a sad song by Gram Parsons eleven years ago. Thank you again, Jerry. You are a treasure. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJWafqqjm5h4aas

[@MadMotorDoc]

Back from the boneyard , The first clear sounds from an instrument that was set down one day and forgot about are heavenly to me , your skill & patients and knowledge trumps all, the smile created when played is joy. GREAT Job as always.

[@randywatson4341]

My dad got a Gibson from Trading stamps back in the day years later he went an had it appraised it turned out being worth a couple thousand pretty good for a mail order 🎸

[@jmoffitt36]

Thanks Jerry. Couldn't wait till the end. knew you would bring life back to that charming guitar. Wouldn't change a thing. Hymn at the end was inspirational. God bless

[@JitendraWagh73179]

After a long search, i could find a guitar restoration which comes straight from 20th century. A guitar brought to life from dead. Loads of respect from India, and i am loving the restoration. Every step is a treat to watch

[@mfc4591]

Surprisingly it sounds much better than I anticipated. Thanks for the upload, have a great week end, don't tire yourself out cutting wood !

[@chrisman6571]

Sir, you are an awesome person. God has Blessed you. Thank you for being such an honest man. May God’s Blessings surround you forever!

[@gerardcousineau3478]

Amen ❤🐑🕊️☘️👌🙂

[@missbellarubens5255]

Oh you’re wonderful! What a lovely thing you have done that old guitar. Nothing nicer than seeing its personality and yours playing together for this moment in its life

[@PhillipAlcock]

Great seeing something left in such a state being brought back to life! Greetings from Southampton UK

[@kevinshea4776]

Love the Grampa Jones song and that wall hanger guitar sounds pretty good!

[@SWAMPTTHING]

Thanks for allowing me to live this quickie restoration vicariously through you. I enjoy restoring things like this but life has gotten in the way for many years. I especially like the closing with a song.

[@webbtrekker534]

For a "Quick and Dirty" 'fix' it sure came out nice. Sound pretty dang good!

[@Commandamanda]

Just wanted to say that I absolutely feel what you kept repeating - the sadness that a luthier feels when some people just want to do the minimum on instruments "just make it playable", "it's a wall hanger". In a luthier's soul, no instrument should be given less care. Alas, time and money speak otherwise. Sometimes we just have to get tough about it. Thing is : I have had instruments like this come back to me with orders for full restoration. Ah, that satisfaction! Anyway, I was drawn in by the algorithm, and I feel for you, sir. Be well.

[@sunnyland3952]

I hope this lovely sounding guitar will one day find a player again. She deserves it.

[@The1queencollector]

In the UK we have a show called "The repair shop", people bring in old family treasures that have been badly damaged and they fix them. Miracles happen and this would be a good candidate, you would be good on that show.

[@aixpert291]

It was on Netflix for a while. I loved that show!

[@mygreatbigfoot1679]

It’s the sort of tv show crappola that makes KZbin great. The Repair Show is a feel good show for people who are interested in the 🤗emotional “journey” and not that particularly interested in the repair. In fact it’s a show i regret viewing, I should have avoided it rather than be wound up* by “the repair”. I watched it for two guitar repair shows and never wasted my time watching it again. 1st Was the fender bass belonging to the son of the Hot Chocolate bassist. The crucial neck repair was done off camera.😡 2nd Well i just couldn’t believe it, they actually tried to pass off a plastic manual string winder*🤬as a specialist luthier tool, but better still they didn’t mention the manufacturer of the guitar. How could they not do that? To my great frustration they hid as much of the head of the mystery guitar as possible, they just couldn’t have tried any harder to not show it.🤯 It reminded me of a sixties pop show where the camera man zooms in on the singer during the guitar solo, possibly the same people were responsible. I must have seen it when it first aired and i’m still annoyed by the memory of it. Well I don’t pay that tv licence for the BBC anymore and i’m not breaking the law. After their uninformative, dismal fag end of emotions offerings like the Repair show, i’m not even tempted, especially as i can watch this far superior Rosa string works show. You know, something that actually shows me how it’s done..fgsks!

[@jorgeperezdeprado8941]

Thank you for saving a beautiful sounding guitar. Imagine this old instruments story. It was someone's pride and joy.

[@waynedavies3185]

I have a few guitars that have aged over the years and near fell apart from the glue and parts breaking down from either use or abuse. I do my best on restoring them, as they (if they could talk) could tell a story about time that passed by while they played a tune. I have both restored a few and resold them as working guitars that sound great, even though they were once a cheap guitar on the market. I have also repaired a few Ukuleles that seem to get into the hands of a child as a toy when they break down by the playing owner. I get them back up and playing tunes again and sounding great. They again touch the hearts and minds of people with their tines. I now play a few of these old Guitars, Ukes and even an old violin I picked up damaged from the late 1800's along with it's wooden coffin like case that sat damaged in a basement for many years Idle. Even though I am not a great player, I still take pride in the work I have done restoring them to playability again. It gives them life again to speak to the human ear and heart. Even though Jerry may call them nothing more than wallhangers (just to look at) if they can play a tune and touch a heart they are worth as much as any high-priced instrument if they play the right notes in tune. The value of and old stringed instrument is in the sound they give off not so much the quality of the wood and parts they are made from. The real value comes from the sounds they produce while speaking to the hearts of mankind. That's where the true value comes from. I have made a few cigar box guitars and they give off a nice sound if made properly and are tuned well. They are cheap handmade instruments, but their true values in in the sounds they produce. I have also made a few flutes from old scrapped wood and the sounds they give off is priceless. They can put a person into dream land with their tones they produce. Just because you own an expensive guitar or instrument doesn't mean a thing even they can fail to make a heart happy and enjoy the playing of the person playing it if not cared for. I don't care what instrument a person owns as long as it is cared for and treated with respect and love. If it plays a sweet note, it has value (BIG VALUE). The value is in the sounds they produce and that is priceless. If the construction is cheap but produces a pure tender sound that delights the hearts of man, they have great priceless value. That's how I see things. Always remember those old worn down Stringed instruments played the songs of yester-year and brought forth the making of newer stringed instruments of today made of better quality but also make the same sounds as the old ones in years past. Never knock the age of an old instrument or the cheapness of it's construction. If it carries a tune, it's as priceless as any other instrument made today. Enjoyed this video quite a bit Jerry. Many old instruments should be brough back to life again instead of heading to the city dump.

[@scotthendricks7813]

I turn 60 this year. I've been playing for 45 years. It makes me so happy to see guitars like this being saved!! Very nice work! Guitar Archaeology !!! Love the Grandpa Jones song too!!

[@joejodydion6818]

Thanks for this! I just got blessed right out of my socks listening to that tune at the end. Watching the whole restoration process and hearing the instrument speak again is truly inspiring. Thank you Jerry Rosa! My feet are chilly now.

[@Afterburner]

That was beautiful to watch and very glad to see that guitar come back to play yet another song... True love went into that instrument and it returned the favor at the end with it's first song played in 50 years.

[@peterfagley772]

One of my favorite videos, and a song to end the adventure, doesn’t get any better than that. Thank you Jerry!

[@KyloNight]

Something beautiful about an old guitar. Hearing it play again after all that time made me feel very warm inside.

[@OwenFromOhio]

That old wood sounds pretty sweet great job!

[@stephenhenion8304]

I have a similar guitar. Its made by "B&N" guitars out of New York...it was so old when i got it, the glue dried up and the label fell inside the guitar... its called "The Serenader"....mid 30s to early 40s. Its so Not for Sale!

[@raging_casual]

that thing looked like kindling when you started. I'm sure most wouldn't have ever touched it, but you brought her back to life! I hope the owner truly appreciates the work and care you put into it because she's much more than a "wall-hanger" now!

[@Ragnar8504]

Amazingly enough I once owned a guitar that was in even worse shape than this one! If I remember correctly it was left over after a flea market because no one wanted to buy it and I took it, intending to use it for decoration. It might have been a little older than this Richter, not really an expert. The top was amazingly warped, no doubt it had gotten quite wet at some point, the fretboard had deep grooves from fingernails and worst of all, some truly horrible person had tried to NAIL the back to the sides where it was coming off! This guitar is no more but some of the wood lives on.

[@weird1600]

Amazing the love that you give to a wall hanger thank you for not letting this piece of history die!

[@stefedwards2934]

Thank you sir, I enjoyed every minute of that video. What a wonderful ending, your passion for music is infectious. 🇬🇧

[@tomboese367]

Jerry, ... what can I say? You are truly remarkable! I'm saddened and frustrated that people with your kind of skill and care for instruments struggle with things like arthritis. I wish you could go on for many more years. I still hope to drive your way someday and meet you. God bless you!

[@michaelpthompson]

Glad to see the music return. No such thing as JUST a wall hanger. :-)

[@jthonn]

I agree

[@benji.B-side]

I just loved watching this. The end product of seeing this guitar born again to sing again, was well worth the watch.

[@1777DK]

That guitar sounds surprisingly good. And it looks amazing.

[@marioluigi5848]

Its got a little piece of everyone who’s path it crossed. Even through YT, Its given us a piece as well. That old thing has quite a soul. Thankyou letting us hitch a ride with you on this one sir!

[@ickybob666]

Wow. Nice job managing expectations. Not a wall hanger. It's an inspiration to see individuals restoring "zombies" and giving them a second life. Beautiful job restoring this elderly instrument and giving it a second life. This was a tremendously satisfying documentation of your work as well as the demonstration of what the guitar is still capable of. Also, wonderful playing and song. Thank you for this.

[@theverseshed]

Got to love a guitar that shows its genuine history - none of this modern 'relic'd' silliness. I recently bought an 1999 Taylor Baby Taylor with all sorts of wear and signs of past abuse but after adjusting the neck and cleaning it up without even trying to get rid of the signs of damage and wear, it plays perfectly. Good job Jerry - even the odd buzz or rattle on a guitar of that vintage and apparent cheapness can sound as good, if not better, than a lot of newer instruments. You're a craftsman.

[@jeremywilliams703]

Jerry I stopped watching a while back when you said you were retiring because of arthritis. Chuffed to see your back doing what you and we all love to watch. ✌️❤️🙏🇦🇺

[@alanpettibone]

Got her looking good, sir! I’m always impressed at your results and the care that goes into them.

[@daltonmillspaugh1265]

You are the best luthier on KZbin thank you so much for providing such great information you alone have made me want to become someone who does what life is worth one day

[@roberteasleysr9108]

Great job . I rescued a very similar guitar . It’s always a great feeling to bring an instrument back to life !!!

[@elizabethingram9784]

Love it, first time I’ve seen a luthier fix an old guitar. Your singing is lovely, too! Kindness means so much. 😊

[@merlenidiffer8711]

Great job Jerry,as always,you are the best,I have watched other Luther's but they don,t come close. Thank you for caring ,my Dad always said,if you are going to do something,do it to the best of your ability,or don,t do it at all. May God bless you and your family

[@swbusby]

This was more an exercise in "guitar building" than in "guitar repair". I enjoyed watching.

[@DennieSparkman]

I love it! Bringing back old things like that Harmony creates a lot of joy. The old girl don’t sound bad at all. Nice job Jerry.

[@cjm3122]

Another excellent video. As a former museum curator, I agree with a good wash as a first step. We would first vacuum any loose dust so it wasn't grinding into the original finish, then gently wash as illustrated here with a drying towel immediately afterward so moisture was not sitting too long on the surface. The chalkiness, or "bloom" as it's called is always a worry. In this case, the lighter fluid actually removes old, unneeded wax (a great next step for the entire surface). The most common cure for us was getting experts to determine the finish (shellac, lacquer, etc) and amalgamating it with a strategic application of the appropriate solvent: for example, alcohol on shellac. With proper techniques, experts can actually melt the original finish (what's left of it) and add to the varnish to literally restore a worn away finish. Thumbs up to Rosa String Works for saving this neat old instrument.

[@dhulbert855]

My gosh, I loved every bit of this. Wonderful job! Not only did it turn out "playable", but it turned out sounding beautiful! And the song at the end! Wow, perfect way to put things into perspective.

[@kennethskaggs2832]

Jerry ! Another wonderful job you did. You are absolutely right, its not easy being you. Thank you so much ! May GOD bless !

[@BobPerrone]

Wow, it always gets me happy to see what would been kindling brought back to making music again. Music is far too important to become disposable. Wonderful work.

[@janosistvan5226]

Loved it, for an old guitar it sounded darn good. That aged old dried solid wood resonates pretty good especially for an 85year old. Loved the song too. 🤠

[@NickRatnieks]

Wards date-stamped their guitars at this time- so that stamp probably shows that it is a Wards sale- and Richter put the stamp in on that piece of wood when it was made. Those initials were something that Wards offered the buyer back then- you could personalize your guitar. I have two Wards retailed mandolins- both have the gold Wards sticker inside but those often fall out over time- one is Gibson made- the other being a less expensive Regal mandolin. The Gibson made instrument was sold as the Wards Model 1642 mandolin and you can see them on the internet although they are quite rare.

[@e.scottdaugherty8291]

The old mule still has some life left. Sounds fair, it'll play just fine for a small group, couldn't ask for more & she'll bring joy to others. Solid win on this one Brother.

[@jthonn]

It's beautiful, great job making the wall hanger playable. It's basically a copy of the old Gibsons and sounds just as good, if not better.

[@joeclay5511]

I’ve just finished your reconditioned wall hanger “ Scattered like leaves “ Richter Reno. Thank you so much for “Keeping Music and Old instruments alive…..” ahhh, the stories they could tell. Thank you so much. Jerry, thank you so much, Joe

[@mitzioden4926]

Great job on the little Harmony guitar!

[@colleenkidwell5820]

Very satisfying watching you rescue this old timer! I hope it gets strummed on often. Thanks.

[@AdventureIndiana]

I think this is a perfect amount of restoration. I have no doubt that you have the skill to make it look brand new, and maybe even better than new, but then it looses all of its character. Great work!

[@tlb2732]

Great work! And wonderful rendition of Fallen Leaves. Our pastor asks me to sing that song in church most every year when Autumn arrives and the leaves take on their beautiful colors. A wonderful song. And I sure miss Grandpa Jones.

[@OutBoardTink62]

Wow you brought it back from the dead actually sounds pretty darn good.You just cant match the tone of naturally aged wood and the sound even on a cheaper guitar from many years ago. Just cant be duplicated for sure on newer guitars by forced drying. Great Job Jerry !

[@FIGGY65]

It sounds awesome right now….just imagine how much better it would be with a fret job and a new nut/fine tuning !!! Great work Jerry!!!