Vintage American guitar restoration

So finally I've done it 🙃
This is May Bell - nearly 80-90 year old Chicago parlor guitar. At the time it was quite cheap and simple guitars. As a result most of them reach our days in pieces or heavily "modified". I feel that I need more practice on acoustic guitars, and when I saw this one I thought that this is the one. Beside of that it`s a parlor, and I always loved small guitars 😌
I don`t expect it to be an easy work, but didn`t expect that so many things could go wrong in one time 🫠
Also we launch YT sponsorship, and already have educational content about fretworks.
Detailed description of video, tools and agents used will be a bit later on my Patreon.
🌚 Merch, guitars and tools:
shpachuk.com
🌞 Patreon:
/ shpachuk
☕️ Buy me a coffee:
buymeacoffee.com/shpachuk

[@avideogamer2]

Nothing about this is cost effective, it's about loving what you do

[@tedrowland7800]

Amen

[@riproaring3140]

And if you're lucky enough to be able to do what you love to do, you're lucky enough.

[@adaoradoeswrite]

yup

[@kennethsmith1744]

That old wood is why is worth it

[@edreynolds3745]

One DOES have to remember to feed one's life, s well as one's knowledge.

[@musicmanlistener2]

Babe wake up, Shpachuk dropped another restoration, LETS GOOOOOO!!!

[@Donyourmom]

Fr

[@tonynorris6157]

I still would love to hear you play!

[@arisevanixy7753]

@@Donyourmom lllpppp0pp0p0p

[@arisevanixy7753]

@@Donyourmom lL9plplllllllllllp

[@TheKruizr]

You win the "Most Destroyed Guitar to get Rebuilt on KZbin" award! 🏆

[@codpug]

I love watching these types and not the fake ones covered in mud coming out of Asia. Jerry Rosa has like 15 videos putting a violin that came to him in splinters and he restored it back to a playing instrument

[@lynnglidewell7367]

​@@hellofx Probably in the eye of the beholder. Which may say something.

[@MEGAMIGA]

Outstanding! You did not restore the guitar, you _rebuilt it_ ! What an impressive feat!

[@stanb1455]

Isn't rebuilding part of restoration though?

[@MEGAMIGA]

@@stanb1455 Well, I understand what you mean! I would say that restoring, to me, goes up to a certain point. After that point is reached, it's rebuilding 😁

[@pharmdiddy5120]

4 minutes in and I'm already amazed at the level of work going into this old thing

[@innokentiili6228]

Самый суровый сеанс некромантии что я видел! Шикарная работа!

[@LtSmash-cn3sc]

Украинская реставрационная в Америке. За кадром слышна украинская речь.

[@Rader668]

А я думал там по русски говорят

[@matthewguski5942]

I have a great deal of respect for anyone willing to put a $1000 of work into a $500 guitar. Great job!!! And now that instrument will be loved and appreciated for another 90 years to come.

[@arielestulin9706]

more like $5000 worth of work for a $100 guitar.

[@bultacowally]

@@arielestulin9706 I was going to say the same thing...wallhanger

[@joelpanetta4449]

Look at is as good practice. @@arielestulin9706

[@StormyHoneyBunchSpank130InJail]

@@arielestulin9706 100 is much. I wouldn't even pay 20 even if it was new. It's just about ok for a YouYube restoration video

[@adaoradoeswrite]

Definitely a $5000 from scratch re-build.

[@gryfandjane]

What a joy to hear that old guitar sing again! Lovely work!

[@timmoyer4522]

I don't think I've ever seen this level of care, detail, and pure professionalism with guitars. Incredible...

[@markoman5267]

It's nice to hear the guitar being played after it's been repaired.

[@100nortonfan7]

I'm very impressed by your having undertaken this restoration/repair! A daunting task, for sure! Thank you for posting this splendid work to bring this instrument back to useful life! A true labor of love.

[@MrSparks54]

I really enjoy watching you work Tanya, old school craftsmanship is just awesome. And no incessant yapping distraction or annoying music fill like many other Luthier channels. Cheers from Utah

[@walther9161]

Wow!! Can’t imagine it being cost effective to totally rebuild it though.. awesome work!

[@joesantamaria5874]

Maybe it isn’t, but it belonged to the owner’s grandfather. Never know!

[@IDiggPattyMayonnaise]

There's no price tag on sentimental value

[@ScottHz]

Like she said in the description, she wanted to get expereience on acoustic guitars.

[@simplecountrydrummer]

I was just about to say the same thing@@IDiggPattyMayonnaise

[@panzerlieb]

These are very old guitars. Made by the Slingerland company back in the 1920s and 1930s. Slingerland is more known for their drums. This guitar is a nifty piece of history. Of course they were never really worth much, even when new. But this is a great project for learning how to work on vintage acoustic guitars. There may have been a few modifications I would have made to this guitar to prolong it’s life a little. For example adding some kind of neck reinforcement to delay the neck warping. After all, it’s made of poplar. Not the sturdiest of materials for a neck. Another mod would have been a little sound hole reinforcing to prevent cracking But all together very nice work

[@Bushradical]

love your channel

[@TanyaShpachuk]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻

[@Matt_10203]

I could watch these repairs all day. Extremely professionally done, fantastic work.

[@scottmefford6917]

Your dedication to the craft is exemplary and your work is stunning.

[@fredericlacoste853]

So soothing watching you. I can see by the care you take to make or rebuild a guitar that you are a master luthier. Each instruments are having a huge chance to be restore or build by you !

[@mikesalmo]

I love hand tool woodworking and guitars. This was so great for me. Your chisel skill is amazing and you keep them in such good shape. I don’t think people realize how much time goes into tool maintenance. Working with that wood is insane. I would have splintered the whole thing. You nailed a massive restoration job, but kept the instrument’s character. The way you restored the tuners made me so happy. Chemical rust removal on mechanical parts has never worked well for me. I restore planes, chisels, squares, etc. with the same basic method. Maybe this is ASMR for some, but it’s educational for me. And seriously, you are so precise and clean with those chisels. I need to practice so much more.

[@wildepascal]

Try vinegar for rust removal... Soak for 24 hours, rinse with water and dry. For naked steel or iron, not for cheaply plated stuff!

[@unknown_1337]

Wow!! Totally amazed at how you were able to restore such a damaged guitar! VERY cool to see the techniques and expert craftsmanship! 👏👍 Thank you for sharing! 🙏

[@JaredGivens1]

Gotta appreciate the dedication. The amount of time and work that must have went into this is insane.

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

SO MUCH WORK! I think your abilities and skills are more than ready to take on an expensive and collectible Martin or Gibson of this vintage, where the value of your artistry would truly be realized. You really made a silk purse out of a sow's ear on this one Tanya. Congratulations!!

[@psevdonim932]

incredible work! I love watching your videos

[@supafrogg258]

Thank you, Tanya! That was a lovely restoration. It was therapeutic to watch you at work!

[@bsnider0787]

Wow. What an incredible transformation! This is someone who truly loves what they do.

[@docsketchy]

Wow, I really love your videos. You just get right down to business, no talking, no complaining. And you work seems to be first rate. These are the best luthiery videos I've seen. This guitar seemed unreparable, and you really brought it back to life. Subscribed. Stay safe. Also, I love your fingernails.

[@general_zaluzhny]

Аааа ще напишу Наскільки все гарно Монтаж, ракурс, таймінг, професійність. Дивлюсь багато реставрацій, більше всього люблю my mechanics. Дуже радий що в українському ютубі з'явилась реставрація. Дуже гарна робота!

[@TanyaShpachuk]

Дякую))

[@SerhiiKovtunRivne]

В мене боліли очі від тих затемнень між кадрами.

[@EugeneLychany]

Рекомендую також канал Теда Вудфорда, теж дядько знає свою справу

[@alecfraser1928]

That's a lot of love May Bell has has enjoyed there. A treat to watch as always!

[@donyoan]

You have such hands of gold! Thank you for sharing this ❤

[@Pes0k2634]

Ходят слухи, что Таня - некромант. Она способна воскрешать любые гитары из любого состояния.

[@leo612367]

Great job, that guitar was saved from the trash... I insist, since your videos don't have music, they work very well at 2x speed...

[@tonywilkinson6005]

I'm in awe, incredible work. Fantastic job

[@lucamoqi]

What you have done to that guitar is a true work of art.

[@gusviera3905]

It is a joy to watch a master luthier at work. Transforming a broken up parlor guitar into a fine vintage instrument is really a gifted talent and a huge task (not even showing the replacement of the purfling and other pieces🙂). You virtually built the guitar from scratch. Just awesome work. Thank you for the masterclass. Cheers.

[@menow.]

Without having watched through this video yet, I have found that the general public has no idea what decent instrument repair work looks like. I see gushing praise in KZbin comments sections for people I see doing totally HACK work in the video.

[@vitorlopes2680]

​@@menow. Finally someone who understand how bad this "restoration" was

[@joaquinjoaguifloresflorrs7445]

@@vitorlopes2680llo.kiero keme manden.la.Diresio.pa podel mandal.la

[@1980bwc]

That headstock snapped back off about 3 seconds after this video ended. 😂

[@menow.]

@@1980bwc Oh, I doubt that happened, but only a person who is ignorant of this trade would call this person a "master luthier".

[@nuryruso4525]

Her skills amaze me every single time!! It's really cool to see how the guitar was constructed in the first place whilst she's repairing it

[@Henni63]

Fantastic job! Thank you for letting us hear a few chords in the end, much appreciated.

[@We_Seek_Truth]

I love to see old things that most people would toss out, fixed up and made usable again. And you do good work too!

[@petedazer3381]

Your skills are off the charts! Was that guitar worth an extensive restoration? Amazing work!

[@MrSasasahaa1]

это просто нереально круто! проделана ТИТАНИЧЕСКАЯ просто работа, не представляю сколько сил, времени и нервов было потрачено, но результат - просто сказка, песня :) огромное спасибо за ролик и всего самого-самого лучшего 🙌

[@andreykuznetsov9355]

Тут проще выкинуть было, но видимо заказчику было не важно сколько стоит.

[@MrSasasahaa1]

@@andreykuznetsov9355 да, понимаю, именно поэтому и восхищён)

[@johnnylektric]

My goodness!! Such AMAZING work!! I'm a new subscriber! It's Christmas Day 2023 and I'm on self-quarantine cos of Covid, and a video from this channel popped up in my KZbin feed a couple of hours ago, and now I'm on my 3rd straight video!! Very meticulous and just great job overall! Glad I discovered this channel... Thank you, Santa! :D

[@terryfletcher9849]

You rocked that out! You saved it from the burn pile. You have a great talent. Keep up the GREAT work and documenting the results.

Now this is a restoration! From a pile of wood back to an instrument! Probably cost more than the guitar itself to do, but IMPRESSIVE nonetheless.

[@joesquillacioti4107]

This guitar must have meant quite a lot to someone, and you restored it to almost new. Bravo and thank you for filming the journey.

[@douglasj53]

I have watched many guitar restoration videos. This is one of the most interesting I've seen. You do fine work.

[@angelajuarez3975]

Amazing! I love how you kept her "real"! The velveteen guitar! 😊

[@alexdeleon7135]

I can empathize with things going wrong that you never expected. It is the main reason I do not provide estimates on instruments over 20 years old. I had to stop this episode, and grab cup of tea before continuing . Other guitar repair/restoration channels have never made me do that. This was very well planned, and executed. The bridge plate wood you chose was excellent for reinforcement. Parlor guitars have a tendency to bulge due to thin, unremarkable plates. Your skill with a chisel is admirable. I marveled at watching you join the splices. I always have to protect both sides of the spliced crack before performing a plane motion with a chisel. I was in awe that you not only evened the spiced surface, but did so without shaving the finish surrounding the crack. As if that wasn't enough, you also hand scalloped the brace ends! I can do these things but it takes me twice as long, if not longer to do so. You're awesome, young lady. I'm already looking forward to the next episode. I also noticed that I steeped the last tea bag. So I need to hit up the store. Keep rockin.'

[@TanyaShpachuk]

Thank you!

[@alexdeleon7135]

Anytime.@@TanyaShpachuk

[@stuartbarker9373]

That is a truly astonishing achievement, Tanya. I really cannot imagine that anyone else would have even attempted a repair on that bag of bones.

[@williamsporing1500]

The patience you have is unbelievable! A master crafts woman

[@dangerousXS]

Fascinating from start to finish ! You are so brave. Job well done !

[@ianmcgillivray4935]

I didn't think that could be fixed! Do you want to do the same to my old Harmony classical?

[@ritualafterlife]

Very very nice. I turn all these jobs down. Just way too stressful. I don't sleep at all thinking, planning, second guessing, gathering, etc, till its done. Then feel horrible about charging a billion$ for an old Kay, or harmony catalog guitar that a drunk stumbled into leaning in the corner. Incredible watching you do it tho. The arm stab scared me a bit. The stuffed sneeze made my ears hurt 🤣. Don't do that! Let it fly! Sneeze that sanding dust outta there!.. Ok now get some sleep.

[@larguitar]

You are awesome. There's always something educational in your videos. Keep up the amazing work.😎

[@AlexVonCrank]

12:34 Bless You!!

[@cpetroleite]

Uma verdadeira restauração! Perfeito!!!

[@supafrogg258]

I shake my head in disbelief! How can a person take out such rage on an instrument? Through being lovingly crafted, an instrument has been imbued with a soul, which can bring joy and comfort!

[@petercollins9268]

Wow!! That was so enjoyable to watch!! Your expertise in restoring beat-up guitars is amazing!!

[@ddbrock9675]

I'm not going to lie, I skipped ahead, but that is an amazing transformation. Outstanding work. Going back now to get all the details. Kudos on the April Ludgate sticker. She's my spirit animal 😃😃😃

[@DeFactuss]

Вы нереально крутая! Золотые руки и голова! Расскажите как к такому мастерству пришли, когда началось, почему, кто учил наставлял? Было бы очень интересно.

[@ldswan9music]

Thanks for sharing the video. You have alot of patience taking on a project such as this guitar. Your skills are inspirational.

[@Nik-8it5p]

Seeing the the guitar at the end nobody would ever think the instrument went to hell and back!! Looks as if it was always taken care of. I bet it plays better than when it left the factory. Well done !!❤

[@jonizr]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Tanya no es luthier, es Médico de instrumentos!!!

[@kimthompson5871]

Your tools are an extension of your hands . Absolutely amazing work ! You are truly a luthiers luthier . You must be so satisfied bringing a piece of guitar history back to life . Fantastic !

[@guitarzleo]

This was a very demanding restoration...! Amazing job!!!! Respect!

[@acidset]

These lost causes are the most satisfying 😂 Amazing craftsmanship as always

[@nicolen.9642]

Brilliant! That was a challenge! Kudos, Tanya!👌🎶

[@Luke_735]

This was by far the best guitar restoration video I've watched on KZbin. Absolutely incredible. Bravo!

[@edwinh7908]

AWESOME! Great Job As Always Tanya!

[@tomperri3693]

That was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen in my life. You are a true master at your craft. So cool.

[@jeverhart99]

Amazing amount of detailed work. I learned a lot.

[@remi3990]

I’ve been looking for a video of someone bringing back to life a destroyed guitar, now I know it is possible with the right professional hands!

[@99hawkster]

There is no question ...Your The Best !!!! I love every video so far !!

[@danielranc8963]

Excellent. Nice to see the progress of the shop !

[@user-dl6xs8qo3z]

To me this is magic, I can honestly say, saving this instrument proves how incredibly skilled you are.

[@johnchettleburgh6055]

A true guitar hero! Sublime craftmanship

[@joep373526]

Absolutely amazing restoration ! To be honest I didn't think it could be saved.

[@mmediaaudio]

Speechless. I really thought once this was glued back together, tuned to pitch and someone strummed a chord, we'd be able to see the explosion from space. :D Awesome as usual!

[@larryg8072]

You are amazing!! I would have never believed there was hope for this guitar.

[@sharkymcgee6892]

Wow!! Just mesmerizing. You do such a great job!!

your craftmanship is delightful to watch

[@IndependentAnimalPtr]

This is so awesome! I love seeing (and playing) old instruments that have been saved from the brink of no return! Your work is astounding!

[@jeffreyeagen4896]

Fantastic job! Lot of work, but well worth it to learn more about the guitars.

[@wayneeldridge5916]

Watching you work is relaxing

[@oscardarrell83]

Thank You for uploading this video, i am now having similar case with an old acoustic guitar. I am learning many things. Thank you.

[@Bulletman426]

Just amazing work. It came out beautifully

[@JitendraWagh73179]

From 0 to hero. The journey was so enjoying. Loved the process seeing it gain beauty. ❤❤

[@tonyrocknardy1975]

Excellent job! I'm a luthier and I love repairing musical instruments! Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@pharmdiddy5120]

Never ceases to amaze seeing what you can do with some clamps, wood glue, and determination

[@Roolax17]

C’est juste fou ! Je pensais qu’elle utiliserait du neuf. Non ! Elle a tout réparé.

[@craiglizt8074]

Excellent work all around! You are truly skilled

[@nhm1069]

Wow! Great job! When I first saw that, my initial thought was that it was only good for firewood. But you made it into a masterpiece.

[@jamesleaver1391]

Astounding. That thing was as close to kindling as I've ever seen. Fantastic craftsmanship and attention to detail.

[@RC-xi1xb]

Outstanding JOB! Great job in restoring a classic! BTW love the nails!

[@ROCKNROLLMODS]

Very awesome just discovered you recently. Will watch as long as you keep making videos. I work on guitars too and I've seen several tricks im gonna steal in your videos. You must have had a great teacher!

[@edwardsmith1927]

This was amazing, I watched every second of it!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@NoRuleBut3]

Absolutely beautiful work!

[@davespears2241]

I really enjoyed this you made the little guitar stronger than when it was first made.

[@matheusamaral623]

hats off to you, lady!! that was very impressive rebuild

[@timharris6835]

Well done Tanya, you made that live again. And yes it required many techniques to overcome all the problems you gave us an education too.

[@PapaMo55]

The absence of dialogue with a crisp and clear sound scape is truly genius… I find it draws you into an makes for an intriguing visual

[@clairearendse4877]

Hi Tanya. Nice work. Plank sawn, flat top, ebonised binding, flat fingerboard, and stencilled rosette, and no truss rod. I wondered what you were going to do with it. I expected you to replace the top, and glue it up in a dish on a go bar deck, but you actually restored it. Cool! Radiused fingerboard replacement, and nice fret work. I'm almost more impressed by how you keep those nails looking so good. I couldn't even keep all my fingers on when I was making guitars. Ha! Thanks for sharing.

[@jeffrowlette]

I'm literally amazed. What an artist you are! 👏