Gretsch NYC camp ukulele restoration

frianm · Apr 18, 2019

I need help -
I have acquired an old camp ukulele and I will be doing some refinishing and probably stripping as the body is bare wood and someone has attacked the neck.
My first goal is to separate the neck from the body as it is loose. I could try and put glue into the crack but prefer to remove and then replace if possible. Has anyone done this? If so please let me know how to do this without damaging anything.

Thanks - Ian

frianm · Apr 18, 2019

Good news - the neck is off with the judicious use of a razor blade and modest pressure. It will go back with hide glue.
Meanwhile as the body is stripped of paint and the neck also except for the headstock, I intend to strip the paint on the fingerboard as not only are the two coats of original paint there, and cracked, but someone tries to varnish the whole thing. I am trying to decide how to finish the instrument Color or plain wood?

sequoia · Apr 19, 2019

Send pictures! ... I have trouble visualizing a painted fretboard.

frianm · Apr 27, 2019

Before and after

View attachment 117430

I have finished returning this old uke to playability. It was not pretty when I bought it and now it is far removed from its original form. I am thrilled by it though and I love the Graph Tech tune-a-leles that are sort of funky to look at and a real joy to use. The neck was a painted over disaster with cracks in the original, had been filled, and cracked again. It was a cheap instrument in the 1920s! I have never liked painted necks!

Junie Moon · Apr 27, 2019

The sound hole and saddle look to be way off center. Am I seeing things? Maybe it's the camera angle.

frianm · Apr 27, 2019

Junie Moon said:
The sound hole and saddle look to be way off center. Am I seeing things? Maybe it's the camera angle.

You are correct - it is asymmetrical so say the least! However it plays and is fun.

PetalumaRescuke · Apr 28, 2019

I got one that had seen too many camp fires, so I resurrected it as as Camp Rod, inspired by my early infatuation with 50s rockers back in 1957.View attachment 117439 View attachment 117438

frianm · Apr 28, 2019

PetalumaRescuke said:
I got one that had seen too many camp fires, so I resurrected it as as Camp Rod, inspired by my early infatuation with 50s rockers back in 1957.View attachment 117439 View attachment 117438

I love it when folk will not let a great instrument die. Thanks for sharing.

sequoia · Apr 28, 2019

frianm said:
You are correct - it is asymmetrical so say the least! However it plays and is fun.

It was supposed to be that way by design. Emphasizes the lower upper midtones.

Nice restoration by the way. Obviously some kid decided they needed to paint the fretboard. And right over the frets too!

frianm · Apr 28, 2019

I have seen a few painted fretboards in South America. In this case the fretboard was painted by Gretsch but someone decided to overpaint it and in effect level the frets with the buildup. It just took scraping with a razor blade and some mild heat to remove the layers. Thanks for the encouragement, it makes a difference.

Titchtheclown · Apr 28, 2019

Two thumbs up. Love it.
Always remember the ukulele players credo. Never bathe your ukulele in hot oil and bisquick. Second on the list is never leave a ukulele behind.

Gretsch NYC camp ukulele restoration

frianm

UU VIP

frianm

UU VIP

sequoia

Well-known member

frianm

UU VIP

Attachments

Junie Moon

Well-known member

frianm

UU VIP

PetalumaRescuke

Well-known member

frianm

UU VIP

sequoia

Well-known member

frianm

UU VIP

Titchtheclown

Well-known member

Similar threads