Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Moote
What I'd like to know is from the luthiers here or from those who've had this done, how long should this take/how big is the job? I don't have a long relationship with the luthier who will be doing the work so I just want to make sure they don't overcharge for the job, etc.
Thanks  |
I can't give you any exact times on this type of repair, but it is time consuming. We usually begin by enlarging the existing hole slightly with a special reamer to insure that the hole is round and correctly tapered. There are no off the shelf parts available, so the luthier has to turn a plug on a lathe to match the size, length and taper of the hole in the bottom block. Once he has a good fit, it must be glued and left to dry (usually over night). Once dry, a large diameter hole is drilled in the plug. The hole must be drilled very carefully to insure that it is properly aligned in all directions. Next, you must ream out the hole with a reamer to match the size and taper of the endpin socket. This can sometimes be a problem since endpin sockets are notorious for being made with non-standard tapers. If this is the case, the endpin must be disassembled and the endpin socket must be turned on a lathe to make it a taper that matches the taper of the reamer.
As you can see, there are many variables that can influence the amount of time required for the job. Most experienced luthiers are honest. However, if one is not, the word gets around pretty quickly. Ask other players about their experience with this particular luthier or take your instrument to other luthiers in your area and ask for estimates before you have the repairs done on your bass.