Vintage Martin 12-String… continued

This is the continuation from an earlier post which can be found here.  We’re showing the process of a full restoration on a 1965 Martin D12-35.

After the neck was pulled and re-set (see other post,) the bridge re-glue and re-fretting needed to be done.

Here’s the bridge removal.

 

 

 

 

After heating the bridge while protecting the top and monitoring the temperature, the glue melts and a warm pallet knife is used to carefully remove the bridge.

 

 

 

Bridge removed.

 

 

 

 

 

Gluing the bridge is done after cleaning and scraping the top area and the bridge, making a nice new glue joint.

 

 

After re-fretting, dressing and oiling the fingerboard along with the bridge, the only last thing to complete was the new pickguard and the setup.

 

 

After fabricating a new bone nut and saddle, it’s tuned up and ready to go!

Here’s a friend giving it the first post-surgery strum. This guitar sounded beautiful and played perfectly after the restoration was complete.  What a pleasure to work on an instrument like this. I completed this one some time ago, and it’s now in a good home.

-R.E.