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Double Bass Open seam frustration -- temporary glue question

#21
DallasStrings said:
That hide glue you bought will probably work for a while. Though the amount of urea in the liquid hide glue helps preserve it for shelf life, but it also makes it readily absorb moisture quicker and weakens the bond. While your bass is glued with that stuff, you might use the time to acquire some granulated hide glue and plan on opening the seam and re-gluing it properly just to be safe.
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Makes sense to me and is consistent with the research report comparing the hot glue to the pre-mixed version. I'm contemplating ordering some glue granules now that I've had a little practice with the pre-mixed glue. Still, this vintage instrument is worth investing a few bucks for some real service.

Weekend went well, as you might have guessed by now, and the seam is still holding. More sessions tonight and tomorrow night. Right now humidity is 60% at 70 degrees Farenheit but those numbers will rise throughout the day. Thanks again for the commentary.
 
#22
i know jeff sahs very well. i don't have an open seam, but if i did i would take it to jeff (as i have done in the past). my question was hypothetical. i read this thread and it got me curious, that's all.

also, i'm no dippoopie who is gonna put a rusty old g clamp on a valuable instrument. geez, i'd use a couple spool clamps! my question remains to be answered by the way.
 
#27
Square Bear said:
treyzer, how do you know jeff? are you from the central valley? your profile says you were in LA for a while.
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I was in L.A. for about 25 years but I've also spent time in The Big Tomato area of California. My wife's family is from that area and Jeff has worked on my Czech/German Bass many times. He made it sound great. Curtis Gaesser who is the MD for the Folsom High Music program is a very good friend as well as a great sax player. Anyway, Jeff could surely help you out and he does good work!

Aloha

T:cool:
 
#31
ee-san said:
Makes sense to me and is consistent with the research report comparing the hot glue to the pre-mixed version. I'm contemplating ordering some glue granules now that I've had a little practice with the pre-mixed glue. Still, this vintage instrument is worth investing a few bucks for some real service.

Weekend went well, as you might have guessed by now, and the seam is still holding. More sessions tonight and tomorrow night. Right now humidity is 60% at 70 degrees Farenheit but those numbers will rise throughout the day. Thanks again for the commentary.
Click to expand...

One month has passed and the glue is still holding in the summer humidity.
 
#32
Marcus Johnson said:
Franklin does make a premixed hide glue, available at any good hardware store.... it looks like a brown version of Titebond. No luthiers that I know recommend it for construction or serious long term repairs, and apparently it's wasteful to buy, because the short shelf life almost guarantees that you'll throw most of the bottle away. But it might be more appropriate for your situation than white glues, until you can get to a luthier to find out what's up with your bass.

Alternatively, you can use unflavored gelatin, available at any grocery store.... but that's pretty much the same process as using hide glue. It isn't that hard to do once you get the hang of it, but you need to get the temp and timing down, and have all the clamps ready to go. The seams needs to be cleaned out first. One of my luthiers applies the glue into the seam with a set of flat automotive feeler gauges.... that way, she has exactly the correct thickness applicator for any seam.
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Marcus

do you recommend taking the string tension down to release the top a bit before trying this?

I've got an ever so slight seam separation in two places that need gluing.

William
 
#33
i see you are in the chesapeake bay area. that's a large area, and i don't know how close you are to norfolk, but if you are, i would recommend giving howard dodd (luthier) a call for a repair.

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edit: and i see that this thread is a couple of months old :atoz:
 
#34
William Hoffman said:
Marcus

do you recommend taking the string tension down to release the top a bit before trying this?

I've got an ever so slight seam separation in two places that need gluing.

William
Click to expand...

My bass girl's never detuned the bass to reglue the seam, so I've just followed her example. I'm not sure if that's the norm, however. In my own little dummy mind :D, it almost seems to me that detuning may actually serve to lessen pressure, and allow the seams to close back up. Maybe Arnold or some other real luthier will come along shortly and give me a verbal spanking.
 
#35
standupright said:
i see you are in the chesapeake bay area. that's a large area, and i don't know how close you are to norfolk, but if you are, i would recommend giving howard dodd (luthier) a call for a repair.

edit: and i see that this thread is a couple of months old :atoz:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation, Mr. Right, but I'm a few hours north of Norfolk. That Chesapeake is one long bay.

So it's 3 months now and the ready-mix glue on the seam is still holding. Haven't gone for a pro repair yet.
 

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