When we get a guitar to do our conversion process we begin with removing the bridge and neck. Then we carefully remove the back binding, if it has binding, and then the back. Next we carefully take out all the old, crude ladder style bracing. After cleaning out the inside of the body and repairing any cracks or structural issues, we install all new, scalloped X bracing of Scott Baxendale's design. This design is based on Scott's more than 30 years experience building and restoring guitars and is similar to the bracing found in pre-war Martin and Gibson guitars. We also replace the back bracing with new, finely carved and tuned braces. All new bracing is made with quarter sawn Adirondack or Engleman spruce.
Once the insides are complete we glue on the back and back binding. At this point it is time to work on the neck. We begin by removing the old frets and planing the fingerboard straight. We sand a perfect 12' or 14' radius into the fingerboard and re-fret the neck. Now we reset the neck and fit the dovetail neck joint so we have the proper neck angle to give optimum playability and saddle height.
Next we make a new rosewood bridge with a bone saddle, the intonation set by a strobe tuner. We make a new bone nut and replace the old gears with new Gotoh vintage style open back tuners.
When all this work is finished we set up the guitar and put it in a new hard case.