Incoming Wechter DN 8128

[beecee]

Saw it on Reverb. Has a few issues, but price was right.

Dapmdave gushed about his TO 8428 12 fret a few years back.

https://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?185047-Wechter-anyone



Couldn't find one of those so I went out and bought a little parlor 1710. Still have it, love it, best $150 I ever spent.

I believe Ladytexan has the hog version of the TO the 8418







Can't wait to see this in person and introduce it to my new humidifier.

Love how they re-glued the pickguard off kilter.

I'm hoping it sounds half as good, pound for pound, as my little 1710

 

[Westerly Wood]

looks like an HD28, very nice herringbone trim too. i got to google these guitars to find out more. are they MIC?

 

[beecee]

Check out the link from when DAve bought his...good info there. Abe Wechter had them made in China then plek'd them in the US.

After his company closed he went to work for Sweetwater for a bit. Used to work at Gibson too. Interesting guy...but really...check out Daves post I embedded. THis is the dred version of his.

Here is the current Wechter site https://www.wechterguitars.com/

Very little info out there and the Sweetwater listings are gone

 

[Westerly Wood]

there are a few on reverb...no dreads, a couple small bodies. looks like you scored a great dread beecee...nice.

 

[Rayk]

Nice , I spoke with him when was building in the states almost bought an Orchestra or whatever it was . I can't remember exactly what model it was . It had the double cutaways lol really a nice guy . ��

 

[beecee]

Ha...Guess I did ok for my $150 on my 1710

https://reverb.com/item/21143489-wechter-tv-1710-e-2010-2015-gloss

My Wechter is due here tomorrow. Was planning on day off but guess I need to come in!

 

[davismanLV]

That's a beautiful guitar!! Do you think they intentionally put the pickguard on like that? Or maybe it got hot or something and it just slipped? Hope it's a easy fix. I don't play hard enough to actually NEED a pickguard, but it may be just an easy move on that. Love me some herringbone. Now beecee has given me something to look forward to in my Las Vegas isolation...... tick, tock, tick, tock...... :encouragement:

 

[Bernie]

Abraham Wechter is the luthier that built several guitars used by John Mac Laughlin ; the one he used with Shakti in the 70s, with sympathetic strings across the soundboard (in addition to the 6 usual ones), done on the basis of a Gibson J-200 I think. The one he used on 'Adventures In Radioland' too (both are acoustics), and others I believe...
Had a message from him several years ago saying he had settled down in China ; he seemed very happy and optimistic.
Bernie

 

[beecee]

That's a beautiful guitar!! Do you think they intentionally put the pickguard on like that? Or maybe it got hot or something and it just slipped? Hope it's a easy fix. I don't play hard enough to actually NEED a pickguard, but it may be just an easy move on that. Love me some herringbone. Now beecee has given me something to look forward to in my Las Vegas isolation...... tick, tock, tick, tock...... :encouragement:

The description said it had been re-glued...The finished product looks like I did it!!

There is a crack in the top but I'm hoping gobs of humidity and some time will heal.

Hopefully the pickguard wasn't glued on with anything that can't be heated off.

Luckily getting a nice blast of 50-70 degree weather here!!

Gotta tell ya...i'm a sucker for this case!



Now I see how the pick guard should look

 

[dapmdave]

Yes, I did think pretty highly of mine. It played & sounded great, but after having it a while I found that the slot-head tuners were troublesome and I moved it down the road.

But at $150 your Wechter is a real bargain.

 

[walrus]

Great score - very nice! And I agree the case is very cool - enjoy!

walrus

 

[Grassdog]

What do you want to bet this one was made at the Grand Rewards factory?

Reminds me a lot of a Blueridge dread I used to own that was basically their version of a D-28. That was a really nice guitar. When I finally got a Martin D-28, well . . .

 

[beecee]

I have a mid 70's D-28...with a good neck...which I don't play all that often it seems.

That will be a fun A/B.

I plan on bringing it over to a buddy who just bought a Martin D-45 when it is "safe".

 

[beecee]

Guitar came in within 2 days. Well packed.

It was detuned when arrived. Inspection shows the pickguard kind of loose, smutzy glue in areas where it had been. Hopefully not too difficult to remove when the time comes. The top crack, off center, is a bit off plane and the guitar is DRY.

The frets ends are so sharp!!

So I tune it up and the E,A,B strings slid out of tune for a few times, string tension, not tuners..they stayed put! Stayed in tune after that.

I took it over to the new house to hide from my wife and as the house is empty it makes everything I do sound better. Gotta tell you, this has a lovely sound to it, very full, rich, bright highs, nice bass and mids.

Comfy neck, satin back.

There is really a dearth of info out there about these but as Dave alluded to in his TO post it really seems to be a well made guitar.

I'm liking this a lot already.

I detuned it and set it back in it's gorgeous case with a damp sponge in a sandwich bag. I'll get pix today of the "as is" and hopefully the improvement as time goes on.

I had planned on attempting the work myself but I think I'll send it off to the luthier for a look see when it is properly hydrated....it's really that nice of a guitar.

 

[Cougar]

Congrats, beecee! What a score! With that case, a steal!

 

[bettyboop]

Funny- I sent you a message just last week- you were selling this from 2021.
But you just never responded...
????? from a new guy who you just ignored.

 

[Bill Ashton]

Bio — wechter guitars

Abraham Wechter Gibson Guitars Sweetwater Sound Michael Kasha Richard Schneider Guangzhou China

www.wechterguitars.com