What a great project!
Were you abe to refit all those tiny splinters of wood? Like putting together a puzzle I imagine.
Yes, I got all of the back pieces together, just about- some of the pieces you see on the floor were bits of kerfing, and I did what I could with that. There were some gaps after I glued the back onto the sides (it was detached all the way down the treble side). When I strung it up, the sound was muffled, apparently because of these gaps in the kerfing letting air out and not allowing the soundboard to generate the right volume of sound. Since then I sealed up all of the gaps, and the guitar sounds wonderful. I've also worked on the top and the headstock to clean it up a bit, so it's looking ok. I might end up refinishing the back when all is said and done, maybe with tru oil (I did my
'64 Guild D-40 that way a few years back). When I see examples online of the beautiful finish normally found on the HD-28 I can hardly believe that this guitar once looked like that. It certainly has been through the ringer. I'm pretty happy with it though and definitely think I saved one. I know it's not the most professional work, but, to do this right would have required completely removing the back, all of the kerfing, replacing the kerfing, etc. etc., which is more than I can do or would want to pay for. All my work is technically reversible too in case someone in the future wants to do it right!
After