Removing tap plates

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Removing tap plates

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antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

Removing tap plates

Hi,
I have found this two links about how to remove a tap plate from a guitar:
http://www.fernandezmusic.com/Flamenco%20tap%20plates.html
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Guitar/Pickguards/PeelGuard/peelguard.html
If someone has more useful tips you're welcome. I have one on my classical guitar and I want to remove it.
thanks in advance
Antonio

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2005 10:01:09

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Antonio;

My advice is to find a good luither. You risk damaging your guitar. Be sure you ask others who they recommend. Not every luither does good work.

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Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 23 2005 22:40:36

Guest

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Antonio,

Thomas is right. It is a bit of a risk, and the 2 links you've found are worthless. They say nothing.

The main thing is if the guitar is lacqured or french polished. If it's french polished, DONT do it. It takes between 3 days and a week to remove, and it is risky.

If it's nitro laquer, I'll explain to you how.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 7:04:18

antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Thomas,
In principle I agree with you but my guitar needs other repairs before I sell it. The things I can do myself I am willing to try; otherwise it will be to expensive.
Anders,
Thank you for your willingness to give me your advice. The guitar is a Alhambra 7P. I am not absolute sure but I think it is "poliuretano"; only after this model they do it with "goma laca".
Regards
Antonio

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 8:59:43

Guest

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Antonio

Well it's poliurethano or nitrocellulosa and a spruce top. So here's a how to do:

You need mineral spirits (white spirits) (Sustituto de aguarrás ( aguarras mineral) en castellano), and a brush. Around 3 days or more of time (important!) and thats it.

Put the guitar on a stand and brush a bit of white spirit above the tap plate and leave it for a while, then start to peel the tapplate above a very little bit. some 2mm, nothing more. brush with white spirits again and leave. From now on many times a day do the following: brush a bit with white spirits, peel a few milimeters and brush again with white spirits. Thats one session. Repeat as many times as possible, AND DONT DRAG THE TAP PLATE!!!!! it must come of more or less by itself. The white spirit must dissolve the glue and that take time.

Take care and be patient!!!!! and good luck

Anders

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 15:43:52

antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Anders,
Thank you so much for your answer.
Indeed, it makes a lot more sence to try to dissolve the tap plate instead of trying to take it off.
When you say "peel the tap plate above a very little...", do you think I can use a small scratcher or knive in a very gentle way?
thanks again
Antonio
p.s. I will be away for "pascoa" but I will try next weekend.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 15:59:27

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

quote:

Indeed, it makes a lot more sence to try to dissolve the tap plate instead of trying to take it off.

I think he is dissolving the adhesive not the golpeador itself.

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Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 16:14:29

antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

OOOOOOPs

It is possible, my English is not that good

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 16:21:01

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Your English is excellent - I didn't realise that it wasn't your mother tongue.

Only a detail, but unless I am mistaken, I could see you pouring white spirit over the golpeador and waiting for it to dissolve

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Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2005 18:16:11

Guest

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi all.

Well I'm not a native english speaker either, so I can be creating my part of the confusion. (why don't you guys speak danish?)

Important: NO TOOLS, scrapers, knives or whatsoever

, just a very gentle dragging and brushing underneath the tapplate. The whole process demands a lot of these brushing sessions. The amount depending on the quality of the tapplate. A good one requires at least 20 sessions!!!!!

Escribano is right, you dissolve the adhessive (glue) and not the tapplate

Last. If you are not sure how to do it, don't. I really mean it. You can make serious harm to the guitar.

Good luck
Anders

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2005 7:16:05

Thomas Whiteley

Posts: 786
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to Guest)

Hello Anders;

I was talking to a well-known and respected luither in San Jose, California about installing a tap plate on a flamenco guitar. He completely turned me off when he said, “We always install the tap plate immediately after the lacquer is applied”! So he only did it if he built or refinished a guitar and that was his technique. For French Polish he said they did not install tap plates. The beauty of his technique was that the tap plate would have a good binding to the wood – like forever!

I could relate many horror stories about guitar luthiers as well as some true artist with wood, who were and are greatly appreciated for their outstanding work.

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Tom
http://home.comcast.net/~flamencoguitar/flamenco.html

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2005 15:03:07

Guest

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Thomas

To be honest, I hate installing tapplates. After all this work of building a guitar, you have to put this plastic thing on it, knowing that you can really screw it and make the guitar impossible to sell.
I've develloped a good tecnique on this subject, but still...... Tapplates on French polish

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2005 19:13:15

antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Anders,
I found "essencia de terebintina rectificada" in Lisbon. This is less agressive then aguarras. I will try this first on a small spot on a less visible place on the guitar to see how it reacts with the varnish; only after this I will try on the tap plate.
Thanks for your advice
Antonio

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2005 8:36:14

Guest

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Antonio.

I doubt that Trebentina (spanish) is strong enough to dissolve the glue. White spirit (sustituto de aguarrás) is not hurting laquer, not even shellack (goma laca)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 28 2005 13:23:42

antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Anders,
I finally removed the tap plate...piece of cake

.
Easier than I thought

Now I just need a new fingerboard and frets to have this guitar in perfect condition for sale. Any tips about this??

Well... Once again thank you so much for your your instructions; you've been a great help.
Regards
Antonio

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 2 2005 17:25:16

Guest

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Antonio.

good to hear you had succes.

No, it's not to bad as long as the guitar is varnished with nitro.

About the frets, etc. You most probably dont need a new fingerboard, but maybe some new frets and a light fingerboard shaving. But this I wont recommend you to do unless you really know how to do it, or really want to learn.

Saludos
Anders

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 3 2005 7:39:33

antonio

Posts: 70
Joined: Jan. 10 2005
From: Portugal

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

Hi Anders,
If you have the time and are willing to explain,I really want to learn.
I have already change the frets twice on this guitar; first time I screw it because I filed to much and really did fail to do the crowning well. Second time it was ok but when taking the frets out, there were small pieces of the fingerboard that were also removed.
When filing the frets at the edges, it was dificult to do it without snatch away small fragments of varnish.
So, I have a guitar that plays well but, with a closer look one can see closer to the frets, small fragments of ebony are missing (only in a few frets) , the tips of the frets are not filed properly and the varnish crack in 2 or 3 spots near the frets....what a mess!

I have found a shop in Lisbon that do repairs on guitars. If this is going to cost to much, I am willing to try it myself.
Regards
Antonio

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 8:53:47

el morueco

Posts: 1
Joined: Apr. 5 2005

RE: Removing tap plates (in reply to antonio)

On tap plate fitting, I fitted the thin self adhesive ones to a classical guitar which I'm using to learn flamenco style playing. Looked fine apart from 4-5 air bubbles which I couldn't deal with or tolerate so spent several hours teasing the plates off and several more picking off the glue with the glue left on the plate. Then finished off with lighter fluid. all's fine now but it was VERY scary for a while. I've been advised not to fit one permanently as it may affect resale value. cut it up to the soundhole and stick with sellotape to the inside has been suggested. Anyone done it?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 5 2005 23:02:49