Disclaimer: this is for something I'm writing, rather than something that's happened. Honest!

If someone presented a luthier with a Rick 330 which had had a hole (fist-sized, for example) punched into the body, what would the repair prognosis be? In theory is it fixable? If it were, would the cost of fixing and refinishing make it as expensive as buying a new or s/hand Rick?

Mercifully I don't have anything as expensive or as fragile as a 330!

Thanks

Nick

I'd say about anything is repairable if its worth it to fix given the value of the guitar or the value to the person that owns it. Here's a 61 JM that someone butchered and then someone on OSG rebuilt:

now I kinda want a potato-shaped jazzmaster

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 3:02 pm I'd say about anything is repairable if its worth it to fix given the value of the guitar or the value to the person that owns it. Here's a 61 JM that someone butchered and then someone on OSG rebuilt:

Wow.

But I'm guessing that was a labour of love done by someone with the skills.

The question I meant to ask was more "would getting a luthier to repair and refinish a Rick 330 with a large hole in the top cost more than replacing the guitar?"

Say £50 per hour plus £100 parts?

Full price of guitar about £1600?

1600 - 100 = 1500

1500 / 50 = 30

Can't imagine it would take 30 hours for a repair like that? That's the lion's share of a week at work...

That said, depends if the place wants the work.

But a refin alone for a hollow body is going to be at least £500 isn't it?

Can a hole in a hollow body top be patched?

This also depends on the 330 in question. Is it modern or vintage? Its a lot easier to justify a $2000 repair on a pre-war Martin than a 2020 Martin.

Dudley wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 12:34 pm But a refin alone for a hollow body is going to be at least £500 isn't it?

Can a hole in a hollow body top be patched?

Well, an acoustic can be patched to I'm assuming a hollowbody electric can. That said I don't know anything about the construction of a 330, and I didn't know that a refinish is £500! I was just going on guitar tech hourly rates and a complete guess at parts wood/glue/paint.

*gets coat*

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 12:46 pm This also depends on the 330 in question. Is it modern or vintage? Its a lot easier to justify a $2000 repair on a pre-war Martin than a 2020 Martin.

It's nominally 20 years old.

Basically, in the thing I'm writing, someone (who is absolutely broke) fucks up a 330 that someone had leant them. It would suit my purposes if the cost of getting it fixed was as much as getting a new one or replacing like for like.

I mean, a Rickenbacker is basically just an expensive, flashy Danelectro, so change the story guitar to a '59 DC and the problem solves itself.