Trying to re-build a dog - Hayman 2020 H - And failing

ICBM

impmann said:

Just a thought... the bridge is fitted the right way round? Check the picture on this page....

https://www.shergold.co.uk/hwbridges.html

I have seen one fitted wrongly in the in the past which means the individual saddle ‘hinges’ were back to front giving insufficient adjustment 

That’s a very good call. The saddles need to be ‘backwards’ compared to conventional appearance or the string support points will be about 1/4” too close to the neck.

If it’s not that, then looking at those pics it would seem to be a fairly simple job to redrill the baseplate.

richardhomer

Just a thought - given how worn the frets were - it would suggest that it was played a lot. How likely is this, if it didn’t play acceptably in tune? I’m no expert of Haymans - but the Jack Golder connection would suggest decent build quality - so I wonder if something is on the wrong way round?

guitars4you

Sorted - Yes the bridge was back to front - What made it appear worse is that the intonation screws were 'locked' up and at a point were some saddles looked at the end of their travel - So no/little adjustment left

Stripped it down today - cleaned the intonation screws + height grub screws - reversed it - even re-strung with 11-49 - Had 10 to 46 but to slinky

So thanks for comments above etc 

@longshins - I'll get you those pics later and drop you an e-mail update

cliddell

That's really strange. I've been told that these are extremely rare (some sources estimate as few as 6 examples were made), and I own one, currently with a tech having a refret, because the frets were completely flat (have been since I got the guitar in the late 1980's).

cliddell

I wonder if they had a batch of crappy fret wire when pushing these examples out.

ICBM

From what I remember, almost every old Hayman and Shergold I've played has had extremely flat frets. I think they were done like that on purpose - either that or crowning files didn't exist in the UK... although I seem to remember something about it being believed that it made guitars play more easily. There were a lot of what we now think of as strange or wrong-headed ideas back then.

mikem8634

This thread is like a Christmas miracle

guitars4you

cliddell said:

That's really strange. I've been told that these are extremely rare (some sources estimate as few as 6 examples were made), and I own one, currently with a tech having a refret, because the frets were completely flat (have been since I got the guitar in the late 1980's).

mine is identical - same colour etc - SNAP - Nice to see and not seen many listed on my travels when I looked into this

The refret has seriously improved how it plays - Had the board re-lacquered with a satin vibe after the refret - Lacquer scraped of the frets so IMO it feels so much better - Rear of the neck has the original lacquer cut back just enough for a 'played in' satin vibe

impmann

guitars4you said:

Sorted - Yes the bridge was back to front - What made it appear worse is that the intonation screws were 'locked' up and at a point were some saddles looked at the end of their travel - So no/little adjustment left

Stripped it down today - cleaned the intonation screws + height grub screws - reversed it - even re-strung with 11-49 - Had 10 to 46 but to slinky

So thanks for comments above etc 

@longshins - I'll get you those pics later and drop you an e-mail update

Brilliant news!!!

Glad you got it sorted and that it was a simple fix.

longshins

mikem8634 said:

This thread is like a Christmas miracle

I agree

mikem8634

longshins said:

mikem8634 said:

This thread is like a Christmas miracle

I agree

It's weird what puts a smile on your face on a grim winter morning, isn't it? It would've been such a shame to call time on such a lovely guitar.

longshins

I’m ridiculously excited. 

monofin

So..... Is it for sale now then?

longshins

It’s mine! Away with you foul dog!