Guitar case refurbishing

[Mark Davis]

I am refurbishing an old rectangular bass case to use for another guitar. I'm at the point where I'm almost ready to put new vinyl on the outside and new lining and padding on the inside. I know that I need to have a smooth surface to glue the fabrics to, but is it important to get every bit of the old glue off the wood, or can I just sand it smooth and reglue. Most of the glue is gone, but there are a few spots, particularly along the edges of the insides of the shell where it curves, that have a pretty good glue accumulation. Thanks.

[Mike Marlow]

If you use a contact cement Mark, you don't need to get every bit off. Do be careful though and get it perfectly flat. Every minor imperfection in your surface is going to telegraph through the new vinyl.

[Mike Marlow]

I've never used Hide glue but with all of the threads on this stuff lately, I may try something that uses it just for the heck of it.

[Mark Davis]

I'm a little apprehensive about using contact cement. I have concerns that the fumes could get into the case and possibly damage the finish on the guitar. Is this a legitimate worry? Thanks.

[Mark Davis]

I have ordered Tolex from ampwares.com. I found some flannel material at Hobby Lobby for the inner lining. Did you also use hide glue for the inner lining? Thanks.

[Mike Marlow]

I've not heard of such a thing posing a problem Mark. Contact cement is used around wood finishes all of the time. You could always let it air well for a few days before putting the guitar in it. Our of curiosity - what kind of guitar?

[Mark Davis]

A really cheap one: a Mako Exotec XK-4. I've replaced the pickups. You can see pictures at

for all your help.

[Mike Marlow]

collection. I used to have a smaller collection of guitars that in one way or another meant something to me, but... Well, the but about it is really that I agreed with the wife that I'd get a high end electric and a high end acoustic, and I'd sell of everything else. So I did. Quite a while ago. Since then my son has left a Jackson here to be adopted by me but my wife hasn't figured out that it has really found a home here now. I'm not much for Jacksons, but for some stuff it does put out a pretty gnarly sound. I wouldn't have bought this guitar myself, but since it came along the way it did, I'll keep it. My real electric is from a small manufacturer in N. Carolina

and my acoustic is a Taylor 710CE. It was worth my side of the bargain with the wife to own these guitars. Heck, now I can even get away with leaving one out on the couch in the living room for a short time, after I'm done playing.