Questions: Restoring 1826 Panormo

by Aaron Green and Thomas Knatt

Originally published in American Lutherie #109, 2012



Dave Skye asks:

I am restoring an 1826 Panormo. It has been through many hands and had many previous repairs of variable quality. When the guitar came to me, I believed it to be a working instrument, but when I strung it up, the bridge flew off revealing a gaping hole where once there had been soundboard. That is now water under the bridge and I have succeeded in repairing the soundboard.

Also, in a previous repair having nothing to do with the hole under the bridge, another section of soundboard had been replaced. As you can see in the photo, it is the bass-side edge of the lower bout. It is an excellent repair structurally, but unfortunately the color of the wood is slightly lighter than the rest. Is there a way of gradually darkening this piece to match the original soundboard material?