J. A. Otto / Weimar 1804

The guitar is part of the collection Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha.

Abstract:

The guitar is in a very fragile condition and it is not possible to make the guitar playable again. The main reason for this is the loose neck and the broken top at the neck-body transition. In addition, with the replica from 2003 by Heidi von Rüden, there is a good opportunity to reproduce the original sound of the guitar. Making it playable would therefore not have any greater gain in musicological knowledge.
The aim of restoration is therefore limited to active conservation. All loose parts of the guitar should be secured to prevent consequential damage. The main focus here is on the neck area, where individual parts of the top are only very loosely connected to the top and the loose neck is dangerous for gentle handling of the guitar. The cracks in the top are not chipped out, but only secured from the inside with blocks. Loose bars inside are glued back. Missing edge decorations are not added, nor are missing frets or decorations on the fingerboard. The guitar is easily cleaned inside and outside. The aim of conservation is not to visually enhance the guitar, but to secure the current condition.

download documentation of the conservation:

Dokumentation der Restaurierung