My grandfather's guitar

First, thank you for allowing me to be a member of this group. Over the past 20 years I have been playing guitar off and on. My family would visit with my great-grandmother while I was growing up and my grandfather and uncles were always playing guitar together. I never had much interest in it until my grandfather passed away. At 18 I decided to teach myself and I have been struggling with it ever since. I am not that good at it, but I play it the songs my family played when I grew up just for the memories.
I remember my grandfather played an Alverez guitar given to him from one of his sons at the end of his life. When he died, a different son got to keep his guitar and brought it back to California in 1989. Fast forward 20+ years and this past May my uncle came for a visit with a gift for me. That gift was my grandfather's last guitar. The guitar has more sentimental value than any monetary value and I will keep it till the day I die.
When my Mom told me about the guitar, I got excited again to play, I have not played for a couple of years. I really go excited to play his guitar again. Then I opened the case to the guitar. The years have not been kind. I found a number of problems, but nothing that I think cannot be fixed.
The pick guard is cracking and instead of replacing it, someone added some glue. you can see the waviness in the guitar. Generally it is just dirty from years of use. The saddle had fallen apart and was fixed with grey tap other things I could not identify. There is some discoloration
To me I do not care about the value of the guitar and do not want to refinish it. I want all the dings to stay in it because it is a well travel and played guitar. My uncle is a preacher and I know he used it almost every weekend at church events. I know some of the dings where put there by my grandfather.
Thing is, I know I can bring it to a music store and someone will clean up these issues, but I really want to try and do this work myself. I would like to get some advice on where to start with some of the issues. I have been doing woodworking for over 20 years making everything from small trinkets to beds. I have a shop and a lot of experience refinishing wood. I know guitars are more sensitive than a chair that can be refinished. I do not want to use any strippers or start sanding anything without understanding the best method to approach.
I have attached some pics, I would like to get your advice.
I remember my grandfather played an Alverez guitar given to him from one of his sons at the end of his life. When he died, a different son got to keep his guitar and brought it back to California in 1989. Fast forward 20+ years and this past May my uncle came for a visit with a gift for me. That gift was my grandfather's last guitar. The guitar has more sentimental value than any monetary value and I will keep it till the day I die.
When my Mom told me about the guitar, I got excited again to play, I have not played for a couple of years. I really go excited to play his guitar again. Then I opened the case to the guitar. The years have not been kind. I found a number of problems, but nothing that I think cannot be fixed.
The pick guard is cracking and instead of replacing it, someone added some glue. you can see the waviness in the guitar. Generally it is just dirty from years of use. The saddle had fallen apart and was fixed with grey tap other things I could not identify. There is some discoloration
To me I do not care about the value of the guitar and do not want to refinish it. I want all the dings to stay in it because it is a well travel and played guitar. My uncle is a preacher and I know he used it almost every weekend at church events. I know some of the dings where put there by my grandfather.
Thing is, I know I can bring it to a music store and someone will clean up these issues, but I really want to try and do this work myself. I would like to get some advice on where to start with some of the issues. I have been doing woodworking for over 20 years making everything from small trinkets to beds. I have a shop and a lot of experience refinishing wood. I know guitars are more sensitive than a chair that can be refinished. I do not want to use any strippers or start sanding anything without understanding the best method to approach.
I have attached some pics, I would like to get your advice.