Guitar Bridge Repairs
Source: Guitar Bridge Repairs
Guitar Bridge Repair:
Because the bridge of a guitar is such an important part of sound transmission, it is essential that all the things that can go wrong with the bridge component be addressed carefully. Therefore, we will devote an article to each repair condition that is associated with the guitar bridge. Let’s go into some of the repairs you will be faced with, relating to the bridge.
Since the bridge is the first component in line in transferring the tone produced by the strings to the necessary vibrations that are transmitted to the remainder of the guitar, it is essential that everything associated with the Guitar Bridge be as perfect as humanly possible.
In each of these articles we will discuss the repair condition, the remedy and the proposed repair solution. Also, in many articles we will give you alternative repairs and precautions for the repair.
Bridge Repair Woods:
In this article we will give you a head’s up as to what materials you should have on-hand in your shop, the purpose of using certain woods over others, and tools you can make, and other tools you can purchase and modify for bridge repair operations.
Guitar Bridge Removal:
Many of the ailments of the bridge will include removal of the bridge to solve a particular problem. While not a difficult task, it is non-the-less a task that has to be completed in a responsible manner. We will take you through the necessary steps and explain the precautions for completing this repair job. Go to the article Guitar Bridge Removal.
Reset a Guitar Bridge:
If a bridge has lifted because of overheating of the instrument, glue failure, or some other condition, you will need to preform a bridge reset repair. This involves bridge removal, repairing the bridge as necessary, preparing the top and bridge for gluing and the actual reset operation. To go to the article on completing a bridge reset, go to our article Resetting a Guitar Bridge.
Repairing Minor Bridge Cracks:
Let’s fix the minor cracks in the guitar bridge before they become major cracks. Any crack that develops in the Guitar Bridge, does so for a reason. This may mean such things as a poor bridge blank was used, there may have been a weakness in the wood from the beginning or there may be undue stress placed on the bridge causing the split. This is usually an easy repair and you can just follow along with the necessary steps for completing this repair. Go to the article, Repairing Minor Bridge Cracks.
Repairing Major Bridge Cracks:
Major cracks are a much different situation than the minor cracks. Often, if the bridge is cracked badly enough, it will involve bridge replacement. If so, you will need to additionally read the article on Making a New Guitar Bridge. Sometimes major cracks can be preformed without a bridge replacement and we will cover that condition as well. Go to the article, Repairing Major Bridge Cracks.
Repairing Improperly Set Bridges:
Fixing an improperly set bridge is basically fixing someone else’s inferior workmanship. The bridge is usually glued in the wrong location or it may have slid slightly out of location due to overheating and become re-attached as it cooled down. We will look and either resetting the bridge or reworking the saddle slot location.
Removing Metal From the Bridge:
You will often see metal being used in the construction of lower priced guitars. Many times it is obvious where the metal is and often it will be hidden behind or underneath some decorative element on or in the bridge, or on the underside of the bridge. Metal is an insulator of sound and using it in the Guitar Bridge is the worst possible place to use a sound insulator if you are looking for optimal sound production. Refer to the complete article on How to Remove Metal From the Bridge.
Adjusting Scale Length:
In this article we will show you how to measure proper scale length. We will also give you repair techniques to rectify this condition along with several alternatives you can investigate. This article will go hand in hand with Repairing Improperly Set Bridges above.
Adjusting Guitar Saddle Height:
The guitar saddle is one of the guitar components that directly affects the action or the string height of the guitar. If a guitar owner says to you that he or she wants to “Change the Action”, this often involves raising or lowering the saddle. There are specific steps that you should complete with this process and we will examine each of them in this article.
Lowering a Guitar Bridge:
While rarely done, you will encounter this repair if a relatively new guitar has the string action too high and you can’t lower the saddle enough to correct the condition. We will show you how to lower the bridge and when you shouldn’t.
Making a New Guitar Bridge:
If a bridge was made incorrectly, is severely cracked or damaged, you will be faced with the prospect of bridge replacement. We will show you how to make an entirely new bridge from scratch, without having to buy a pre-made bridge. This section will be additionally divided in 4 separate sections:
Making a Belly Bridge:
Making Through-Saddle Bridge:
Making a Prism Bridge:
Making a Classical Bridge:
Making a New Guitar Saddle:
If you encounter a cracked or broken saddle, a saddle that is too low or is too thin for the saddle groove in the bridge, you will most likely need to make a new saddle, We will show you how to do this and what some of the pitfalls may be in doing so.
Tags: bridge reset, bridge saddle, guitar bridge repair, guitar repairs, guitar saddle repair, repair a cracked bridge
