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Pulled the bridge up on my guitar!
The broken bridge is on a guitar my brother gave me when I first started on TAC. It’s small and easy to use in front of the computer. I put new strings on it and it broke the neck, the neck is fixed now. I didn’t know those small guitars need lighter strings because they don’t have the bracing the larger guitars have (keep that in mind you guys and gals). Now, I notice the bridge is pulling up. I took the strings off and tossed them. I ordered on amazon a couple of clamps and some extra light strings. Right now I’m in the process of gluing the bridge back down. If it comes up again I might pry it open so I can get some more gorilla glue in there and clamp it down again. Wish me luck. I can say this is a “small win” too, because now If I see a broken guitar no one wants, there might be a chance I can fix it myself.
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29 Replies
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I think it is great that you are DIYing the fix! Next thing you know, you might be heading down the road to being a luthier!!
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That’s more nerve racking than when my nut came off. Good for you @Cadgirl for taking the initiative!
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@Loraine , the guitar I was working one wasn’t my main guitar, nor was it expensive. I just wanted to get it back into working order. I can’t trash it because my brother gave it to me. You had mentioned http://www.shopgoodwill.com in a post and I do watch for guitars now. If I see something damaged I might put in a bid and try to fix it if it’s cheap enough. I did buy my travel guitar from the site, thanks to you. It turned out to be an Excellent guitar with no issues.
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Thanks for the complement @darcelle and @Loraine. This is not an expensive guitar, it’s my nephews old guitar growing up. I think they cost all of $30 / $40 but it wouldn’t be the same if I just bought a new one. If you can see the fret board it’s all gouged up from everyone’s finger nails. It’s really interesting to do some of the repair work yourself. Now i’m on the lookout for a guitar that needs a little repair work. 🙂
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This looks like a little classical guitar @Cadgirl . Classical guitars can not handle the tension of steel strings. They don’t have the bracing as you have mentioned. They must have nylon strings. Not even extra lights. Small guitars built for steel strings do have the bracing and can handle the higher tension.
The headstock looks like an open headstock, though it is hard to tell form this angle. I am confused as it looks like the tuners are pointing up instead of down. When you repaired the neck, did you take the tuners off? Looking at one of my guitars with an open headstock, it looks like it would be possible to put the tuning knobs up instead of down.
Anyway, I congratulate you on tackling this project. It is valuable experience to work on your own guitar. I hope it all works out well for you.
MG 😀
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Thanks so much for getting back with me. @MikeGaurnier this is a 1/4 size child’s guitar. Called a “First Act” It’s great for practicing in front of the computer (doing the daily challenge). I think the glue holding it together is so old it couldn’t handle the new strings. I tried the nylon but it still broke. Now i’m putting the extra light weight steel on and give it a go (since I already bought the strings). I have all the tools to fix it now incase it happens again. If it does…. I plan on tuning it down a fret and using a capo. Just looked it up the guitar cost $29, the tools to fix it $65 (so far). But, the fun of being able to put it back together is a valuable experience.
those keys you see sticking up are actually caps that fit over the strings so kids don’t poke their fingers.
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Wow, imagine me trying to give you advice. 🤣
I am very impressed with the whole maintenance effort. It is definitely valuable experience. I will await your results. Gluing down a bridge goes beyond the maintenance I have done on my cheap guitar.
MG 😀
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You always have good advise. I’m hoping I have enough glue on the bottom side of the bridge, I guess I’ll see once I put the strings on. I already bought the extra light but now I’m wondering if the nylon would be a better choice. In fact I do have a question for you. What strings have the least amount of tension? The extra light or the nylon?
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The nylon have far less tension than any of the steel strings @Cadgirl . That’s why they say never put steel stings on a nylon string guitar. If the guitar was built for nylon strings, it simply doesn’t have enough bracing to withstand the steel strings.
Any vise versa, it can be impossible to loosen the neck enough to get the action right if you put nylon strings on a steel string guitar. That’s way the make “high tension” nylon strings. Without enough tension, the action will be so low you get too much buzzing.
MG 😀
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@Cadgirl You have my respect and admiration, as it’s all I can do to change my own strings, hahaha! It’s really cool that you are digging in with your own luthier work- there’s nothing like hands on training, and it will help you be less afraid to tackle routine guitar maintenance tasks (like truss rod adjustments, set ups and stuff like that)
Hope everything holds together, and remember to wear eye protection!!!!!
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It’s not hard to do if you have an inexpensive guitar to work with. I had bought a guitar on an action once that had the bridge pulled up and I sent it back. If that happens again I’ll see if I can get a reduced price and try to fixit myself.
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Very cool you’re working on your guitar, I started doing my own stuff a while back, it’s fun and exciting when it’s successful, great win Cadgirl!!👏
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Thanks, it is an rewarding experience. At the very least when the Luthier goes into a song and dance about the difficulties of the fix, I’ll know what he is talking about. I would have never tried this on my more expensive guitars. But…. We are on vacation right now , so I have a Washburn Rover travel guitar with me. It seems there is a little too much distance between the fretboard and the strings. Might be a new project in the future.
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I tried to re-install a broken bridge, and it was a complete catastrophe—SPROINGGGGG! And my day job is “mechanical designer.” How humiliating. I salute you, Cadgirl.
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I haven’t put the strings back on yet, so we will see. I’m afraid that I didn’t get enough glue between the pieces and it will pull up again. Mine wasn’t pulled completely off so that was a big help. Everything was still lined up perfectly. I used Gorilla Glue and watched a couple of YouTube’s and bought the equipment they used. Ha ha ha… I’m a retired Product Designer so I understand the frustration when something doesn’t go together the way it should. Did you toss the guitar out? If not , clean it off and try again.
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Sadly, it has been consigned to the dustbin of history…
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😅
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I’m still waiting to find out what happens @Cadgirl . Surely the glue is dried by now? You gotta find out and let us know. I’m on pins and needles here. 😂
MG 😀
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Ha ha ha…. We are on vacation and will be back home in a couple days. The glue will have dried by then. I’m hoping it works also. But, gluing and clamping was pretty easy so if it pulls up again. Soon, we’ll know soon.
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I only worry as you used Gorilla Glue instead of the wood glues that were recommended to me and which I used when I replaced a bridge on an old guitar for a friend. I guess we’ll find out if it worked when you get home. 🙂
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You are correct, I should have used a wood glue. I just read that ‘titebond, is a very good glue.
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Hey @Cadgirl and @SoCal_Ian ;
I’m not sure what all the reasons are for the glues luthiers use, but I do know that wood glues won’t hold any better than Gorilla Glue. But then, it depends on which Gorilla Glue you used. If it’s the original stuff that expands, that stuff will pull the top laminate apart before it fails. That might be a reason NOT to use it.
MG 😀
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Just found the glue I used It’s Gorilla Wood Glue, so I hopefully won’t have a problem.
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That should be OK. Not quite the adhesive power of Titebond (which is generally the luthier’s choice per my research when I was doing the repair) but it should be fine.
Here’s a couple of articles (the first mentions GG Wood Glue):
https://answerstoall.com/language/what-is-the-best-glue-for-guitar-bridge-repair/
http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/repair/acoustic-guitar/glue.php
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Thanks for the links @SoCal_Ian . I have read a lot of good things about titebond for guitar repairs. Glad I didn’t use the epoxy that my husband was trying to get me to use. I used the gorilla wood glue because it was already here. I am by nature, a lazy person and getting in the car to buy glue just wasn’t in the cards for me to do. I still haven’t put the strings on the guitar (i’ve been on vacation). I’ll do it today. 🙂
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Yeah @Cadgirl , the wood glue is pretty much the same as the original glue, just marketed for wood. It will hold if anything does. And it will never dry out and lose it’s hold like wood glue can… and does. Wooden furniture falls apart after 15 – 20 years very frequently. Gorilla glue won’t do that.
MG 😀
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Different glues for different purposes/parts of the instrument @MikeGaurnier, that’s all. Stresses and tension varies depending on what you’re gluing. Bridges are under MAJOR pressure and so gets the strongest glue.
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Yeah, I have used glue in carpentry many times. But the use of glue for guitars would be something completely different. I imagine one consideration would be a glue that doesn’t interfere with sonic response. But then, that’s just speculation on my part. I could just say: “I know nothing… nothing…”
MG 😂
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