I just bought a worn out guitar. I onpy reapised the bridge was coming off the body when I got home. All the stree was on the pins... and the pins started to rip out the soundboard. The bridge wouldnt sit flat on the soundboard because of the damage. Its not going to be an easy fix but we'll see. Thank you for the video, it does help to visualise things and know what role each part plays in holding it together
Very interesting, thanks for sharing your info. I have a Tanglewood 12-string I bought from a dealer, it was brand new, no owner, and the bridge was already lifting. I bought it cheaply as a fixer-upper, to learn by doing the repair. The bridge plate has cracked through the holes, it is softwood, not ply. Having watched your video, I’m inclined to try inserting a retainer. Are 12-strings more prone to bridge problems? I’ve seen a bridge lift on an Ibanez 12-string also.
Thank you for the video, you saved me some work. I was going to replace the bridge plate on a 12 string. There is some belly up on this guitar and Iafter I re-glue the bridge I am going to use the Bridge Doctor kit to reverse the belly up issue. I should be able to install the Bridge Doctor after I install the retainer correct? I am using the screw in bridge pin kit for this repair. Also how big should the retainer be and can I use oak for it? Thanks again.
So I have a old Gibson that I bought with the bridgeplate and bridge already off So to install a bridgeplate is it better to remove the back? Thanks man I wanna check out more of ur vids
You don't remove the back or top on a guitar, ever. It's not how repair work is done in this family of instruments. The exact method I use to create a bridge plate is kind of involved for a comment explanation, but I use magnets to do a tracking of the braces and use that to make a template.
I’m late to the party here. Thank you for a very clear explanation. My guitar is abt five years old and the bridge plate already shows slight indentations where some of the string balls have imbedded. I’m pretty careful when changing strings since I’ve noticed the damage. I’ve wondered why more builders don’t use pin-less bridge design like Breedlove. I’ve seen one early Taylor with that design but newer ones all use pins. Also, why not use carbon fiber bridge plate?
I'm a full-time singer songwriter and recently had an ebony bridge plate put on my guitar. There was also a partial fret job performed (the first 6 frets). Adding those frets subsequently required a shim to be placed beneath my nut so the strings could clear the new frets which are a bit higher (I also like very low action - flat neck etc.). Anyways it seems to me - the guitar has lost some life depth/resonant sound and all I can think of is that the added weight to the bridge is dampening the sound of my guitar. I've learned since the work was done to perform the work myself and will be replacing the nut - it seems right now the nut may be a bit too low and this could be affecting the tone? Thank you for this great video and wish you good things! OH forgot to ask! lol Is it ok to sand the bridge plate a bit in hopes to lighten the added weight on the bridge? It's a Larrivee D-03 Mahogany Sitka Spruce - beautiful guitar and now just sounds like it lost its spirit. I would be happy to pay you for a brief phone consultation.
I have heard stories about bad nut replacement. If the nut is not seated correctly, it can lose some power and tone. Perhaps this is more likely to be the problem. Cheers
I'm not sure you'll see this but I'd really love to know your thoughts on the idea of a luthier building a retainer into the bridge plate to begin with to extend the life of the bridge plate and potentially get a different tone or at least the extra vibrating mass added would be something you could compensate for in the process of carving the braces.
Generally we try to cut down on wieght when building acoustics. The retainer isn't much weight, but if you don't need it yet, there is no reason to put it there and having it already there will make it harder to install when it does need one.
Thank you!! Do you glue the retainer on using Elmer's type wood glue? I have the problem that you described with the ball. I thought of this "bridge plate retainer" independently (I'm a mech engineer) to fix my problem, and just happened upon your lecture. I'm a D.I.Y. kind of guy (when I have confidence and time). You just gave me a HUGE injection of confidence that I'm thinking on the right track with repairing my guitar (a cheap Yamaha F325 which is my fruitfly for experimenting on and learning guitar repair -nuts and saddles)...thank you!! You confirmed my thought about using maple (rosewood too) and I can get it from Stew Mac (I'm in Ohio). 👍👍👍😀😀😀
If this is really a serious issue, why not just make the bridge plate out of something really hard, like stainless steel, titanium, or even carbon fiber, in the first place?
Well, steel is heavy and will shut down tone. Carbon fiber would not resist this kind of force very well. Anything other than wood will do weird things to the tone.
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Great job. Good info here. Subscribed.
Great vid and explanation! Thank you
I’m kind of late to the party here…but this this video has to be one of the best on RUclips regarding guitar bridge issues. Thank you very much.
Right on, thanks for going through this so well
I like it you’ve gone into the Engineering side of things which that’s what I like to see. This is a good solid repair.
I just bought a worn out guitar. I onpy reapised the bridge was coming off the body when I got home. All the stree was on the pins... and the pins started to rip out the soundboard. The bridge wouldnt sit flat on the soundboard because of the damage. Its not going to be an easy fix but we'll see. Thank you for the video, it does help to visualise things and know what role each part plays in holding it together
Very interesting, thanks for sharing your info. I have a Tanglewood 12-string I bought from a dealer, it was brand new, no owner, and the bridge was already lifting. I bought it cheaply as a fixer-upper, to learn by doing the repair. The bridge plate has cracked through the holes, it is softwood, not ply. Having watched your video, I’m inclined to try inserting a retainer. Are 12-strings more prone to bridge problems? I’ve seen a bridge lift on an Ibanez 12-string also.
Thank you for the video, you saved me some work. I was going to replace the bridge plate on a 12 string. There is some belly up on this guitar and Iafter I re-glue the bridge I am going to use the Bridge Doctor kit to reverse the belly up issue. I should be able to install the Bridge Doctor after I install the retainer correct? I am using the screw in bridge pin kit for this repair. Also how big should the retainer be and can I use oak for it? Thanks again.
I can't see why not, but I'd use maple, ebony or rosewood, not oak.
Great job. Good info here. Subscribed.
So I have a old Gibson that I bought with the bridgeplate and bridge already off
So to install a bridgeplate is it better to remove the back? Thanks man
I wanna check out more of ur vids
You don't remove the back or top on a guitar, ever. It's not how repair work is done in this family of instruments. The exact method I use to create a bridge plate is kind of involved for a comment explanation, but I use magnets to do a tracking of the braces and use that to make a template.
There’s many videos showing luthiers taking backs off to repair the bracing and bridge plates on guitars….
I’m late to the party here. Thank you for a very clear explanation. My guitar is abt five years old and the bridge plate already shows slight indentations where some of the string balls have imbedded. I’m pretty careful when changing strings since I’ve noticed the damage. I’ve wondered why more builders don’t use pin-less bridge design like Breedlove. I’ve seen one early Taylor with that design but newer ones all use pins. Also, why not use carbon fiber bridge plate?
I'm a full-time singer songwriter and recently had an ebony bridge plate put on my guitar. There was also a partial fret job performed (the first 6 frets). Adding those frets subsequently required a shim to be placed beneath my nut so the strings could clear the new frets which are a bit higher (I also like very low action - flat neck etc.). Anyways it seems to me - the guitar has lost some life depth/resonant sound and all I can think of is that the added weight to the bridge is dampening the sound of my guitar. I've learned since the work was done to perform the work myself and will be replacing the nut - it seems right now the nut may be a bit too low and this could be affecting the tone? Thank you for this great video and wish you good things!
OH forgot to ask! lol Is it ok to sand the bridge plate a bit in hopes to lighten the added weight on the bridge? It's a Larrivee D-03 Mahogany Sitka Spruce - beautiful guitar and now just sounds like it lost its spirit. I would be happy to pay you for a brief phone consultation.
I have heard stories about bad nut replacement. If the nut is not seated correctly, it can lose some power and tone. Perhaps this is more likely to be the problem. Cheers
I'm not sure you'll see this but I'd really love to know your thoughts on the idea of a luthier building a retainer into the bridge plate to begin with to extend the life of the bridge plate and potentially get a different tone or at least the extra vibrating mass added would be something you could compensate for in the process of carving the braces.
Generally we try to cut down on wieght when building acoustics. The retainer isn't much weight, but if you don't need it yet, there is no reason to put it there and having it already there will make it harder to install when it does need one.
Thank you!! Do you glue the retainer on using Elmer's type wood glue? I have the problem that you described with the ball. I thought of this "bridge plate retainer" independently (I'm a mech engineer) to fix my problem, and just happened upon your lecture. I'm a D.I.Y. kind of guy (when I have confidence and time). You just gave me a HUGE injection of confidence that I'm thinking on the right track with repairing my guitar (a cheap Yamaha F325 which is my fruitfly for experimenting on and learning guitar repair -nuts and saddles)...thank you!! You confirmed my thought about using maple (rosewood too) and I can get it from Stew Mac (I'm in Ohio). 👍👍👍😀😀😀
Normal wood glue.
@@DrewsGuitarShop Thank you!
Very informative #khushvibes
If this is really a serious issue, why not just make the bridge plate out of something really hard, like stainless steel, titanium, or even carbon fiber, in the first place?
Well, steel is heavy and will shut down tone. Carbon fiber would not resist this kind of force very well. Anything other than wood will do weird things to the tone.