So, you've got this old classical guitar lying around. You grab it, tune it to pitch and then, snap!... Oh dear, the bridge came off producing a heart breaking sound and all the strings are now loose. It almost wounded me...
This is the result of old wood glue going bad from humidity/temperature especially when high tension strings are used. Don't worry though, there is a classic solution to this problem. If the bridge came out in one piece (it usually does), you can glue it back on the body securely. If it broke, there are numerous bridges available on the market. Don't forget to order a new bridge saddle, a nut and maybe a new set of tuners. These plastic/bone parts tend to break and go bad as well after many years. This particular 3/4-sized guitar was probably made in Greece during the 70s-80s era so I had to replace its plastic parts as well to ensure it stays in shape for many years to come.
Here are the steps I took to re-attach the old bridge on the body.
1. I removed the strings and cleaned up the surface of the body where the bridge used to sit on
2. I sanded down the old glue remains with low grit sandpaper. Be sure to sand both the bridge bottom surface and the top of the body where the bridge was installed. Be careful not to scratch the rest of the guitar top.
3. Then, I cleaned the surfaces with alcohol and let them dry
4. I mixed some two-part cream-colored Epoxy glue. I found the clear-colored 2-part glue to be weaker than the cream-colored one. Not sure why...
5. Once the Epoxy was well mixed, I applied the glue on both contact surfaces with a putty knife and quickly installed the bridge on the body. It's essential to apply the glue before it starts to harden (less than 5 minutes).
6. The bridge was clamped on the body and the excess glue was removed with a moist scarf.
7. If you don't have long clamps, you can place a stack of old books on top of the guitar. Just make sure the book covers do not make contact with the excess glue...wipe it down.
8. 24hours later, I removed the clamp and the bridge was firmly attached to the body. There were a few signs of the cream glue but nothing too obvious.
9. I installed a set of nylon medium tension strings on the guitar and it stayed in tune!
Problem solved!
Cheers,
Thanos
This is the result of old wood glue going bad from humidity/temperature especially when high tension strings are used. Don't worry though, there is a classic solution to this problem. If the bridge came out in one piece (it usually does), you can glue it back on the body securely. If it broke, there are numerous bridges available on the market. Don't forget to order a new bridge saddle, a nut and maybe a new set of tuners. These plastic/bone parts tend to break and go bad as well after many years. This particular 3/4-sized guitar was probably made in Greece during the 70s-80s era so I had to replace its plastic parts as well to ensure it stays in shape for many years to come.
Here are the steps I took to re-attach the old bridge on the body.
1. I removed the strings and cleaned up the surface of the body where the bridge used to sit on
2. I sanded down the old glue remains with low grit sandpaper. Be sure to sand both the bridge bottom surface and the top of the body where the bridge was installed. Be careful not to scratch the rest of the guitar top.
3. Then, I cleaned the surfaces with alcohol and let them dry
4. I mixed some two-part cream-colored Epoxy glue. I found the clear-colored 2-part glue to be weaker than the cream-colored one. Not sure why...
5. Once the Epoxy was well mixed, I applied the glue on both contact surfaces with a putty knife and quickly installed the bridge on the body. It's essential to apply the glue before it starts to harden (less than 5 minutes).
6. The bridge was clamped on the body and the excess glue was removed with a moist scarf.
7. If you don't have long clamps, you can place a stack of old books on top of the guitar. Just make sure the book covers do not make contact with the excess glue...wipe it down.
8. 24hours later, I removed the clamp and the bridge was firmly attached to the body. There were a few signs of the cream glue but nothing too obvious.
9. I installed a set of nylon medium tension strings on the guitar and it stayed in tune!
Problem solved!
Thanos
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