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Is the bridge coming off my blanca or is this an acceptable 'feature' to allow for the top to dome slightly and get some torque etc? Should a bridge always be completely flush against the top? As you can see I can stick a bit of paper underneath the bridge on both sides.
And I also can't tell if the line going across the middle of the top is showing small cracks or if this is just the glue showing more prominently in some places than others?
I've had this guitar for about 6 months and I haven't noticed these things getting worse. At first I just passed it off as cosmetic imperfections not affecting the sound (and I do love the sound) but I'd like a second opinion. Please excuse the third-rate photography.
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RE: Bridge becoming detached? Cracks... (in reply to elias)
Take it to a repair shop and get them to glue the open seam with some hide glue and clamp it shut. Sooner rather than later. Usually that stems off further trouble.
Any good repair shop can do it, you don’t have to go to a classical guitar specialist.
Posts: 15427
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Bridge becoming detached? Cracks... (in reply to elias)
I think the posts above are more addressing the bridge (which is missing glue if the paper slides smooth and no roughness is encountered). I would take the strings off NOW. And get it fixed soon. The “crack” is not a crack but the center join point of the two halves of the soundboard and is separating due to humidity change. It also needs to be glued and likely cleated to prevent it re-opening. Probably if you added humidity and control to the guitar case, that join will close and be un-noticeable, but then you will be enslaved to ever after keep the humidity very high around the guitar, and this IMO is not practical. Better to let the guitar settle into its dry environment and glue and stitch things that need it. Without more info, it is hard to say if the lack of glue under bridge is the Luthier error or not.
RE: Bridge becoming detached? Cracks... (in reply to elias)
Thanks a lot for the replies, I really appreciate it. The strings are off and I'll be sending to get repaired ASAP.
It does feel a little rough when I slide the paper under and also that I could detach more glue if I pushed hard enough. I think I've always been careful about humidity, and now I'm wondering if I've been sold a dud or maybe this occurred during the delivery of the guitar. Thankfully this is not my only guitar.
RE: Bridge becoming detached? Cracks... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
I think the posts above are more addressing the bridge (which is missing glue if the paper slides smooth and no roughness is encountered). I would take the strings off NOW. And get it fixed soon. The “crack” is not a crack but the center join point of the two halves of the soundboard and is separating due to humidity change. It also needs to be glued and likely cleated to prevent it re-opening. Probably if you added humidity and control to the guitar case, that join will close and be un-noticeable, but then you will be enslaved to ever after keep the humidity very high around the guitar, and this IMO is not practical. Better to let the guitar settle into its dry environment and glue and stitch things that need it. Without more info, it is hard to say if the lack of glue under bridge is the Luthier error or not.
A. The center seam almost always have fan brace glued over it.
B. ~ luthiers don’t make mistakes, we make ‘untoward decisions’ 😂
Posts: 1706
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
RE: Bridge becoming detached? Cracks... (in reply to elias)
What is amazing is that more bridges don't come unglued. The wood grain of the bridge runs perpendicular to the grain of the soundboard, so they expand and contract in opposing directions with changes in humidity. Historically, wooden cabinets that had mouldings with the grain of the moulding running perpendicular to that of the carcas (that's what cabinet boxes are called, carcases) either had the mouldings nailed on or attached by sliding dovetail joints or screws, or they fell off if just glued. Evidently guitar bridges are just short enough that this usually doesn't happen.
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