Bridge replacement

[Doc Holiday]

This seems like a dumb question but what kind of glue do you use for a replacement classical guitar bridge? Someone down the street was throwing out a cheap classical guitar that was missing the bridge so I figure for $20 in parts and strings I'll have something to throw around....seems like simple question I should know. Thanks!

 

[Markk]

Re: Bridge replacement

Just get some wood glue. It should bind wood to wood and you shouldn't be too worries if you bought a 'beater guitar'

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Bridge replacement

Depends on what finish the guitar has. Wood glue will not hold over poly, so you may have to go epoxy, or remove the finish under the bridge.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Bridge replacement

Depends on what finish the guitar has. Wood glue will not hold over poly, so you may have to go epoxy, or remove the finish under the bridge.

There is never finish under a bridge on any acoustic guitar. The wood has to be bare for any adhesive to bond the woods together.

Tightbond would be the glue I would recommend. Older guitars used Hyde glues which made it easier to remove and replace them as needed.

What you will need to do is tape off all the area around the area where the bridge needs to be installed. Sand it smooth using no more than 400 grit paper (if its to smoothe the glue won't have anything to grab hold of). Apply an even coat of glue to both the top of the guitar and the bottom of the bridge. (use a small brush to apply it.) Place a piece of waste wood on top of the bridge and clamp it down. Apply enough pressure to the clamps to have the glue ooze out evenly all around the point where the bridge meets the top. Let it dry for the recommended amount of time before removing the clamps. I like to let it sit a while longer maybe another day before I restring the guitar.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Bridge replacement

the hard part of this is would be getting enough clamping power without owning the real guitarmakers bridge clamps..... i glued a bridge back on my sisters cheap Classical, used 150 grid sandpaper to rough up and remove the old glue from the bottom of the bridge and the top of the guitar... Used wood glue and clamped it... I borrowed the bridge clamps from a local repair man...

It didn't work out 100% as when the bridge let go it split some wood and those chips were gone before i got the axe for repair. And it was the first bridge reset i have ever done so i didn't know what the hell i was doing... But it works... still in use today....

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Bridge replacement

There is never finish under a bridge on any acoustic guitar. The wood has to be bare for any adhesive to bond the woods together.

I used to think that too, until I repaired a friends cheap Ovation.