Replacing A Bridge On My Acoustic - How Would I Do This?

[zerkalo]

I have this nice lefty acoustic that I want to turn into a rightie. I already have a busted up acoustic that still has a nice bridge.

 

My question is how can I replace the bridge? What tools do I need?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Burningleaves]

I have this nice lefty acoustic that I want to turn into a rightie. I already have a busted up acoustic that still has a nice bridge. My question is how can I replace the bridge? What tools do I need? Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

Although the saddle "slot" is at an angle on most acoustic guitar bridges, you should be able to get away with just flipping the saddle and replacing the nut. If it is not intonated properly after the switch then you could always buy or make a compensated saddle which might help.

[dhoenisch]

You would have to heat the bridge with some kind of heating element to soften the glue, and with a very flexable metal spatula that isn't nicked in any way, "slide" it under the bridge to get it off the guitar, hopefully without lifting any wood fibres from the top.

It sounds like you want to keep this guitar, and sounds nicer than a beater, so you may want to pay someone to do this for you. I've practiced many times on el cheapo acoustics that have been given to me, and that's how I got my practice. The first time I did it, it didn't exactly come clean off of the guitar. It was fortunately fixable though.

If you are handy, and careful, maybe you can try removing the bridge a few times on your busted up guitar, until you are comfortable enough to do it on the good guitar. Most guitars these days seem to have their bridges glued on with wood glue, which has a softening point of about 160 degrees, if I remember correctly, so that should come off decently. I typically use hot hide glue when gluing on bridge, which has a much higher softening point at, I believe, 400+ degrees?

Remember too, if you are doing this yourself, make sure to buy a bridge with the correct string spacing. I've purchased a couple of bridges that looked nice to me, and I forgot to check to make sure the string spacing was correct. Basically, I now have a couple of bridges on standby now.

Dan

[zerkalo]

Cool, thanks very much for the advice.

 

Dan, can I heat up the bridge by placing a wet rag on it and pressing with a hot soldering iron? I once softened the glue on some guitar neck inlays like this. Didn't even damage the plastic, to my surprise.

 

What do you think?

[dhoenisch]

What I do is I use an ordinary clothes iron on high and a moist disposable shop towel. It won't mess with the finish at all on a laquered instrument, or a polymer instrument. I wouldn't do it if it was shellac, but that'll be an old guitar if it has a shellac finish. My iron is a $3 garage sale find. I don't want to use the same iron I use for my clothes.

If the finish isn't perfect around the bridge, like a crack in the finish where I would worry about the moisture getting to the wood, I just use the clothes iron on high, and start from one end of the bridge, heat it, slide the spatula (remember to use a thin, clean, flexible spatula) under it, heat the area next to it, slide the spatula a bit more, etc. The farther you get along, the less you'll have to heat the bridge since it'll be hot from your previous placement. That's how I did my Harmony Stella. I think it has a shellac finish. I started with the damp cloth, ad the finish started to discolor slightly. Once it dried, it went back to it's original color, fortunately.

The best way is to get one of those heat blankets from www.lmii.com, but they are expensive. Nothing I can afford just being a hobbiest.

Anyhow, this is just how I do things, someone else may chime in with a different/better way than mine. I don't claim to be the expert here at all. I am always open to learning new and/or different ways.

Dan

[Freeman Keller]

Here is the whole proceedure done with the right tools

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Guitar/Bridges/018Bridge/018bridge.html

A couple of hints - make some really good clamping cauls for both the inside and out (I use pressed board) - two deep clamps is minimum, three better. Make absolutely sure it is in the correct location - I can send some measurements based on your scale lenght. The bridge might skate around as you are clamping - I like to put several layers of masking tape around it to make a little hole - but still check the location as you tighten the clamps.

Depending on the bridge the pin holes might have to be filled, redrilled and reamed. Also, if it isn't exactly the same size and shape you might have bare wood showing around the edge. Hot hide glue is the best, but I've used yellow (AR). Don't use CA, epoxy, etc.

Burningleaves is not correct - you will have terrible intonation if you just flip it - there is a very good reason the slot is at an angle.

You can get Martin style belly and pyramid bridges from LMI or StewMac - might be a lot better to start with a new one.

[Burningleaves]

Here is the whole proceedure done with the right tools http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Guitar/Bridges/018Bridge/018bridge.html A couple of hints - make some really good clamping cauls for both the inside and out (I use pressed board) - two deep clamps is minimum, three better. Make absolutely sure it is in the correct location - I can send some measurements based on your scale lenght. The bridge might skate around as you are clamping - I like to put several layers of masking tape around it to make a little hole - but still check the location as you tighten the clamps. Depending on the bridge the pin holes might have to be filled, redrilled and reamed. Also, if it isn't exactly the same size and shape you might have bare wood showing around the edge. Hot hide glue is the best, but I've used yellow (AR). Don't use CA, epoxy, etc. Burningleaves is not correct - you will have terrible intonation if you just flip it - there is a very good reason the slot is at an angle. You can get Martin style belly and pyramid bridges from LMI or StewMac - might be a lot better to start with a new one.

 

 

 

This guy seemed to do alright with a flipped guitar.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Three options:

(A) - Have the lefty slot filled with a matching piece of wood (assuming that the bridge is otherwise fine, just slanted the wrong way) and have the slot re-cut. If you've never done this, have an experienced repairperson do it, so as to ensure good intonation.

(B) If you absolutely feel inclined to do this work yourself, get a few cheapies and practice...order a new bridge from Stew-Mac, don't recycle one from another guitar!

© Trade the lefty for an equally nice righty...easiest option!

[Freeman Keller]

This guy seemed to do alright with a flipped guitar.

 

 

Lots of people flip and play "upside down and backwards" - Cotton, Hendrix, etc - low E towards the floor. I tried to learn a couple of songs from a gal that did it this way (thumb on the trebles, fingers on the bass) and the weirdest chord forms I've ever seen. About drove me buggy LOL

 

My assumption when you talked about flipping it was turning over the saddle in the bridge slot (and making a new nut) and restringing (low E up). I promise, you will not like that.

[zerkalo]

Thank all of you so much. You guys are so helpful.