Members reidonius Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 My bridge seems to be coming unglued in the corner. Does this mean a visit to my local music store/luthier a.s.a.p.? For the record, it's a Seagull S6+ Cedar. Has anybody else had problems like this with the bridge (on any guitar)?
Members Treborklow Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 It would not hurt to let a pro have a look at it. People here can't inspect it in person. Are you using heavier strings than the maker recommends?
Members reidonius Posted August 9, 2006 Author Members Posted August 9, 2006 nope, never had anything other than lights on it, in about 3 years. Last time I restrung I thought I'd try out Elixirs, but that shouldn't make any difference, should it? What part of the guitar bears the brunt of the string tension? I'd have thought it's constructed so there's nothing directly pulling the bridge away from the body, especially if it's just glued. Anyway, I guess I'll go ask a pro sometime soon.
Members Treborklow Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 The bridge takes the tension of the strings, they are being pulled from there. It could simply be a gluing defect from Seagull but regardless it's not a normal condition and does need to be addressed... either now or when the bridge eventually pops off! Either way the tech will probably have to remove it and then reattach with fresh glue. If it's under warranty from Seagull you might just have them repair it.
Members steve_man Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 Yeah, I saw a guitar's bridge come off, and pull a big chunk of the top with it. Get it checked asap!
Members Treborklow Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 Originally posted by steve_man Yeah, I saw a guitar's bridge come off, and pull a big chunk of the top with it. Get it checked asap! Especially with that soft Cedar.
Members walfordr Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 Quite a common problem with lower end guitars. Generally it's caused by the production process where they finish the top before attaching the bridge. Can be reasonably easily fixed and should be before something more drastic happens.
Members dwerlin Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 i had the same thing on my wife's old guitar (it was actually worse than yours). cost me i think $80 to get it reglued...in hindsight i probably wouldn't do it again since the guitar's worth only about $100
Members AK47 Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 A friend of mines seagull had this problem. Seagull uses "hide glue" which is traditional and good. If exposed to heat or not set properly it can pull up. Take the tension off the strings immediately so as not to damage the top if the bridge should release. If it is under waranty contact Seagull or the dealer for instruction If not under waranty take it to the nearest competant luthier for repair. It is not an expensive repair but could be with top damage from the bridge release. Make sure they use hide glue. It help for cheap and easier repairs:wave:
Members Freeman Keller Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 To correctly fix it heat is applied to remove the bridge, the old glue is cleaned up and it is reglued (in the same spot). Takes some special tools and can slightly damage or discolor the top from the heat. If it truely is hide glue the repair is much easier - many guitars today use white glue for the those joints that may have to be opened (like this one and the neck). Bryan Kimsey charged me $40 to pull and reglue the bridge on my 12 string, but at the same time he was replacing the bridgeplate ($110) so don't go quoting that figure. It should be covered under warranty if you are the original owner. And there are other ways to fix it, but they are not recommended. Here is Frank Ford doing it right http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Guitar/Bridges/ReglueBr/regluebr1.html
Members eyeball987 Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 Great. I have an M6+ at home right now. I guess that I should take a look at that tonight.
Members theGOOCH Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 eyeball987, Representin' Cincy?! I thought I was the only one...actually I'm in West Chester but who's counting? Its's definitely Skyline time. Hell, Im not picky. Gold Star is fine too.
Members Cldplytkmn Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 ah i miss skyline time... ohio transplant over here...
Members Shinbone Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 My Seagull SM6 had this same problem. I blamed it on the heat. I occasionally play outdoor gigs and it can get pretty hot down here in Florida. I had it fixed and its been good as new ever since. Still a great guitar. p.s. I'm a Cincy transplant too. Send some Skyline my way (three-way please.) Go Reds!
Members Cldplytkmn Posted August 9, 2006 Members Posted August 9, 2006 they sell canned skyline chili at the kroger here... awesome stuff...
Members recordingtrack1 Posted August 10, 2006 Members Posted August 10, 2006 Get it to your local luthier right away. If not, I will be forced to tell you my Gibson Hummingbird horror story. It ain't pretty! RT1:cry:
Members guitarist21 Posted August 10, 2006 Members Posted August 10, 2006 Originally posted by reidonius My bridge seems to be coming unglued in the corner. Does this mean a visit to my local music store/luthier a.s.a.p.? YES!! GO!! Soon! Ellen
Members postalsock Posted August 10, 2006 Members Posted August 10, 2006 i want to here the gibson humming bird story pleaseeeeeeeee
Members reidonius Posted August 10, 2006 Author Members Posted August 10, 2006 Originally posted by postalsock i want to here the gibson humming bird story pleaseeeeeeeee Seconded. And don't worry; I've at least loosened the strings now to the point where they may as well be off. Just there so the bridge pins have something to do I'll take it tomorrow hopefully and report back.
Members recordingtrack1 Posted August 10, 2006 Members Posted August 10, 2006 I was kind of kidding about the Hummingbird story. What really happened was that I had a mid 70's Custom Hummingbird. Absolutely beautiful guitar. Natural finish on a Sitka Spruce top. Mahogany back and sided. Double MOP inlays, Grover Tuners. Deep Cherry finish on the back and sides. One day the bridge just pulled right off with no warning. I mean, just boing and it was suddenly flopping around loose. It even put a deep scar in the finish that went all the way through. Didn't actually take any wood with it though. I had not noticed that it might have been coming loose as say, in your photo. To say the least I was extremely ill. I had it professionally repaired and it cost me a ton of money. After a few weeks, one day, I noticed the exact same thing I see in redonious' picture above. I gues when I see that I get panicky. Anyway, I traded it off for a MIJ strat and took a huge loss on it. So, there's the story. In hindsight, I probably should have shipped it back to Bozeman, but at the time I was younger and stupider than I am now. So it goes, RT1
Members postalsock Posted August 14, 2006 Members Posted August 14, 2006 bummer man, those are great guitars.
Members reidonius Posted August 14, 2006 Author Members Posted August 14, 2006 hmm, since this has been bumped to page 1 again, I'll just let those interested know that I took my geetar in on Thursday, but the tech wasn't there so I just left it, figuring I wouldn't play it anyway, and it'd save me a trip. They told me to come back Saturday, but something came up that took the whole day so I didn't make it, and they're not open Sundays, so I'll go in tomorrow (well, today)
Members eyeball987 Posted August 14, 2006 Members Posted August 14, 2006 Originally posted by theGOOCH eyeball987,Representin' Cincy?! I thought I was the only one...actually I'm in West Chester but who's counting? Its's definitely Skyline time. Hell, Im not picky. Gold Star is fine too. I work in Beavercreek and we just opened an office in West Chester off of Union Center. Do you gig out at all?
Members reidonius Posted August 16, 2006 Author Members Posted August 16, 2006 Finally got the geetar back today. Looks good as new. Guitar wasn't under warranty so the repair cost about $50 (canadian $), and I didn't speak to the tech so I don't know what exactly he did (whether he removed the bridge completely and reattached it, or just kinda put more glue where it was lifting up).
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