Masterbilt bulge?

[mrbee]

Hey gang,

 

I bought an EF-500RCCE last summer and I absolutely love it. From the concert stage to the back porch it has performed wonderfully and I've had no complaints. But today I was noticing that the top is bowing out just a bit around the bridge. I'm talking less than a 20" radius curve here, but it's still noticeable. I haven't had anything heavier than .012s on the guitar and it hasn't been in any extreme climates, so I was just wondering if this was normal.

 

Am I crazy? Should I be worried?

[YerDugliness]

No, you're not crazy. I'm not familiar with this particular Masterbilt, but I do know that previously made Masterbilt AJ500RC models displayed a propensity for the bridge to lift. It sounds like the stress from the strings might be more than the guit is made to handle, so keep an eye on the backside of the bridge. If it lifts enough that you can slide a playing card or a piece of paper under it, relieve the tension on the strings and contact the warranty department. So, keep an eye on that top bowing, I suppose it is possible that the AF500RCCE model might have had a better build procedure, which means the bridge would not lift, perhaps resulting in an unacceptable bow.

 

Yes, IMHO you should be worried..........................

 

Dugly

[L1Picker]

I'm going to go the other way and say I wouldn't be worried. Belly bulge is fairly common with wood topped, steel string guitars. As long as the bridge is not separating from the body and you don't have to sand the saddle so low that you lose the break angle for the strings, I wouldn't sweat it.