String changing disaster

[mKwatra427]

So i had this old acoustic which i hadn't played in forever. I thought i'd take it out, clean it up, change the strings, etc. As soon as i had removed all six string, the wooden bridge (looks to be rosewood) fell off as if it was never attached to the body. My guess it was originally glued on and after many years there was nothing left holding it on but the tension of the strings.

The tuners were also loose and ready to fall off and the screws weren't going any tighter. It seemed like the wood inside of the tuner hole had worn off.

I liked this guitar because it was my first full-size guitar and i had learned most of my trade on it. It was also a thinline acoustic, like a hollowbody electric but without pickups, so i found it really comfortable to play on. I'm hoping to get it fixed by the local place but as it's quite old and in bad condition i might just have to let it go.

[Searcy]

It's a floating bridge. They arnt glued on. They are just held on by the pressure of the strings. That's why I never take all 6 string off at the same time.

[mKwatra427]

It's a floating bridge. They arnt glued on. They are just held on by the pressure of the strings. That's why I never take all 6 string off at the same time.

Oh. Well so much for that then. Thanks :P

[Blueblooded]

Yep, that's the way the bridge is attached on that. I'm sure you can use the marks left on the top of the guitar to set it back in place. I had an old Fender that the top faded around where the bridge went and that made it easy to set it back in the proper place.

 

As for the rest of the guitar, is it dry? The wood may have shrunk if it hasn't gotten any humidity and that may have caused the loose tuners. Just a guess here. Anyway, I would remove all the tuners and add a little wood filler, let it dry and reinstall the tuners. That or cut and insert the tips of some toothpicks and reinstall and you should be good to go.

 

That guitar looks great. What model is it?

[mKwatra427]

And thats me looking like an idiot once again.

[mKwatra427]

Yep, that's the way the bridge is attached on that. I'm sure you can use the marks left on the top of the guitar to set it back in place. I had an old Fender that the top faded around where the bridge went and that made it easy to set it back in the proper place.

 

As for the rest of the guitar, is it dry? The wood may have shrunk if it hasn't gotten any humidity and that may have caused the loose tuners. Just a guess here. Anyway, I would remove all the tuners and add a little wood filler, let it dry and reinstall the tuners. That or cut and insert the tips of some toothpicks and reinstall and you should be good to go.

 

That guitar looks great. What model is it?

Thanks Bb.

The guitar is the cheapest piece of ____ you could probably find. Its made by a local company called Givson (no relation to Gibson) and I got it from my cousin who had broken off the binding and glued the headstock back on. Hopefully now i won't have much issue with restoring it to its former glory (the term 'glory' here being used loosely).

As i said, i liked it because it was a thinline design with features from a hollow-body electric. Is this what caught your eye too?

[Guest Farnsbarns]

And thats me looking like an idiot once again.

 

Looking like?

[mKwatra427]

Looking like?

True story of my life.

[mKwatra427]

So why particularly is it designed like this? And past positioning it correctly, how do i keep it in place whilst reinstalling the strings?

[Searcy]

It's done that way out of tradition. Banjos and all the instruments of the violin family are done the same way.

 

 

 

Some of my Gretsch playing rockabilly friends have their bridges "pined" to the top so that they don;t move under aggressive bigsby use.

[Blueblooded]

Like Searcy said, you can leave one or two strings on and change them last - that will hold the bridge on. You could also put some tape that doesn't leave residue across the base of the bridge to the top of the guitar if you must remove all strings. Or you can use the marks/fading on the top as your guide (it looks like there are some marks there...

 

Hmmm... Givson eh? I didn't notice the switch from "b" to "v". It does look pretty good in that pic though. Cool shape and style. I like odd acoustics. I'm not a vintage freak, but want a ES 125 someday.

[LarryUK]

Same principle as a cello/violin.

[daveinspain]

So why is that? Why don't they just set it and that's it? I can understand leaving a floating bridge on a banjo as it sets on a skin but why not set it and forget it on wood tops?

[Searcy]

So why is that? Why don't they just set it and that's it? I can understand leaving a floating bridge on a banjo as it sets on a skin but why not set it and forget it on wood tops?

 

For exactly the same reason as the Banjo. There is no need to glue it down. It's not traditionally glued down. And the free floating bridge allows for better intonation adjustments as the neck and top change shape over time.

 

Why glue it down?

[Jimi Mac]

It's done that way out of tradition. Banjos and all the instruments of the violin family are done the same way.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90-LyEP3tM

 

Some of my Gretsch playing rockabilly friends have their bridges "pined" to the top so that they don;t move under aggressive bigsby use.

 

Ted Nugent has the bridges pinned on his Byrdlands...

 

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That acoustic actually does look really cool!

 

Let us know how it sounds when you get done!!!

[daveinspain]

For exactly the same reason as the Banjo. There is no need to glue it down. It's not traditionally glued down. And the free floating bridge allows for better intonation adjustments as the neck and top change shape over time.

 

Why glue it down?

 

Ok, that makes sense...

[ksdaddy]

I've got one of those Givsons. Bought it directly from a dealer in India. Flat black with white binding. I worked on the fingerboard and frets for 2 nights making it playable. The neck is twisted like a piece of licorice but it still plays fine. No explanation there.

[mKwatra427]

Ted Nugent has the bridges pinned on his Byrdlands...

 

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That acoustic actually does look really cool!

 

Let us know how it sounds when you get done!!!

Do you mean the F-holes and thin body? Thats the only reason i loved it...

It sounded a bit warmer and rounder than acoustics i had played before… but that might just be the strings that were on it

[mKwatra427]

I've got one of those Givsons. Bought it directly from a dealer in India. Flat black with white binding. I worked on the fingerboard and frets for 2 nights making it playable. The neck is twisted like a piece of licorice but it still plays fine. No explanation there.

 

Yep… Givson seems to be an Indian-specific guitar maker, not known for their excellent quality.

[Jimi Mac]

Do you mean the F-holes and thin body? Thats the only reason i loved it...

It sounded a bit warmer and rounder than acoustics i had played before… but that might just be the strings that were on it

 

Yes, it's different and rather unique, It has a look that you don't see much and would certainly stand-out at a gig!

 

Curious to see a demo vid of it to hear it!

[Dennis G]

I have a Gretsch 5122 with a floating bridge. I just mark the location with some blue painters tape, remove all the strings, restring, double check intonation (normally needs no adjustment) and voila! Done. No biggie.

[mKwatra427]

Archtop acoustics… are they that uncommon?...

And what about the tuners? Will they be held in place somewhat by the string tension?

Because i don't want to take it to the guitar place, the guys there are pr___s

I'll try and attach a sampling video after i clean it up today but i might have to leave you guys to make the judgements about its tone :P

[capmaster]

Sorry for your pity, mKwatra, but maybe it will help making other people aware what floating bridge means.

 

In case you are unsure in finding the correct position by evaluating the colour shadings on the top, try it by using a tape measure or a yard stick. Basically the string scale is determined as twice the reading from the nut's fretboard side edge to the crown of the 12th fret's fret wire, and in particular slightly shifted to the tailpiece, depending on the compensation required for proper intonation.

 

It is a good idea to take care for applying the string force as perpendicular as possible, e. g. by lifting the strings from the bridge while tuning up. The danger of tilting the bridge is a very strong reason for changing the strings one by one while leaving all the others tuned correctly.

 

Good luck, I am sure you will get it right.

[zigzag]

You need to learn how to set intonation. It's not hard, and all it requires is a decent tuner, though if you have a good ear, you don't even need a tuner. A floating bridge is going to move at some point, anyway. Plus, if you change string gauges or make a truss rod or bridge/saddle height adjustment, the intonation will change, at least, slightly. And, if you ever clean/condition the fretboard, which most manufacturers recommend doing once a year, you will need to remove all of the strings at once. Setting intonation is easy, and if all it takes is finding the correct position of the bridge, it can be done in minutes, or less.

[RobertAndersson]

I have a mandoline, and from time to time you need to adjust the floating bridge.

A good idea is to restring 1st and 6th string first and intonate them. They will then hold the bridge in place and you can then simply mount the rest of the strings and they will instantly have good intonation.

/Robert