I thought id spotlight a repair we did on a vintage 1968 martin d28 acoustic with a cracked bridge. Mar 30, 2008 the few times i have had to redo the super glue repair, it was permanent. Here we trace the evolution of bridges used by martin and his descendants through the years. Its a continuation of the d28 that had the cavein forming, that i posted a video of yesterday. However, those have been relatively small cracks, but have spanned multiple holes. Acoustic guitar parts, martin guitar parts, blueridge guitar. I have even repaired those bridges that were split from endtoend, but i usually dont recommend it. Standard acoustic size is perfect for most bridge replacements and new builds its included with our dreadnought guitar kits. If the bridge is not repairable, then it is best to hand make a replica of the original bridge, not purchase a generic one from martin.
Visit our guitar bridge pins and their affect on tone page in the learning room or give us a call to discuss which guitar part would work best for your intended modification. Upon removing the bridge i suspected it had been reglued multiple times. There several types of guitar bridges available, all with different features and designs. When i realized how cheaply and easily a qualified luthier put in a new snug piece of bone, i shuddered with renewed selfloathing. In the picture below, you can see that the bridge of the o 15 has a crack that runs through the saddle slot and the saddle has collapsed forward. Below i will cover the best materials for acoustic guitar bridges. Often damage to a guitar or failure of a glue joint can be the result of the. Again though, it takes a little skill and preparation. Firstly the bridge is, or more accurately the bridges.
Most aficionados agree that the late 20s 000s martin turned out were among the best guitars they ever builtand rival any vintage guitar for sound. The top guitars provides the best electric and acoustic guitar and musical instruments, we build custom guitar at wholesale prices. After contacting seagull, i was able to get a replacement bridge in the mail and had it fixed at a. Most of the worst and hardesttorepair cracks happen on a guitars top. If you are the original owner, its covered by martin s warranty. Martin 518 crack repair and bridge pad overlay youtube.
Ive heard of people successfully gluing cracked guitar bridges, but ive never had long term success gluing one. The bridge of any guitar is a very important component both in terms of functionality and sound. Martin guitars come with a care and feeding guide that warns the consumer about the damage that can occur to a guitar if proper humidity isnt maintained. Oversized bridges have a slightly larger footprint to cover any finish chips or damage on the guitar top around the perimeter of the old bridges outline. It adds extra strength to the area where there is a lot of pressure from the tension of the strings. Repair prices as of april, 2019 our guitar repair department has an excellent reputation for its expertise and meticulous attention to detail. The few times i have had to redo the super glue repair, it was permanent. Martin stamped the neck block on september 21, 1927. Cf martin provides a warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for the original owner. How to fix a broken or loose acoustic guitar bridge guitar repair. Jun 16, 2014 on these guitars, gibson used a bakelite bridge, which was simply screwed down instead of glued, and it had warped significantly over the years. Back to the bridge, i have repaired cracked bridges that are still in fine shape 10 years later.
The well cared for prewar martin dreadnought tends to exhibit few of these problems. It not only sets the placement of the strings, the bridge also plays a crucial role in good tone. Kovacik guitars is a cf martin authorized warranty service center capable of handling any and all warranty repairs on your martin guitar. Read the complete statement buy a martin, get free lessons purchase any martin instrument by may 31st and get 90 days of unlimited access to truefire.
I immediately decide to replace the bridge when there is a crack spanning more than one bridge pin hole. Im sure the bridge pins contribute, but ive seen several cracked bridges on old parlors that probably werent caused by bridge pins. A bridge plate is a piece of wood that goes on the underside of the guitar top. On some guitars more commonly those with the squaretube truss rod, the neck will bow. The only proper way to make a high string action martin guitar play correctly is to do a neck set. Please note that the prices listed are labor charges only and do not include strings or parts.
Glues used in guitar repair fret not guitar repair located. What would happen if i leave cracks on an acoustic guitar bridge. Bridge split through all string holes martin tenor. Oct 10, 2012 this is a typical unscalloped martin brace. Martin guitars lifetime warranty acoustic guitars harmony. The part of the guitar that is responsible for doing is called a bridge. Buy surfing height ajustabale rosewood bridge insert for acoustic guitar.
Just like a tree, guitars will naturally acclimate to whatever environment they are exposed to, and if that environment is outside of the ideal range, it could spell disaster. However not all of these issues will always be covered by the warranty. Acoustic guitar bridges can sometimes develop cracks. A lot of prewar martins had scalloped braces, as do their current vintage series guitars. So, most of the time, its a good idea to reinforce the bridge plate with a substantial layer of hardwood, about 332 thick. More info on a martin playability neck sets and bridges. Aliphatic resin is amongst the most popular woodworkers glue used in instrument building and repair today. When the usa joined the war in december 1941 manufacturing slowed down in all industries. Mid december my guitar started buzzing and i noticed a hairline crack in the bridge.
Martin executives got an unwelcome surprise when they arrived in shanghai for music china this past october. Acoustic guitar cracked top repair bridge shave guild f50 part 6 of 7. Often a fault line along the wood grain is to blame. Everything they built prior had a nonadjustable trussrod, and in the 70s the truss rod consisted of a. Woodworkers glue is water soluble, has longer working times than hide glue and is very strong.
The subject guitar was worked on by skilled and some not so skilled people in its. The guitar had had the bridge worked on previously with at least one bridge reglue being done. Every year, sweetwaters guitar repair shop repairs hundreds of cracked bridges, sinking tops, and shrinking fretboards. To determine the value of you martin guitar, you must know the model and the year of manufacture. Authorized martin service kovacik guitars and fretted. Well i did just that and 2 days shy of 6 weeks i had to email them for a update. Over the years, the tension from the strings will pull the neck forward. From his description, the op allowed his guitar to deteriorate significantly before he addressed the problem. I know of no builder of quality acoustics that bolts their bridges to. But first lets have a look the components of the bridge and how it works. Martin guitars lifetime warranty sign in to follow this. There are many stories over at the martin forum about them going out of their way to repair guitars under warranty even doing resets on prewar guitars for their original owners. Top crack repair and brace scalloping and reglue on the.
Martin guitar limited lifetime warranty is only valid for the original owner of the instrument and it not transferable. There is a site that offers free serial number look ups to determine the year. Quality polished 6string bridges with countersunk pin holes. Martin guitar limited lifetime warranty is not available for instruments purchased outside the us or canada. Repair prices as of april, 2019 maple street guitars.
A common misconception is that bridges crack between the bridge pin holes because someone has rammed the tapered bridge pins in too far, or that wooden bridge pins have. This repair involves removing the neck on the guitar, and refitting the neck at a slightly increased angle, which lowers the string action. It is highly respected for its acoustic guitars and is a leading manufacturer of flat top guitars. So it was recommended i send it to martin because they will take care of you. Prices are for direct replacement only and do not include routing, drilling or. The string tension had pulled it so far forward that the whole guitar wouldnt play in tune anywhere on the neck, and was raising the action so high that even john who likes a really high action. What would happen if i leave cracks on an acoustic guitar bridge unrepaired.
Oct 29, 2019 the bridge of any guitar is a very important component both in terms of functionality and sound. It can be very serious and result in a lifetime of bad intonation and high action. Tuneomatic saddles and bridges do not come with a string notch and will be subject to the additional charge. No good can come of it, and ive rescued several of these crackedsnapped bridges. No good can come of it, and ive rescued several of these cracked snapped bridges. If the bridge is not cracked the full length, it is repairable. The replacement was not cracked but came with a saddle height adjuster that was way to small.
This is more common with some years of martin than most other quality guitars, but is not a common problem for acoustics in general. Acoustic top cracks sealed, bridge shave guild f50 getting closer each day to a new beginning. Since the prewar guitars have a stellar reputation for tone, some. One of the most common instances is actually not a crack at all, but a centerseam separation. Rosewood or ebony dust can be used on larger cracks, but small ones can be nearly invisibly repaired with ca. A bridge cracked through the line of bridge pin holes may possibly be glued but it is important to recognize the original cause of the crack. Below is a list of prices for the most common repairs and custom work. I bought two of these bridges both of which were nicely crafted and shipped fairly quickly. A cracked or warped bridge plate can also allow the top to deform, placing incredible tension on the top to bridge glue joint.
Acoustic guitar parts, martin guitar parts, blueridge. Guitar hardware, parts and electronics are imported from japan and south korea. Since the prewar guitars have a stellar reputation for tone, some builders and repair people and hacks in their basements. The bridge to somewhere the evolution of bridges on martin guitars c.
What are the best materials for acoustic guitar bridges. Handmade 6strings rosewood bridge for martin style acoustic guitar sloted strin. Guitars are instruments that rely on vibration of strings to produce the sound. This tiny martin from 1958 has a pickguard crack and needs a little attention to help it play. Mar 17, 2015 025 rsw why guitar bridges fail and how to fix them. The moustache bridge, with a fretwire saddle, appears on early stauffer and martin stauffer style guitars. The centerpiece of this tale is a 12fret martin 00028. Surfing height ajustabale rosewood bridge insert for.
Martin facilities temporarily closed effective march 20, 2020. The acoustic guitar bridge serves many functions on the guitar. Standard acoustic size is perfect for most bridge replacements and new builds its included with our dreadnought guitar kits oversized bridges have a slightly larger footprint to cover any finish chips or damage on the guitar top around the perimeter of the old bridges outline. I found that the first bridge was cracked so i decided to purchase a replacement since the return date had already passed. Atlantas finest guitar shop, with over 25 years experience in playing and selling guitars, teaching guitar lessons in atlanta and guitar repair have enabled us to create an outstanding inventory of guitars which includes some of the finest guitars available worldwide by such recognized luthiers as collings, ramirez, kohno, martin, lowden, goodall, santa cruz, national resophonic, takamine.
We specialize in martin guitars, blueridge guitars, reverend guitars, mesa boogie amps, guitar pickups, guitar parts, and guitar accessories. Learn more chris martin iv a historical perspective on covid19. I know of no builder of quality acoustics that bolts their bridges to the body that is bs. Our customer service representatives are currently working remotely and can be contacted from 8 am 5 pm est at 8884339177 or through our contact us page. Little martin models, backpackers and ukuleles manufactured in mexico have a oneyear limited warranty.
With all top cracks, timing of the repair is critical. This usually happens when the guitar is allowed to dry out, causing the two halves of the top to come unglued at the center seam. I dont think ive ever seen a thread bashing martin for not honoring their warranty. Bridge plates on martin guitars the bridge plate is a small, thin block of wood, usually made of mahogany, maple, or rosewood, roughly the same size as the bridge, and glued inside the top, opposing the bridge, to stiffen the top and provide a hard surface. We carry a full line of acoustic guitar saddles and bridge pins made especially for your martin guitar. Usually i see this on instruments where the bridge was not glued with traditional wood glue. A loose brace lead to my bridge coming off and cracking the bridge plate. On these guitars, gibson used a bakelite bridge, which was simply screwed down instead of glued, and it had warped significantly over the years. Excessive clamping pressure may force too much glue out of the glue joint, though this is rare.
Its a great time to upgrade your home music studio gear with the largest selection at. The bridges on 1950s martins are narrower than modern martin bridges, and the profile is different. Make offer 1930s martin archtop guitar tailpiece c1, c2, c3 broken need. Wholesale, high quality and craftsmanship custom made electric and acoustic guitars. Martin hd 28 cracked bridge the acoustic guitar forum. Yep, leaning is bad, putting pressure on the bridge upper wall. Superglue and wood dust will work well, as already mentioned. Musiclily 6 string rosewood saddle thru guitar bridge for martin style acoustic guitar. Unlike hide glue, it is ready to use straight from the bottle. It most often occurs in the area from the bridge to the end block. Tom bills has been hand crafting one of a kind custom guitars for the top players and collectors around the world since 1998. Recently, two martin guitars, a d18 and an o15, were brought me and they both had cracked bridges.