If you have a string instrument of any kind that needs fixing, a mistake you made in building a new instrument that you need to "disappear," or a question about the ethics of altering an older instrument, ask here. Please note that it will be much easier for us to help you decide on the best repair method if you post some pictures of the problem.
Hello everybody,
I had acquired a Yamaha sj400s a couple of weeks ago. It looks pretty good for the age, minus a few things. The neck is pretty straight too. The thing that is bugging me is the bridge. It is on pretty solid and not lifting a bit, but it has hair-line splitting between the bridge pins going across. I was wandering is anybody else has had this to happen. I am curious of how long it will last before it might split. I had looked around for a bridge for my repair man to put on just in case. I can not find one that might be a somewhat direct fit for my model. Maybe, somebody might know where to turn or where I can find one. I know the Martin ones look about the same, but I had read somewhere that I believe that they do not match up right. thanks for any help, Chad
Simple, but not completely easy, fix. Make a jig to cut a very narrow vee-shaped slice through the crack, and make a perfectly fitting wedge of matching wood(likely EIR) to glue in its place. Ream the pin holes, level the surface, oil it and you're done.
Those cracks through the pin holes are often caused by worn out bridge plates. The bridge plate is supposed to spread the load exerted by the ball ends of the strings to the surrounding area, but when the plate is worn the balls pull up through the plate and against toe bottom of the bridge. This puts an upward force in line with the holes, and the back of the bridge is stuck to the soundboard, which tries to flex the bridge around it's long axis. Basically the saddle is pushing down and the back section of the bridge is holding to the top, and the string balls are pulling up between those two down forces.
The repair is to either repair or replace the bridge AND repair the bridge plate, or it will happen again. Sometimes you can repair a cracked bridge, sometimes it won't hold, but it's worth the effort to try the repair.
Hello, thanks for the replies guys. Yeah, I am just hoping it will last for a little while. I am not sure about gluing. It seems like it might be prolonging the inevitable. I just would like to find a good bridge replacement for when I have the money. I will get my repair guy to put it on. I guess I should look towards like Stew Mac.I would like to find an Indian Rosewood one. There's so many our there with the shape that I got. I didn't know if there was possibly one that was almost an exact fit.
It is best if your repairman makes a new bridge with the saddle in the correct place. Just swapping bridges could end up with the guitar not playing in tune.
Trying to fix the crack by filling it with a piece of wood as recommended above is a mistake. This is the area where the most stress is on the instrument and it will open up again.
Read Michael Lewis's post carefully. He has describe the proper repair. Both bridge and bridge-plate should be new.
I've done the above suggested repair many times, and it's held. I well-fitted wedge has a lot of glue area and a good glue joint is stronger than the original wood. Often, these cracks are caused by the owner pushing the pins in too tightly. They are, in effect, 6 tapered wedges, after all.
Hello, thanks guys. I believe I'll just take it to my repair friend. I guess I was just kind of looking towards the cheapest and best solution. I guess I'll ask him if he can repair the plate and fix the bridge, if he prefers not, I'll ask him if he can shape one out for it. You guys are a big help on this and help at the insight into this. This is about the biggest thing wrong with the acoustic. I may end up playing if awhile before I take it in to him. I don't have the extra project funds now. I feel that it will last a while, because of how fine and small the crack is, but have been looking towards the future repair of it.
