Guitar Repairing

Hey, Because I shwoed one of my local guitar Dealers how I play Mr. Sandman he gave me an acoustic guitar for free, but It needs some work.

At the moment it's looking like this:


What do you think is cleverer? Just glueing the Bridge on the playe where it should be hopw it is, or first grinding the Bridge and the Top of the Guitar?

Do you have any other Tips for repairing this thing?
When it is playable it'll probably get some new colour I think. Orange flames would look good on that blue body.

Perhaps this thread can also help other members.

Thanks in advance

Paul

I'm sure others will have plenty of advice -looks to me that is nylon strung guitar so you would have to restring with nylon as the steel strings would probably provide too much tension for the bridge and maybe top of guitar as well.

Yes, it is a Nylon-string guitar, and at the moment there even are nylon strings on it, but they probably were too much for the bridge.

Needs some work!!

Why didn't he give you a working guitar!! haha...
Man, I don't know anything about guitar repair. I remember 50 years ago or so I repaired my own guitar with the same injury as yours.
Put every glue I had in the house to it....and in lasted for 3 days to come off again...!!

Wish you luck. If it's a cheap guitar it might pull off again next time you string it.

Show some other playing skills to the guy. You might walk home with a Gretsch Fire Jet next time!

Simple, that guitar hasnt much tension so its an easy fix:

1. get a heavy duty balloon (not a condom) like a "punching" balloon
2. insert and inflate the balloon in the lower bout of the guitar as much as you can
without causing the body to bow out or pop the balloon.
3. you will need 2 quick release C clamps or the like ( i dont know the exact body width, just be sure they
have enough reach to each side of the bridge)
4. you will need a piece of plywood at least 1/4" thick to go across the back of the guitar body from clamp
tip to clamp tip (this keeps the top and back from imploding from pressure as the ballooon also helps)
5. you will need another pieces of plywood 1/8" for the top side of the clamps, as it will flex slightly
across the bridge you are going to glue down and hold it tightly in place
6. you need a bottle of GORILLA GLUE, small sponge, and 200grit sandpaper

So... take the sandpaper to the surfaces to be glued just to smooth them a bit and rough up the
surface for tact.

then dampen both surfaces to be glued and lightly apply a fine bead to the underside of the bridge and
also to the guitar body. with gorilla glue its best to go thin as this stuff expands like a ..well Gorilla.. and
we want it to expand outward and inward, not upwards and downward.

clamp the guitar for 4 hrs min. and then let it sit 24hrs before restringing.

easy job.. I have done this a million times.

yes there are more proper methods and more money you can spend on tools and adhesives..but
this all can be done quickly and affordably.

rock that free guitar man, I have a nylon string some one gave me that looked even worse. Now I
use it for songwriting even though it looks like Willie Nelson grew his pot plants in it.

Thanks for the information, that was exactly what I need.

I have to see if I can find sth. like the Gorilla glue here in Germany, but that's probably one of the smallest problems.

Because I already wanted to do sth. with the guitar I started to think about the graphic design. I already put a graphic on the Fretboard which almost looks like an inlay. what do you think?

webelvis wrote:

Thanks for the information, that was exactly what I need.

I have to see if I can find sth. like the Gorilla glue here in Germany, but that's probably one of the smallest problems.

Because I already wanted to do sth. with the guitar I started to think about the graphic design. I already put a graphic on the Fretboard which almost looks like an inlay. what do you think?

Well if you cant find that glue (its very easy to work with in all kinds of weather and gives you time to set up) then
the tried and true fast luthier fix is Cyanoacrylate ( superglue/krazy glue) but its really got toxic fumes when used
in larger quantities and you only have a few minutes to set it up and BAMMO..you are screwed if it isnt right.

well its not that bad but yah... it can be a bitch. One trick is to put it in the fridge before using it, but it may be
39 degrees fahrenheit outside in germany right now anyway? I live in so. cal and I cant feel my fingers on the
keyboard this morning and its 62 degrees F in the house, we are babies)

Today it was about 28 °F (-2 °C) outside...

I could recommend you a good classical Guitar Luthier in Munich, but I don't know any in your region^^


Greetings
Chris

Guitarmaniac wrote:

I could recommend you a good classical Guitar Luthier in Munich, but I don't know any in your region^^

I think a classical guitar luthier would kill me if I told him what I have planned with this beast, I'm thinking of flames, and skulls.....

webelvis wrote:

Guitarmaniac wrote:

I could recommend you a good classical Guitar Luthier in Munich, but I don't know any in your region^^

I think a classical guitar luthier would kill me if I told him what I have planned with this beast, I'm thinking of flames, and skulls.....

nah that sounds like so much fun.... ask him if he can do this to it: