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I am re-installing a Rosewood bridge on a 60's Gibson LGO. The bridge is flat and the top has a slight usual belly. So if you put the bridge on, the two ends have space underneath. Rather than glue her and clamp both ends down, why wouldn't I shape the bridge to the top? Then clamp and glue. I would do that by taping a piece of sandpaper to the top and rub the bridge forward and backward a bit until it takes the shape of the top.

I have never set a bridge before so I would really appreciate the advice.

Dennis

depending upon how much belly there is and how thick the bridge is what you propose might work fine. it would be a good idea to read the fb's projection at the bridge to determine whether it is ok or too low as is often the case with older acoustics. once that is determined you are in a better position to further evaluate your course of action.

[QUOTE=crazymanmichael]depending upon how much belly there is and how thick the bridge is what you propose might work fine. it would be a good idea to read the fb's projection at the bridge to determine whether it is ok or too low as is often the case with older acoustics. once that is determined you are in a better position to further evaluate your course of action.[/QUOTE]

thanks very much Mike - one more Q from a novice - I am going to use titebond glue. Why don't people use more epoxy for this kind of thing? I realize that Epozy is quite permanent, but isn't titebond too. titebond is not like hide that you can heat and remove the item. right?

 

thanks again

dennis

Hi Dennis, titebond is removable with heat. So is anything but if done right the heat used for titebond and hide glue will have no adverse effects on the guitar ie. bridge plate etc.
Hope this helps,
Evan

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as evan points out, epoxy does release with heat, but the cleanup is a lot messier, the solvents can damage finish, etc. hide glue is very heat resistant, requiring moisture for easy release.

epoxy is also prone to creep, and is probably not as hard as the glues usually used for bridges, though i don't recall seeing any comparative tests done.

in reviewing my earlier post, i think i may have neglected to include enough detail to make my point clear.

in sanding/scraping an arch into the bottom of the brige to make it conform to the belly in the top without clamps, you will be thinning the bridge, thinnest in the center. this will result in the saddle being lowered, and the amount of wood under the saddle being reduced. gibson bridges were usually fairly thin anyway, and thinning it further could have several effects, among them making the bridge more prone to spliting.

the lowering of the saddle my be beneficial in one respect, in that it will lower the action without reducing the amount of saddle projection above the bridge.

you have to look at the whole picture in order to make a rational decision in circumstances like these, and in the end it often is not rational anyway, just having to rely on experience/feeling/intuition because the "rational factors go counter to each other and cannot be weighted to give a single, clearly, rationally correct answer.

I wouldn't consider using epoxy to attach or re-attach a bridge.