Official Luthiers Forum!

Martin is notorious for rake filing their fretboards and bridges before they glue them on. I assume they do this to have more surface are in glue contact, but there is less area in the contact area. I am not sure you really gain anything with this "hook and loop" as it were joint, other than glue.

Do any of you do this?

I don't do it. I did see that StewMac has a new tool in their latest catalog just for doing this.

I agree with you Michael, it just doesn't seem to me that it would make a better joint.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I've always believed the smoother the surface the better the glue joint.....

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

What kind of glue do they use? Perhaps a gap fill type could improve the bond. They must have engineers and test labs.

In repair work, I've glued on bridges both ways with no problems. So far!! I do prefer a smooth surface though.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

For wood glues, a smooth surface is proven best, with epoxy, a roughened surface is better.

We're still scratching our heads at why Stew Mac would offer that tool....

I saw stewmac's new tool as well. I have put new inlaid fretboard and bridge on newer model Martin that had been done this way. It appeared to be glued with titebond or a wood glue anyway. Removal was no harder or easer for that matter. but pull out was worse.

    Martin used to score their bridge surfaces before gluing, but I haven't seen anyone on the line there doing it in the last decade. I understand that the reason for the scatching wasn't for increased glue surface since it actually defeats that purpose, but to promote squeeze out of the glue in order to present a more efficient joint with greater wood sheer properties. It also depended on the bridge installer back then whether or not the bridge back got scored. Some would use a cut file and other may use the edge of a back saw blade to cross hatch it. From what I've seen recently,they just pull the bridge out of the box, apply the thin layer of glue and clamp it on now. They use a typical alaphatic resin glue like Titebond to glue all woods joints so there's no special gap filling properties or anything.

    In repair work where you may be regluing a removed bridge, you may be forced to have a scored surface from removing the old glue, but a smooth surface is best for any glue joint...especially one that is subjected to such high stress.

   I won't be buying one of those tools from Stew Mac anyitme soon even thogh I've been guilty of grabbing anything they offer just to give it a try. This one just doesn't fill a need for me.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars