twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
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Post by twangmeister on May 26, 2021 18:31:25 GMT -5
My Lag acoustic guitar served me well until a few months ago when the bridge suddenly broke loose. Back in the late '60s-early '70s I reglued bridges on a couple of folk guitars and a classical guitar. But in this case the bridge broke into multiple pieces. And because the string-through bridge is wider and deeper than the typical acoustic bridge the only option would be creating a new one. That isn't going to happen as I no longer have a workshop. The result of a foreign company building their stuff in China means parts are impossible to get. Looks like time to audition some guitars
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on May 27, 2021 0:29:59 GMT -5
Having a guitar repairperson make a bridge and repair the guitar will run $200-$250 or thereabouts, depending on where you live.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 27, 2021 8:54:38 GMT -5
How many pieces is "multiple" and are they clean breaks? Usually it is a good idea to spot these cracks and glue them before they spread - across the pins is the most common spot, followed by around the saddle slot.
You COULD try getting all the pieces off, and if they go back together with hand pressure, you could try clamping them so the crack lines go away completely, run super glue in, flatten and reglue. Personally I wouldn't do this in my shop because it would be a bit sketchy to guarantee my work, but if the other option for this guitar is becoming wall art, it could be worth considering. If the pieces are pulverized, then it won't be worth considering even as a lark. You'd need very close, clean lines for reassembling.
An email to the company wouldn't hurt. Bridges are usually mass produced on CNCs so selling a replacement isn't out of the question, though I wouldn't hold my breath. (I'm getting a weird sense of deja vu... has this happened on this board with this guitar brand before?)
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twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
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Post by twangmeister on May 27, 2021 13:19:20 GMT -5
Thanks for the expert advice, Peegoo and funkykikuchiyo. I did post about it a few months ago when the bridge broke off a few months ago.
Since then I did email the company three times with zero response. I also tried piecing the bridge together but ended up missing two small critical fragments. There is a good stringed instrument repairman outside of Philly and a rough estimate was $250-300. I originally "stole" it for $235 lightly used with a case, tuner and strap; the original owner had about $600 in it. So it looks like I need to do some shopping for a new one. I may keep it for a "project" to use with a Stew-Mac bridge and refinish the top.
Once again, thanks.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 27, 2021 21:36:52 GMT -5
Ah, that is why it is ringing a bell! Yeah, not a lot of options that aren't pretty Mickey Mouse. I mean, if you can get the bridge together minus a couple gaps, coloring some epoxy and filling it in could be an option, but yeah... that's a long bridge, and likely longer than any generic bridge you find. 6" is a standard length of acoustic bridges, at least for the front edge, and that looks to be quite a bit longer.
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twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
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Post by twangmeister on Jun 3, 2021 14:31:55 GMT -5
So I bought a replacement from MF, a Lag D-170, Condition 2. Like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get.
It arrived with a nearly invisible crack on the top ~2" with a tiny separation of the non-bound top from the side ~1.5", hence it was Condition 2. Otherwise it looked, sounded and played excellently. So I worked a little Titebond into the top and edge crack after I elevated the ceack about 1/64. lamped it and let it dry and now I'm good to go.
Since the pressure is off with the other guitar I decided that I will carefully sand off the finish by hand with fine sandpaper and glue on a regular size replacement bridge, then refinish the top. If it ;ooks or sounds a bit hinky, no big beal.
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twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
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Post by twangmeister on Jan 5, 2022 20:29:22 GMT -5
And the broken bridge saga draws to a close.
I could not get a response from the manufacturer to my request for a replacement bridge. So I roamed the internet to locate something suitable. The nearest I could find was an Ovation acoustic bridge which was a toploader like the original Lag bridge. It also had holes for two screws and nuts to provide stabilization during gluing and afterwards. It was the bridge splitting around one screw that ultimately caused the bridge to fail Unfortunately Ovation's "footprint" was smaller, but I ordered it anyway.
As a last-ditch attempt I contacted Lag's eastern US distributor. Much to my surprise I got a friendly response. After a few weeks I heard from them again....the bridge was not available through the Lag company nor the manufacturer. Defective guitars under warranty were simply replaced. And mine was **way** outside the warranty.
So after months of avoidance I tackled the repair. Due to my lack of most tools and having to use my small utility room as a workshop I had to do it down and dirty. I measured multiple times with a yardstick and a ruler to position the new bridge, drilled the bridge and guitar top to fit sturdier screws and applied the glue.
The results, though cosmetically not perfect were perfect from sound and playability perspectives. It sounds and plays like it once did. I am satisfied with the results. The finish imperfections can be improved in the future.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 6, 2022 2:09:31 GMT -5
Outstanding!
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