How to repair (reglue) a separated bridge on a classical guitar!

[@stevenmiller9949]

Steve, thanks for repairing my guitar! You did great work.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks, Steve! I was glad to help!

[@pilgrim8853]

It’s something I chose the right video for the same problem that I have with my classical guitar.Thank you for the video.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Glad it helped! Let me know how it turns out! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@spkay31]

Thanks for this straightforward video on scraping, cleaning and reattaching the bridge. Spending the time to ensure a good clean wood surface and solid mate up between bridge and cleaned top bridge location makes for a solid finished glue job!

[@stevesstrings5243]

You're right! That's the most important step! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Blumped]

Great play on words! Went to a Steve miller and Peter frampton show a few years ago. Great time.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Sounds like fun! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@musicalmiscellany]

Oh jeez. For a minute, I thought it was the guy from Steve Miller Band. I was wondering... how the heck did Steve get ahold of that one? LOL. This was a very informative video. I've actually never done this, but I know it's a common problem with acoustics as they age - particularly in hot/cold climates. These kinds of videos are very useful. Way to go Steve.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks! I’m glad you found it useful. I know the image was totally click bait but I couldn’t resist! LOL!

[@lestergiesbrecht9837]

Thanks for the tutorial. I'm about to reglue a bridge on my sisters luthier classical that popped off and I don't want to screw up.

[@stevesstrings5243]

I'm glad you found it helpful! If the bridge is still flat and there is no major belly bulge of the soundboard, it should be fairly straightforward. Just be sure to remove all the old glue and get down to the wood because the glue does not stick well to old glue. Let me know how it turns out! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@volvotango8363]

Thanks, just what I was looking for to fix a found guitar!

[@stevesstrings5243]

I’m glad you found it helpful! I picked up these clamps at Harbor Freight. So it won’t cost a lot to fix. If the bridge isn’t in good shape (e.g. warped), replacement bridges aren’t very expensive. Let me know how it works out!

[@toma9058]

Well done job

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks! Thanks also for watching and commenting!

[@Nick1-22]

Mine just exploded out of nowhere, I keep my room climate controlled and as I was at my desk I just heard a pop, came straight for this video.

[@stevesstrings5243]

I hate when that happens! Well, now you know how to fix it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@yellownp22541]

Nice job! Keep the videos coming, you are awesome.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thank! I'm glad you found the video interesting! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@thanosp.8140]

Thank you for demonstrating the process! This happened to my guitar after leaving it in its case for years without tuning it down and now sent it for a repair. I would like to ask if by your experience it is still safe to use high tension strings on this guitar after such a repair (it's what I almost always use). Thank you, sir!

[@stevesstrings5243]

Yes. If it’s repaired correctly, it should handle high tension strings. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@teddyboy252]

Good job

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks! Thanks also for watching and commenting!

[@ahhimary3475]

Would you use PVA Glue instead?do gyou prefer to leave the finish layer and just re glue on the finhs layer?

[@stevesstrings5243]

Great question! As I understand it, Titebond wood glue is a type of PVA glue. If you are refers to white glue (i.e. Elmer's glue), I understand Titebond holds better. Gluing the bridge to the finish, using wood glue, will result in the bridge coming off! Wood glue does not bond well to a finish. Under string tension, you have a 100% chance that the bridge will pull off! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@vistazo2008]

Nice to know kind of Luthier

[@stevesstrings5243]

I hope you found it helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting! Check out my cigar box guitar builds as well!

[@cowboygeek3315]

FLY BY .... Steve'o .... playing with razors blades, sticky glue & stuff? All kidding aside - stopped by as always to check in with you. Toying with some music after a long year of basically being out of it - been asked to do the pickin' while the folks are picking organic blueberries here on the farm this year -- might just go for it -- even play Kale's#500 that I dubbed 'Ole Satsuma' ... CBG's, UKE's & whatever - just ramble -- enjoyed escaping and checking in to see your latest (bob)

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@notaazul377]

Good Work!

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@dora9103]

Hello, i bought a second hand guitar and the bridge came off after arriving 😂, i just bought a titebond glue and some sandpaper, can i fix it myself without a clamp? I have some weight to put on the top of the bridge, around 5L of water. And should i polish the wood until it's smooth? Or should i left some texture to make the area bigger for the glue to stick to? Do you have any tips? Thanks in advance!

[@stevesstrings5243]

Do not glue it without clamping!!! It will come off again. Clamps are essential to get a good bond. Just putting weight in the middle of the bridge is not enough. The wings of the bridge need pressure as well. Make sure all the old glue is removed from bridge and soundboard. You do not need to polish it. Don't score the soundboard to texture it. That will just cut through wood fibers and invite it to come off again.

[@huallacanes100]

Nice job! Where did you those clamp? Thanks

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thank! The clamps came from Harbor Freight. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@gerardorosiles8918]

​@stevesstrings5243 wow, I did not think about them. The ones on guitar websites are very expensive.

[@mrbobik90]

i know it sound like a unnecesary work but wouldnt it be good to check scale length and how precise it was ? (i have just now beat up alhambra guitar which has slight intonation problems and sllightly separated bridge which is why i would be a bit scared to reglue it to where it was without checking the measurements.)

[@stevesstrings5243]

Good thinking! If the bridge was misplaced to start with, gluing it back in the wrong place won't help. That said, if the bridge is already lifting, that can impact the intonation. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@NarrowboatJourneys]

When you clamp the bridge after glueing, how tight should the clamps be? (I have a tendency to overtighten things!)

[@stevesstrings5243]

Tight enough, LOL! It should be snug, but you should not tighten it so hard that you crush the wood.

[@ahhimary3475]

Will this re glue hold the bridge for long?

[@stevesstrings5243]

It should hold for years! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@kris242]

Thank you so much for this video ❤️ Today I witnessed my friend’s nylon string guitar spontaneously snap its bridge off while it was simply just hanging there on the wall. I assume it might’ve been from the high humidity of where I live. I offered to fix it, because I’m trying to learn more about repairing instruments and potentially becoming a luthier. Question though: what is the official name of those clamps you are using to hold the bridge down? I figure I definitely need to find some to do this job and future repair jobs.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Hi Kris. I’m glad you found the video helpful. The clamps are deep throat c-clamps I bought at Harbor Freight. Also watch videos by Ted Woodford (twoodfrd) on KZbin. That’s how I learned. Thanks for watching and commenting! Good luck!

[@kris242]

@@stevesstrings5243 the info is extremely appreciated. Thank you so much again! I will also be checking out Ted’s videos as well. Based on the other vids I’ve seen from you as well, you are a wonderfully genuine, informative and helpful person. I look very forward to seeing more from you 🤟

[@danvorosmarty9854]

​@@stevesstrings5243what length specifically for the deep throat c-clamps? There's a 5 inch and an 8 inch kind at Harbor Freight. Would the 5 be too small?

[@pilgrim8853]

Also, what is the name of the tool you use to clamp the bridge to the guitar?

[@stevesstrings5243]

They where C-clamps. You can find inexpensive ones at Harbor Freight. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@donnyboy911]

how log did you let glue cure before stringing up?..i have virtually identical repair cept new bridge replaced broken stock bridge...had to heat and ...uh.....remove....lol...

[@stevesstrings5243]

I let it cure 24 hours before restringing. Good luck with your repair! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@donnyboy911]

@@stevesstrings5243 the suject is a Japanese Estrada....had screws under abalone inserts on bridge...but every vid and example including my friends' Cordoba is just glued...no pegs etc...an heirloom in owners' family...

[@stevesstrings5243]

@@donnyboy911 Some companies use the screws as positioning pins and to help with compressing the bridge during glue up. If you didn’t know they were there, it must have made the bridge removal more interesting🤨

[@donnyboy911]

@@stevesstrings5243 no… i felt under bridge in body… had repaired ovation 12 string where the bridge flew off… about a 1/3 of bridge surface never made contact. right after i addressed it; ovation emails me and offered to fix if sent back… lol … a week down the road

[@Donna-bh2re]

hi , i have a acoustic kent guitar maybe 1960 70 no pin , long saddlle bridge look like a kent MIJ , i unglued it with hot water and vinegar , but , in the middle ther is a pin going in the guitar , no nuts inside, cant pull it off, how do i remive the brigdge completly ?

[@stevesstrings5243]

Hi. My guess is they used a screw as a positioning pin. Is there a pearloid (white) dot in the bridge where the pin (screw) is? If so, you can place a clothes iron on the bridge to heat up and soften the glue that holds the dot in. Then use a fine-pointed instrument, such as an exacto knife, to pry out the dot. That will likely reveal the head of the screw so you can unscrew it. In the future, avoid using water and vinegar. The heat from a clothes iron works better at softening the glue and does not saturate the wood, which may cause the bridge to warp. If the bridge did warp, you can heat it with an iron, and then clamp it to a flat surface to straighten it out. Let me know how it turns out! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Donna-bh2re]

@@stevesstrings5243 yeah i did figure it out , thanks, know im looking for the bushings and mechanic, well i bought the wrong ones, the cylinder is 0,5mm and hole is 0,6, cylinder 2holes . But every mechanic kit say the cylinder =0,6 And i dont know if if goes for bushings 0,6 or i need to find0.5 mm 😂

[@Donna-bh2re]

@@stevesstrings5243 Im checking on Amazon canada, well since I got the wrong mechanics kit, i thaugh i could buy bushings and cylinder apart , I don’t see that

[@Donna-bh2re]

@@stevesstrings5243 well cant find anything fitting for a kent acoustic , (hole for string peg /leg are big like a hb 2 crayon) abt 1/32 or 6-7 mm a hot glue stick doesn’t fit

[@stevesstrings5243]

@@Donna-bh2re Try StewMac. They may have the correct size of bushings that will fit the holes in a vintage instrument. Be sure to measure the exact size before ordering.

[@patrickburns3628]

What type of clamps did you use and where did you get them?

[@stevesstrings5243]

They are deep throat c-clamps from Harbor Freight. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@michealbiagioni7860]

Hard to believe that a glue only fix can cope with the tension created once the strings are put back on and the guitar is played. Does it really work long term ? Assuming it does could anyone let us know what glue to use bearing in mind I'm in the UK. Thank You !

[@stevesstrings5243]

Yes. It really works long term. This is how it’s done. Some low end instruments use screws as well to help position the bridge and to speed the clamping process. That’s not needed to repair one. You can use wood glue like I did. Some luthiers prefer hide glue. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@sacardevos]

Nylon strings don't have a lot of tension.

[@jonathano.condes2728]

They don't go with bolts?

[@stevesstrings5243]

No. Some manufacturers use screws that also serve as registration pins. But if the glue fails, the screws can damage the top as they get pulled out. Thanks for watching and commenting! I hope you found it interesting or educational!

[@bebopyo7853]

Thank you!

[@stevesstrings5243]

You're welcome! I hope you found it informative!

[@Blumped]

Didnt mind the clickbait at all.

[@stevesstrings5243]

I just couldn't resist! I hope you found the video entertaining. Thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@Blumped]

I did! Me and my dad love doing stuff like this. Circuits and strings pointed me in your direction back when you guys did a collaboration.

[@stevesstrings5243]

@@Blumped Thanks!

[@DougHinVA]

a person who cannot play guitar and looks repeatedly at the camera is annoying...