|
15 Sep 03 - 03:48 PM (#1019408) Subject: Warped Top? I found an answer From: dwditty As is often the case with a 12 string, the top began to pull up behind the bridge, despite keeping it tuned down to a D. Compounding the problem is the fact that the top (and sides and back) are koa (yes, she is a beauty) which is already a little squishy. I stumbled across JLD Guitar, which supplies a bridge system for every Breedlove guitar made. JLD is Here The site claims that this device makes your guitar louder and richer and it fixes warped tops - all without any modification to the guitar!! I called Don Kendall (contact info is on the site) and discussed my problem. He assured me the device would work great. For $50 it seemed a reasonable risk, so I ordered - he relayed my shipping info to his wife so she could write it down...which somehow today just seemed nice. He said he would send it out that same day and that I should mail him a check. Again, a verbal handshake sure feels like a nice way to do business, and I mailed the check within the hour. Three days later, the device arrived. I installed it myself (klutz that I am) in about 20 minutes. All I can say is WOW! The guitar sounds better, especially the bass. It is louder! It stays in tune (Hallelujah)! And the warped top is gone!!!! I am not saying that this is for everyone, and I am in no way advertising this product. It is simply that I found a product that does what it says at a fair price from people that are a joy to do business with. Check them out. dw |
|
15 Sep 03 - 03:49 PM (#1019409) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: dwditty Man, I suck at clickies...even the auto clicky maker. www.jldguitar.com BTW, this works on both 6 string and 12 string guitars. dw |
|
15 Sep 03 - 03:55 PM (#1019411) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Pene Azul dw, your clickie is okay; looks like the site is down. Here is a Google cache (unfortunately without graphics) of the page about the bridge system. Jeff |
|
15 Sep 03 - 05:12 PM (#1019442) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Richard Bridge I have talked to two luthiers who hate it (but it does do them out of business), one person who has used one on a small bodied Suzuki who says it straightened the top but changed the sound, and built a thing a bit sort of like it but different, myself, for a crap old Framus twelve which sounded poor before and still sounds poor now (but at least is not so embarrassing to play becuase of the funny shape it was) |
|
15 Sep 03 - 05:56 PM (#1019485) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Kudzuman I've used the JLD system more than once and it is great!! Used it even on an acoustic bass and it did wonders!! As a luthier, I love it since I can fix a guitar without the hassle of removing a top or back or interior regluing of braces! Less money made, but more time for building and other repairs.... I recommend it. Kudzuman |
|
15 Sep 03 - 11:11 PM (#1019639) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Kudzuman Richard Bridge wrote: for a crap old Framus twelve which sounded poor before and still sounds poor now (but at least is not so embarrassing to play becuase of the funny shape it was) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I once did some serious work on a Framus. The critter must have had nearly 1/2 lb of metal on it. Everything from the bridge to the pickguard. There was an 1/8th inch plate of steel underneath the bridge held on by the 1/4 inch bolts that held the bridge in place. Would have been a great guitar for a redneck bar fight. Much stronger than a baseball bat!! Removed huge amounts of wood and all the metal. The wood itself was very good quality and the box sounded very nice after relieving it of about 3 or 4 lbs. of useless weight!! Strange construction if you ask me.. Kudzuman |
|
16 Sep 03 - 09:28 AM (#1019836) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Dharmabum I've used the Bridge Doctor to restore an early 70's Alvarez that one of my customers brought in. I must admit ,I was quite surprised at how well it worked. The guitar had a solid spruce top with a very severe warp. After mounting the device ,I very slowly brought the top back to shape while rehydrating the wood. The whole process took about a week & it didn't remove 100% of the distortion to the top. But it did save what normaly would have been considered an unplayable instrument. I can't say it improved the sound of the guitar,as it was unplayable beforehand. DB. |
|
16 Sep 03 - 12:12 PM (#1019951) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Richard Bridge How do you "rehydrate" wood? |
|
16 Sep 03 - 12:57 PM (#1019992) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Dharmabum In this case,I took a small plastic container (yogurt cup)placed it inside the guitar body. Then ,over the course of about a week,kept filling the cup with warm(steamy) water,covering the sound hole to keep the moisture inside the guitar body. I did this about 4 or 5 times a day over the course of a week,while tightening the dowel on the Bridge Doctor at very small increments of about a quarter turn or so. Keep in mind,I didn't use boiling water for this process,as I didn't want to introduce enough heat to loosen any glue joints. Had this been a plywood top guitar,I probably wouldn't have been so concerned about cracking the top. As it was,I'm not so sure how much of my success with this project was just dumb luck that it didn't crack! DB. |
|
16 Sep 03 - 01:38 PM (#1020017) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: McGrath of Harlow That link of yours works fine now, dwitty, and the site is back again. I liked the way it showed how it is supposed to work. I'll keep this in mind if my guitar pulls up much more. |
|
16 Sep 03 - 10:51 PM (#1020402) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Charcloth I have an old Kasuga 12 string that did that years ago. It had a wonderful sound but when I priced getting it fixed it was more than the guitar was worth. This sounds interesting |
|
16 Sep 03 - 10:58 PM (#1020408) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Bert It sounds a great idea, but wouldn't a tailpiece have much the same effect? |
|
17 Sep 03 - 06:11 AM (#1020588) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: dwditty Bert, I believe a tailpiece would have the same or similar effect, although that is a fairly radical modification in my mind. I would not be comfortable screwing the tail piece on to an expensive guitar, so it would require taking the guitar to a luthier. One of the big attractions of this device, in addition to the results, was the fact that I installed it myself in just a few minutes. Also, I am not sure that a tailpiece would to pull the warped top back into shape, and if it did so effectively it seems it would be a rather random occurence. dw |
|
17 Sep 03 - 07:49 AM (#1020644) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: GUEST,cranky yankee Paul Germia fixed my Martin D-28 by using an old automotive feeler guage to find loose and/or broken struts and braces, found a loose strut on the soundboard, glued it back down removed the bridge put it firmly back on and gave it back to me. This removed the warp and re did the braces and bridge plate to where they fit more firmly. The old Martin was a great sounding machine before, but, now it sounds better than ever. Total time consumed, (short of the glue curing time) was about 45 minutes. I never got that kind of result from any luthier, including CF Martin Co, Nazareth PA which wanted 1600 dollars to "fix" my guitar. The guitar is old, made in 1964 so the loose struts and bowed soundboard did not come under the heading of, "defective materials or imperfect workmanship". Still, $1600 was a bit much I think. They wanted to but on a new top (soundboard) new neck, and replace some of the Brazillian Rosewood. I kind of think that the guy who was going to do the repairs wanted the Brazilian stuff for himself. I complained to Mr. Martin himself and asked how they could justify this sort of thing when an assembled kit only cost $400.00. I got no acceptable reply and simply asked them to return the instrument. Total cost? $00.00. Of course not everyone has a friend who loves guitars as much as Paul does. It looks to me like the device this thread describes probably would accomplish the same thing, if one doesn't have a friend like Paul. |
|
17 Sep 03 - 07:55 AM (#1020647) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: GUEST,cranky yankee Still, Martin does make the best guitar, even if they cost an arm and a leg today. I paid $280.00 for my D-28, second hand, in 1967 and I wouldn't trade it for a Stradivarius guitar (If he ever made one) Try this guy's device, it looks like it realy would do the job Jody Gibson |
|
17 Sep 03 - 09:02 AM (#1020684) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: McGrath of Harlow This page has a picture of a Stradivarius Guitar (Figure 9 and 10). I'd sooner have a Martin. There's the old joke about the fella who found an old painting and an old violin in his attic.So he takes it to an expert who tells him. "You've got a Stradivarius there, and a Rembrandt. Unfortunately the painting is by Stradivarius and the violin is by Rembrandt..." |
|
22 Jan 04 - 09:32 AM (#1098665) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: Fred (Beetle) Bailey I almost never write testimonials, BUT --- The JLD Bridge System (see blue clicky above) which I installed a month or two back on my mid-60's Epiphone Bard 12 string has very nicely rehabilitated this old friend I'd been dragging around for years because it "wasn't worth fixing". This is a good product and the Roswell bunch responded quickly when I sent them my check. Anyone out there with a "badly bellied top" on a good guitar needs to give their system a serious review. Thanks |
|
22 Jan 04 - 06:34 PM (#1099145) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: The Fooles Troupe Keep your hat on, and nobody should notice your warped top. Robin |
|
29 Jul 10 - 11:32 PM (#2954917) Subject: RE: Warped Top? I found an answer From: GUEST I acquired a Gibson L G O since I had one I liked years ago and I like naturally like gibson. I knew the guitar was sporting a warped top but have heard about a series of measures to repair the wooden bridge inlay bolted in to the now rounded mahogony top but I am seeking a more sensible way to do the operation than what I know thus far. I would appreciate suggestions and ways to suppress the top when tigtening the bolts I learned are 1/4 inch. Thank you in advance for the information bll1405@atlanticbb.net |