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Vacuum clamping would probably be a better and easier way to glue on a bridge...

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Thanks Colin,
Very nice solution, that will definitely help.

Best

Michael.N might chime in and say he glues down bridges ..bare handed, with hide glue of course.

I use fish glue so i resort to something similar to Colin, but not as elaborate. I just have 2 square sticks about 1x1 inch, resting on the edge of the guitar near the neck, and on the wings. On them I put a big pile of books. I glued my first without any internal prop, similar to a tornavoz guitar. The top looked dangerously collapsed under all the books but the next day it rebounded to a perfect doming when i took off the weight. On my newer ones i did use a couple props and a caul inside just to make sure but they are not really needed as long as the fit between top and bridge is perfect.

Colin, it seems that the central lamination is a clamp too, right? I'm thinking it can also be modified to register the bridge, perhaps by cutting 1mm wide slots for the frets, and inserting a registering pin at the saddle. Sticky tape stops have been good enough for me too so far, but maybe the extra insurance would not hurt? Or are you using brads?

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Build log

Finger pressure and Hide glue will work for a Torres. You would just have to assess how much 'give' there is in the top. i suspect that your average Torres wouldn't need a supporting prop inside and you only really need gentle finger pressure. The trick (if there is one) is to size both the underside of the bridge and the footprint on the soundboard.

Thinking of bass reflex ports. I once saw a chap who utilised a telescopic type arrangement (tube within a tube) - that allowed him to easily alter the length, presumably to tune his speaker enclosure.
Now there's a thought. . . .

Michael N. wrote:
"I once saw a chap who utilised a telescopic type arrangement (tube within a tube) - that allowed him to easily alter the length, presumably to tune his speaker enclosure. "

I once worked on a Baritone gutiar that had a telescoping sleeve in the oval soundhole. It was made of thin plywood, which you can get at hobby shops that cater to model airplane makers. It's reasonably flexible. The sleeve could be extended from about 1" long to 2", and altering the length made a noticable difference in the tone and power of the instrument. Longer sleeve> bassier tone> less power.

David,

I'll be following this build with great interest! Do keep us posted. Can you tell me anything about the gauge of brass that you used? I assume that it is brazed along the seam?

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Great topic!

Just a minor correction in pronunciation on the video, Miguel Llobet's last name is not pronounced "Yo-bay." The proper way to pronounce it is "Joe-Bet." In college I studied with the world-renown Miguel Llobet scholar Dr. Ron Purcell. Dr. Purcell also studied with Llobet's friend Emilio Pujol who's name gets butchered as well (Poo-Zhol not Poo-Hole). As students in the 1980's we learned a lot of Llobet and Pujol music.

BTW I'm the copyright owner and photographer of one of the photos you used at the beginning of the video of the 1915 Manuel Ramirez. I photographed my good friend David Macia's guitar collection for his web site that I built. I don't mind that you used my photo, but at least ask my permission or give me photo credit.

My sincere apologies David. I couldn't remember where I got a few of the pics from. If I am not mistaken they were from Google Images. Apparently someone in Brazil also said that one of the tops I showed in the video was a guitar he owned built by a brazilian maker. My goal here is not to step on anyone's toes but to just provide information so we alll can benefit.

Robbie,
Not a problem. I'm not upset . I think you did a great video about the tornavoz. I've played a 1936 Hauser Sr. with one. The guitar looks just like Segovia's 1937.