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I would appreciate any advice on how to tackle this bridge repair. It looks like it wasn't glued properly at the factory. The saddle looks way too tall and didn't seem to fit very well although it is difficult to tell just by pushing the split closed by hand.

thanks

Craig.

Gluing may be possible, but I would take the bridge off and make a new bridge.
IMHO

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

What Andy said - I wouldn't trust a glued bridge that already split.

The split bridge is probably, as you already suspect Craig my friend, symptomatic of too steep a neck angle if the saddle needs to be as high as it is. How high is/was the low E string over the top at the leading edge of the bridge?

A blue guitar - pretty cool!

Actually I would take it off and then glue the bridge crack. It looks like there wasn't any glue under that part of the bridge (looking at picture # 2) which could also have helped cause this crack to happen. When you're ready to glue the bridge back on, make sure that there is no finish under the bridge at all, scrape the finish away till there is just wood left and than you should be fine to glue the bridge on.

HHG would be my choice of glue to use as you can work it into the crack pretty good if both are warm.

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I agree with Rod on using taking the bridge off and gluing back on with hide glue. But, since you have the bridge off, you may as well glue a new one on. You can get them for under ten bucks and have peace of mind.
It appears that the glue didn't adhere to the finish that was up under the bridge causing a weak area under the saddle. I just fixed a bridge last week with this same problem. I used a heat blanket to remove the bridge and scrapped all the glue off. I then scrapped all the finish around the perimeter and used hot hide glue to put it back on.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Unless i am wrong, it looks like an el cheapo, so i would probably go with Rods advice. First score the finish around the bridge outline with an x-acto blade, then remove the bridge. That way you can remove all the finish under the bridge.

As a repairperson, i HATE bridges with finish encroaching under the outline, and your picture is one of the reasons why. The other reason is that it significantly increases the tendency of the bridge to lift. I know that a lot of people like the finish under the bridge thing lately, but it comes with a price.

If it is a repair for a paying customer, i would give them a couple of options-

#1 Glue the crack and slap it back on- cheaper but not the best possible fix, the force of the strings may lever the crack back open eventually. Watch out for glue hardening in the saddle slot if you do this, you dont want to have to deal with balancing the output of the pickup because of a gobbered up saddle slot.

#2 Make a new bridge- more expensive, probably better in the long run.

#3 Wick in some super glue, without removing the bridge- only an option if it is a $75 guitar and the customer is unwilling to pay more than $20 to fix it, this is basically a "save it from the dumpster" option only.

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

Also, this thread illustrates why perfectly quartesawn bridges are not ideal.

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

Personally I'd damp the crack feed some titebond or cascamite in and clamp it closed, an epoxy like araldite would work to though you wouldn't need to damp first. I'd do that then put the saddle back in and try hard pushing on the saddle to break the joint if it breaks, you know you need a more through fix if not well then your laughing.

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

I think you need to ask what the goal is here. If you want to get a cheap guitar playing again quick, I'd glue it up. The bridge on my #1 cracked just the same way due to stringing it up with a too high saddle when I was setting it up. I used CA for a 'temporary" fix, gluing the saddle in place as well for added stability. I figured worst that would happen is that it wouldn't work and I'd wind up replacing the bridge anyway. It's still there and has survived many a gig. Hard to motivate myself to go back and fix it when it really isn't broke. I'd much rather keep spending my time building.

So I'd say go ahead and try the CA thing myself (if you want a quick fix) as it does appear to be a pretty cheap guitar anyway. If it doesn't work, you haven't lost anything. Sure, the "right" answer is always to replace the bridge, but sometimes you've got to be reasonable given the value of the guitar.

However....my above situation was born out of necessity (I needed the guitar strung up for a gig), but my current philosophy is often to take the "proper" repair steps just simply for the repair experience. No amount of schoolin' or book learnin' can give you the knowledge of tackling as many jobs like this as you can. Heck, a lot of guys pay good money to go to repair school. I'm doing repair work for free for friends and acquaintances just for the experience and figure we both come out ahead.

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

Thanks all for your ideas on this one. This is indeed a cheapie that belongs to a friend of my daughter. I offered to try to repair it just for the experience but am now feeling a little anxious about removing the bridge as I have never done this before.

Hesh the blue just doesn't do it for me i'm afraid. Not sure about the height of the E as it was all laying quite flat when I recieved it. The pickup is a cable type and quite thick. Approx .075in or 2mm and the saddle not cut down. The neck angle is actually very good for a cheapie.

Rod you are correct in your observation. I can't see any sign of glue.

Thanks again for all your replies. I will have a sleep on this one but I think I have to agree with the feelings of the majority. The bridge will have to come off in order to clean the top properly .

Regards

Craig.

Yup and even if you do a poor job it will be glued on better then it was at the factory. Score the bridge border good with a razor before you remove it and chip all the thick finish away to bare wood. You can remove a bridge like that easily with a 1 inch chisel and a few taps of a hammer. The finish will scrape off really easy with sharp tools, don't be tempted to use sand paper as that will round it.

If you are anxious or uncomfortable about doing it, there is no shame in refering it to a repair shop.

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY