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Ovation Bridge Lift
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Author:  Robbie_McD [ Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Ovation Bridge Lift
I haven't done many repairs, other than fixing the odd "oops" on my own builds.... :mrgreen:
My nephew brought over his Ovation acoustic, and the bridge has lifted - not completely off but close.....
The bridge has two small bolts about an inch apart near the back of the bridge.

He is a great kid so I agreed to give it a go.

I believe the bridge on Ovations as simply glued with CA right over the finish.
My approach was going to be to scribe around the bridge and scrape the finish down to the wood and glue and clamp as I normally would.

Sound reasonable?

Rob
Author:  Tom West [ Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Why not....? And ditch the bolts while your at it. Spoken by a person who has never worked on an Ovation,so judge accordingly.
Tom
Author:  Billy T [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Epoxy! Everything on an Ovation is epoxy. As for the bolts, I wouldn't leave them off! Take a look at the bracing and bridge plate... they're really weak! If the bridge is lifting it's probably pulling through the bridge plate.
Author:  Jeff Highland [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 2:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
IMHO every pinless bridge on a steel string should have bolts.
There is a lot more stress on the glue joint.
Author:  Tom West [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Go for it 1/4"- 20 should hold laughing6-hehe laughing6-hehe
Tom
Author:  Billy T [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Tom West wrote:
Go for it 1/4"- 20 should hold laughing6-hehe laughing6-hehe
Tom


laughing6-hehe laughing6-hehe

It ain't really a question of bolt size. If the abomovation loses bridges ...having bolts ....then???

Robbie you might be able to scrape and CA, and the bridge "might" hold, but if it was me, I would pay close attention to the screws/bolts and why they failed too.

I'm not really a big fan of Ovations(to put it mildly) but I have worked on some of them and have seen bridges lift. There really isn't a bridge plate at all and the only things that hold the bridge down is the epoxy to the top and screws, with nuts and washers...directly to the backside of the soundboard. Really cheap!!!!

The bracing is some kind of fan bracing, somewhat like a plastic string/classical, with the bracing going right under the bridge, in the Ovations I've worked on. There are other configurations that Kaman uses but this is the way I've seen 3 of them setup.

You might be able to find some larger aluminum washers to place behind the nuts to bypass the pullthru in the soundboard. Or place some hard board washers as a repair.

Jeff is right there is a lot more stress on a pinless bridge. The standard bridge plate retains most of the linear tension of the strings and not the bridge itself if pinned. Pinless should probably have some kind of mechanical connection, notwithstanding Doolin and others pinless bridges which don't, as I understand it.

:idea: :idea: If he's a great kid you could build him a real guitar!!! :idea: :idea: :D
Author:  Robbie_McD [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Thanks for the responses guys!
Billy - actually, I did build him a great guitar - he cherishes it so that he is reluctant to take it out of the house.
The Ovation is his beach-beater.... :mrgreen:

The bracing setup is exactly as you describe - a classical-like fan bracing.
The nuts do not appear to have pulled through the soundboard, however the back of the bridge has lifted about 1/32" along it's full length.

I believe I will remove the nuts, carefully heat the bridge to loosen the epoxy, scrape the finish down to the spruce and do a proper wood-to-wood clamped bridge joint.

Rob
Author:  Billy T [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Robbie_McD wrote:
Billy - actually, I did build him a great guitar - he cherishes it so that he is reluctant to take it out of the house. The Ovation is his beach-beater.... :mrgreen: Rob


You're a good guy Robbie! [:Y:]

Robbie_McD wrote:
The nuts do not appear to have pulled through the soundboard,... Rob


Possible, You know what to look for.

Robbie_McD wrote:
I believe I will remove the nuts, carefully heat the bridge to loosen the epoxy, scrape the finish down to the spruce and do a proper wood-to-wood clamped bridge joint. Rob


I would still consider the hard wood washers as I have seem more than one bridge pull. As I just took a look inside one I have, there isn't even a washer on it and the nut is very small.

Good luck!
Author:  Robbie_McD [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ovation Bridge Lift
Hey there Billy,

Thanks for the tips!
I pulled the bridge off last night - a breeze with a heat gun, a shield, (cardboard with the bridge shape cut out) and a pallet knife.
There was a tiny bit of glue on the bottom of the bridge, and none on the top. (?)
I routed the plastic top down to the spruce and did a proper wood-to-wood glue-up (with proper washers).
Just re-strung it - seems fine!
A bit of cosmetic touch-up and he is back in business.
One less Ovation to the dumpster.
The more the merrier - makes my guitars sound amazing :-)
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