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If the bridge is glued on the top below, there will be about 1/32" of missing finish along the length at the rear of the bridge and about 1/32" of missing finish along the front of the bridge (none missing on the 2 sides). Please click on the pictures below.

When should this finish touch up be done, before or after gluing on the bridge? (Should this be done before the bridge is re glued so it is easy to sand flush, etc?) How should I go about this finish touch up?

There is a very small finish break along the seam (the top seam is still glued and fine). When should this finish touch up be done, before or after gluing on the bridge?




Thanks for the help.

Ed

My approach would be to make a new bridge with a slightly larger footprint to cover the gaps as I reckon a touch up round the edges would look noticeable. I can't make out the finish crack on the seam from your picture but if it's faint it can be touched up with a fine sable hair artists paint brush and then buffed down.

My tuppence worth.

Bill S.

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Dream to be a luthier

Thanks, Bill. I want to use the original Brazilian saddle since this is vintage guitar. I believe that a replacement saddle would lower the value more than not touching up the finish around the saddle at all. But I am certainly open to hearing other's opinion on this, that is, what is the best approach to this repair to maximize vintage value?
Ed

Not to be mean, but the best approach is probably to pay someone who specializes in vintage restoration work to do it, assuming you do not already consider yourself an expert.

If you want to do it, definately do the touchup while the bridge is off. It is a tricky job, because you have a line going straight accross the grain and it will be difficult to match the color well enough that it won't stick out. Fortunately, the repair will be close to the bridge and may be mostly hidden by the shadow cast by the bridge and obscured by the strings over it.

I would find some scrap spruce that was close to the color of the top, make up a few samples of tinted lacquer (i usually use the colortone stains from stewmac) and brush some tests on the scrap. Once a good blend is found i would brush the lacquer on the guitar, building up layers over several days until the color looked good and it could be leveled out. Then polish it up with micro mesh or your prefered method. After the touchup is done i would carefully score and scrape away any finish that was left under the bridge outline.

Also read up on touchup over at FRETS.com, there is a bunch of useful stuff there.

If the top seam is actually sound, i might just leave it be, it is hard to tell in the photo but it may just be the finish checking as a natural part of the instrument aging.

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

Thank you Jordan.

I do not take you as being mean. I appreciate frank comments. As I mentioned above a couple of times, I may have someone else do this touch up. My question was about what ORDER or sequence to do the work, which you addressed very well. I asked about sequence because I feel I can do the bridge glue-down, but did not want to create a problem for the touch up job. My opinion was that the finish touch up needed to be done before the bridge glueing, but I wanted to hear from you experts in repair.

I have asked several questions about this repair (prep for glue, prep for finish, order of work, correct saddle/bridge location, etc.) so that I will not charge off in haste and make a mess of things. I may well pay someone to do the whole job. But the kind help of you and the other luthiers here will help me make that decision. Since I am good with mechanical things, things of art, and with planning and thinking things through, I would make a good luthier if I decided to take that path. Frankly, I find it very attractive. Nevertheless, I am inexperienced and freely admit such. But I have to start somewhere with gaining knowledge and experience. Therefore, I am condsidering this project, or at least parts of this project. Which part(s), if any, depends on what I learn for the kind folks here.

Thanks so much for your help and input and to all of you here. It is sincerely appreciated.

Ed