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I'n building my first guitar and the only things left are to glue on the bridge and finish. Question, should I glue on the bridge before or after finishing? I realize that if I do it after finishing I will have to scrape off the finish where the bridge goes. It seems that it is done both ways. What are the pros and cons. What would you suggest?

Probably 90% or more finish first, then glue the bridge. It's almost impossible to get a perfect finish working around a bridge.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Here's my view (and technique)

It's my preference to finish first, then locate the bridge and scribe/scrape the finish off to glue. Same with the fingerboard extension.

Here's why (IMO)
1. You can leave bridge location till the last moment, sfter the neck is glued in. This way, you can place the bridge perfectly, even if the neck isn't exactly where it was before finishing. You can place the bridge perfectly for side to side string allignment.

2. If you tape off the bridge footprint (or the FB extension footprint) you can never get the finish perfect up to the bridge or FB edge. The edge of the tape will hinder the finish laying flat, and will hinder wet sanding and buffing also.


In the end, it's SO easy to locate the bridge, and fingerboard extension, scribe the finish, chisel off, glue.
I don't know why you'd want to lock down the bridge location when your neck isn't finally affixed.

I do it after but I tape off the footprint approximately 1/8in smaller so that the tape doesn't leave it's mark. Then I only need to scrape a little bit off. Scraping is a PIA IMO and you can accidentally mar the finish. I use a bolt on neck and set up the bridge location perfectly. I'm quite sure the neck isn't going to change positions. I then take the neck off and finish it separately too.

+1

YEah the routing thing seems like a great idea I just don't trust my self with a router on top of a sound board that took me a good 80 - 100 hours to get to.

Any pics of your set up for that Mr. Stock?

It's easier and safer than it looks. It's easily as safe as scraping. The main big risk is the bit coming loose but that seems manageable to me.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

I rout it off too. StewMac Dremel base with a 1/8" spiral downcut bit. No issues in over 45 guitars but it's still a tense moment. Go close to your score line and finish with a chisel.

I usually go over the whole area with small sanding blocks to get it as even as possible. There always seem to be small irregular areas after routing.

The John Mayes videos show a good way to do it as do John Hall's YouTube videos on bridge gluing.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I use frisket film instead of tape. It's only .001" thick, so it's get lost after a couple coats, and it's noticable when sanding or buffing.

http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Frisket+Film+Extra+Tack+Matte+Roll+12%22x4yd/part_number=RET124/527.0.1.1.20223.0.0.0.0?pp=8&




Edit/Added. I don't have any blue tape. How thick is it? 3M 233 is .007" thick.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

With shellac, I've been using aluminum foil or clear packing tape so the alcohol doesn't leach or loosen the adhesive through the tape surface. I trace the pattern on 2 layers of tape, scissor cut inside a bit as above, lightly double-stick tape it to the bridge bottom, pull off the bottom tape layer, locate the bridge and push. For releasing it, a little heat helps since it grabs harder than the blue tape. [Edit: Woody's Frisket Film looks better than foil -- thanks!]

The main advantage of finishing with the bridge in place is that, overall, it's faster. But as others have said, the finish quality won't be as good. If going this route, use satin (not gloss) to help hide flaws.

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David Malicky

This is my first time posting on this board and I'm truly amazed at the amount of talent on here. I want to thank everyone for their suggestions and opinions and for sharing their knowledge.

+1

Thanks - I don't like the idea of tape, but this may save me some time with a chisel, and help with the sweaty palms!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.