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So I got this friend.

He's looking to score a bridge blank made of a certain type of Rosewood .( I'm not gonna mention it so I defeat the NSA algorithms sifting through OLF terabytes).

Thing is, he needs a loooooooong one to replace the one in the picture.

If I was going to help his guy, anyone got a source?
Or should I just explain, "those days are gone buddy, you have to straighten up and fly right."?

Any input on sourcing or ethics welcome.

Put it back together with a glued in saddle and it will be plenty strong.

My thought was CA. Not like you will break it worse for trying.

Indeed, that looks like a repair would be 10x easier than a new bridge

I have some 7 1/2" BRW bridge blanks. My bridges are that long. How wide is it?

You might be able to fix it, but if you glue the saddle in, it won't sound as good. If you glue the bridge, odds are it'll break again too. There had to be a crack or something.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Don't repair it like this one!
download/file.php?id=50675

Alex

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Holy crap Alex. That's definitely a reference piece.

Waddy, I'll measure the other dimensions tomorrow. I would be willing to work something out with you if you really have a blank that would work.

I am going to glue it, if only to string it long enough for some setup numbers. Nothing to loose, but I think it would be borrowed time at best. I think it's wise to start looking for a blank to have at the ready.

I think being so perfectly quartered made this one vulnerable. The dream would be nice straight grain but a little further off quarter.

Just occurred to me to check the compensation. I might get lucky and have room to fill it and cut a new slot w / a healthy back angle on it.

I'm telling......

No help here... as usual.... but it looks to me like replacement is the best option.

We repair guys tend to be empathetic to a fault in respect to feeling the pain of our clients often in advance. Problem is that some of our assumptions are not always valid.

More specifically the current steward of this instrument may not give a rat's arse (dragging a slice of likely....) if his/her new bridge is EIRW, African Blackwood, Coco, Honduran Rosewood, etc. or that search key word that the NSA algorithms are keyed to flag. If it were me I would have a conversation indicating that new regulations prohibit the trade and "fashioning" of that certain substance and as such suitable replacements that may look a bit different are recommended.

If the client balks and wants you to do anything untoward I would decline the job and suggest that they contact the maker for a replacement. Living to play another day is preferable to sharing a cell with a guy named Bubba.....

And so it goes.....

Hey David-

Contact Stephen at Colonial Tonewoods. He is a sponsor here at the OLF - http://www.colonialtonewoods.com//.

I bought 10 of the nicest bridge blanks from him last week. He can fix you up with exactly what you need. Good luck!

_________________
John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Thanks for the input guys.
I finally reached the builder. I thought he had disappeared from luthing but he just had to add a day job to help swing it. (insert boilerplate rant about needing money to burn to make it as a builder here)
He says he can probably send me a rough milled replacement. Possibly from the same stock as the original.
He also gave me a heads up. This bridge was put on when he was using polyurethane glue! (insert boilerplate rant about using hide glue here)
Gonna have to rout this sucker off.
New problem: how to get this beautiful spalted maple tie block off before routing. If I have the lutherie huevos, I might try splitting it off w/ a supper shallow angle blade. If not, protecting the area and rip sawing it off w/ a Japanese saw. Ideas?

Hesh you crack me up, I already talked to the owner about EIR and he was ok w/ it. It was I who would have a hard time sticking a cherry Red piece of EIR on there!
Your true calling might be as a lutherie counselor. Leave the fret seminars to Dave C. Get your self one of those institutional coffee pots from the thrift store and in the other room you can facilitate a group session."Hi. My name is David. I'm a repair guy and I have a problem. I care more about my customers instruments than they do."

New problem: how to get this beautiful spalted maple tie block off before routing. If I have the lutherie huevos, I might try splitting it off w/ a supper shallow angle blade. If not, protecting the area and rip sawing it off w/ a Japanese saw. Ideas?

Buy one of those cheap oscillating tools from Harbor Freight and saw off the tie block before routing off the bridge. Sand the bottom flat to the level of the bone and cap the new bridge's tie block with that.

To remove the tie block, protect top, then use a hack saw blade w/o handle.
Wrap a little tape on the blade for a handle.

Cook Woods of Oregon has what you need. they have long (2'?) tirning squares. Perfect for bridges.

Plenty of that un-obtainium here as well ... but dare not send outside the borders .....

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

If you want one thats pre-made, I have one that came from LMII over 25 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Q4iUBXNEM

I'm really not sure what would be a good way to do it. wbergman's hacksaw idea would work, but seems like it would take a very long time. A Japanese saw seems better to me. Or perhaps a dremel saw blade to go in from the back edge? That could get you a slot to tap a wedge into and split it. Splitting from the side probably wouldn't work because of the string holes.

EDIT: Nevermind, just looked up that oscillating tool Clay mentioned, and it looks perfect for the job.

Thanks for all the ideas everyone.
This one is a little ways out in the queue but I'll report back what I come up with.
I might need to take the tomahawk removal class first. Looks like quite the time saver.