Repairing a Loose Brace

[bluzboy]

I recently picked up a nice Sigma guitar (believe it's a DM3, though there's no label or mark) for very little money. I spent a while cleaning and setting it up, but there was a strange vibration when I played it--which I have since determined is caused by a loose brace on the lower right bout.

My question is: Should I bring it in to a shop--where I'm certain I'd wind up paying more than I did for the guitar--or should I attempt to repair it myself? I've read online that you can use popsicle sticks (or some makeshift solution) to hold the brace in place after gluing it. Doesn't sound that difficult, really, but I don't want to cause more harm than is already there.

Opinions/suggestions? (TIA!)

[dbintegrity]

It is a relatively easy repair. first find the loose brace, than locate a small piece of wood (a popsickle stick may not be wide enough) notch out a V on one side and fit it under the loose brace,you may need to notch both sides if youre going from a brace to another brace, once you've got the size cut to apply just the right presssure, remove it, get some glue on a small pallet knife, smear it and work it as far up to where the brace is breaking away and back to where it stops, then apply the wood with a piece of wax paper you fit onto the brace to keep it tight to the top. get a damp rag or paper towel and clean excess glue...wait a day and remove the piece of wood and you should be good to go......If you go to stewmac.com they have some great tools that can make the job very easy.....they may have a clamp that will work to.
Good luck,
Dan

[nacluth]

It's true it's not really a hard repair. Fairly straightforward, though I would try a run through without glue first, so you can tell where your hands are going to go. The soundhole becomes a lot tougher to see in when your hand's stuffed inside it.

If this guitar really had some collectible value and you wanted to preserve that, then I would get a pro just to make sure you didn't inadvertently screw something up. But it doesn't sound like this is the case with this guitar, so have at it.

Good luck

[bluzboy]

Great advice. Thanks, guys!

I think I may bring it to my local luthier first for an estimate, but I'm already thinking I'm going wind up doing the job myself. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.