The Doctor Just Saved My Guitar!

[L20A]

I have a fantastic Custom Built Acoustic Guitar that I dearly love.
Unfortunately, for over a year, the top has been bellying more and more to the point I had to loosen the strings and put the guitar away.

I did a lot of research about the Bridge Doctor Truss System and after discussing the issue with my builder, I decided to have the Bridge Doctor installed.

Just got the guitar back and I am very happy to say that the belly is totally gone and I don't hear any difference in tone.
The only thing that may have changed is the sustain.
It just doesn't stop ringing!

When I asked my Tech about installing a BD, he told me that he had installed over 50 of them in guitars and in only 2 cases, did he feel that the BD didn't work as advertised.
Those 2 guitars were both old Harmony guitars and had other issues.

I am excited beyond words at how well this has all turned out, so far!
[Knock on Wood] LOL

[jricc]

That's great! Cool you were able to save a guitar you love.

[sinistral]

I said, doctor, is there nothing I can take
I said, doctor, to relieve this belly ache



The Doctor is IN!

[jocko_nc]

I have been screwing around with a bridge compression truss rod for over a year. DIY design. The brand name product to me is a bit lacking.

I installed it on a bellied and poorly maintained Yamaha FG-340. Three piece back. Neat guitar that I rescued from Facebook for a hundred bucks. That it was 100% solid and intact is a testament to Yamaha. It worked like a charm, even with my meat hooks trying to work inside the sound port. My wife and her petite hands had to assist, which is another story. The thing I noticed is that it is easy to overshoot the adjustments. Over time, I kept checking the results. The wood responds to the new stresses. Kind of the opposite of what happened to it during its long life. Humidified properly for over a year now, I tweaked the "BD" truss rod adjustment, mostly backing off, maybe half a dozen times. The body wood moves. Slowly. Even the neck adjust, which really shouldn't be involved. Over time, I saw funky reactions above the sound port as the wood finds its new happy place. It literally took a year to settle out.

In conclusion, I think the BD is a totally legit fix. However, if I were a guitar tech as opposed to a hobbyist, I would be concerned that for a proper fix, I might see that guitar again and again for the next year until the work is fully done. Lots of hours and a probably poor business model.

They are easy to install and maintain, with an average skill set and decent tools.

That said, the guitar sounds wonderful. Extremely sensitive. Sustain. One final check-out and I will take it up to Guitar Center on a slow weekday for opinions. I suspect most of the staff will have never seen one, nor heard what they can sound like. With the "BD", I would not sell it. My daughter loves it and will have space to start her collection some day.

[jim1960]

When he's not handing out jelly babies.