How long did it take to nick or dent the bridge on your new guitar, changing strings?

[DesertTwang]

I'm not sure how I would even do that? If you use plastic tools to remove the bridge pins, it should be next to impossible to damage the bridge...

[jaybones]

Never.

My first guitar, an Alvarez Regent had a pretty stout bridge, I believe it was finished. Used a string winder that had a pin puller on the end of the slot where the tuner key fit. Used the bridge as an anchor to slip under the pin and lever up.

When I upgraded to what I have now (Gibson-Epiphone PR7ERS solid TB&S bird's eye maple) that bridge is much more delicate. Made of rosewood, unfinished (natch) and pretty thin. First time I tried to pull those stubborn plastic pins I used the string winder I'd been using. Got the second pin out and realized I was scuffing the RW.

Changed my technique and was pushing from inside with a Bic lighter. Used a Fast Fret stick on the bridge (probably nothing more than mineral oil in a cotton type wick wrapped in heavy wax paper). Oiled the scuffs right out.

A couple months after I'd bought it, my bandmate Reggie asked if he could play it. I said OK, but warned him not to mess it up. He was the kind of player then that gave new meaning to the word axe, he'd play with his neck straight out from his body and swing it around (also didn't trim his strings, until he made the other guitar player bleed).

He was playing my acoustic this way, and swung around, crashed into the drum kit's cymbal boom stand. Drummer had unscrewed the counterweight since it wasn't necessary, and the threaded end made a nice patterned dent in the bridge.

Sounded pretty bad, and he just said "sorry" and kept playing. I was freaked out, sounded like he'd broken something, and I took the guitar back. I was able to use a soldering iron and damp rag to steam most of the dent out (couldn't steam back missing fibers) and used Stew Mac Restoration Oil made for rosewood fret boards.

It's hard to see now, but if you're inspecting the guitar you'll notice it.

Still think he was an *** for damaging my stuff and not taking it more seriously. I didn't learn my lesson apparently, as I lent him my bass amp (Peavey TKO115 that was in fair shape). It came back with cigarette burns in the rubberized covering. And not just 1, but a handful on each side. One even had some paper where it had burned down about and inch or so off the edge.

And I loaned him my guitar amp (Peavey Stereo Chorus 400 which was in very good condition). That one came back with the footswitch thin nuts and washers removed from all 4 switches. I asked him where they were, and he said he took them off since "the buttons were too high. I made it better."

But he was pretty young and new to playing with people. One of the best total ear players I've ever played with. Didn't know any theory but could recognize keys and intuitively know what notes to play over it. He could also take a song, listen to it a few times and have every part roughly figured out.

There was a Pearl Jam concert that had been simulcast, and they played a song called Satan's Dick. Came out on Vitology called Satan's Bed, and it was pretty simple. Our band was covering it, not introducing it as a cover, and when Vitology came out some of our fans were saying "Man, Pearl Jam's playing one of your songs on their latest album!"

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

I'm not sure how I would even do that? If you use plastic tools to remove the bridge pins, it should be next to impossible to damage the bridge...

That's exactly what I used to try to remove the pins on a brand new Maton 12-string.
They were hammered in.
I pushed as hard as I could to get the plastic tool (string winder with grooved slot on the cup) to grab the head of the pin and I bruised the bridge.
Luckily being a 12-string the bridge looked OK when all the pins were fitted - covered it up - but I knew it was there.

[Moocheng]

have used almost everything, stopping short of a 1/4 pound of semtex to remove stuck bridge pins and have never managed to damage a bridge once.

you would have to be pretty ham fisted IMO to damage a bridge

[dadio917]

one of the reason I liked to buy used.....somebody else can get the first dings out of the way. Other reasons are already broken in so I can tell what it really sounds like and waaaa....yyyy less $ which means more guitars!

[Bowie]

Originally Posted by Moocheng

you would have to be pretty ham fisted IMO to damage a bridge

Yea, I'm still wondering how people dent an ebony bridge. Anyone have pics? The force it would take to dent one seems like it would be strong enough to send it through the spruce top at the same time.

[WiseAxe]

A never here, as well. Slacken the strings first with the winder, use the foam grip on the end cutters, or the polishing cloth over the string winder, pop them out from the inside. If you're smart, you'll place your other hand over the pins to keep them from launching straight up an landing on the top.