Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber
In my opinion $120 plus the cost of strings is excessive for this repair, even if done expertly.
I'm at a loss as to how one cracks a top while performing this very simple repair: I'm conjecturing that they tried to clamp the bridge to the top by placing the clamp across the top and back of the instrument and then squeezing. With excessive deflection of the top due to the squeezing, it cracked. If so, this is, in my opinion, incompetence.
The most common method for gluing/clamping a classical guitar bridge is to make a caul that is notched to fit over the internal bracing. Usually a caul is made for the top of the bridge as well. Clamps are then applied through the sound hole sandwiching the exterior bridge caul, the bridge, the guitar top and the interior caul. Doing so subjects the top to no appreciable deflection, unlike placing a clamp across the top and back of the guitar and then squeezing. Occasionally, instrument design does not allow clamping through the sound hole and other methods must be used, but with appropriate care.
Occasionally, accidents happen and the person responsible for the accident should remedy the situation appropriately. In this case, the minimum I would accept would be a free bridge reglue, free crack repair and the free strings. However, given the experience to date, it is suspect as to whether or not they could glue the bridge and repair the crack competently.
They don't have GC stores in Canada, where I live. There is, however, a similar chain store here. I recently had a customer have the bridge on her classical guitar fly off, much as you describe. She took the guitar to the chain store to repair. They told her that it would cost $150 and that she'd have to wait a while because it requires special, expensive glue and they only get that glue when they have a sufficient number of these repairs to warrant getting that glue. Nonsense. Like GC, it is hit-and-miss and depends upon who at the store is doing the repair.
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This. If they cracked the top gluing a bridge, they don't know what they're doing to begin with, so $120 for someone to mess with your guitar is pure theft. Now, they owe you, not you owe them. They made it worse - you're not paying for that, not even half price. Nothing. Don't PAY someone to BREAK your guitar! A cracked top is much worse damage than a bridge that needs to be glued! I'd make them return it for full price I paid, at least for store credit - they can do it too, even if it was bought many years ago, especially since you bought it there. It's clearly a warranty issue if the bridge popped off to begin with, so they should be happy to let you choose something else worth what you originally paid for that piece of junk (no offense).
I see that's what you did, and you got yourself a brand-spanking-new guitar! Good for you! Glad everything worked out!