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Old 07-29-2014, 09:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Protosphere View Post
I read that this was the procedure they used to repair bellied tops and that Breedlove also uses them in every guitar they make from new.
Breedlove uses them in some guitars, not all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Protosphere View Post
As for your repair people, I don't know what they do. I am hard pressed to consider how else one might meet this challenge without the guitar bellying again, even a megabuck top repair would be an odd match with something vintage, let alone time inevitably warping again.

...

Maybe you are right, maybe your guys tell you there is no fix unless they replace and rebrace the entire top? Dunno... but if you'd rather spend to rebrace when time inevitably bellies it again, all the power to you. Only half of the guitar will be aged too to also make it an even odder result.

It would make sense that this would be the only practical alternative to fixing any bellied guitar let alone enhancing it and wonder how you are so sure they don't when there are several dozen Martin service centers in the US alone and this is suppose to be standard practice with them.
Based on that, I'll respectfully suggest you have little knowledge of vintage guitar maintenance or repair. This is just not how it works.



Never say never I guess, but no one with any connection to Martin will admit to ever using a Bridge Doctor. (I've asked a few people who should know.) Next time I'm at the factory, I'll ask again.

I've discussed it with a few repairmen. Many of the responses break Rule#1, so I'll leave that there.

No competent repairman would suggest replacing or re-bracing a top because there was some belly. The idea that an acoustic guitar showing some belly behind the bridge is always bad and should be "fixed" is completely erroneous. Some belly is normal, and is either built into the guitar or occurs over time. Excessive belly is often due to loose braces or other structural issues which can be repaired without extraordinary measures.

That said, I'm happy you're pleased with the results on your guitar, but they're not for everyone. They change the tone tremendously and in ways that are not pleasing to me, all the while correcting something that hardly needed correction.
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