Need help - Hairline Bridge Crack - Page 2

#16 03-26-2015, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

Unless one can find a drop-in replacement, more like $250.

I should have noted regional variation. I'm used to paying about $150 for a handmade bridge replacement on vintage Martins, which admittedly is on the low side compared to some metropolitan/high overhead areas. This guitar having a recent N/T bridge on it, I would expect it to be an off the shelf replacement from Martin.

chris.gotfunk · #17 03-26-2015, 05:53 PM

$50-$250 to get this fixed is fine with me. I just want the guitar to last and make sure it will hold up. It truly is pure perfection to my ears and I would regret taking it back if I couldn't find another one that speaks to me the way this one does.

Thanks for the advice and input guys! It's greatly appreciated.

pops · #18 03-27-2015, 07:30 AM

Glue works by soaking into the wood and unless you are using hot hide glue which will bond to itself i feel every time you glue something it is not as strong as the first time, and each time gets weaker. Anything that can be repaired without removing and regluing is to me the way to go. I have also, like John, repaired many of these and it is not a big deal. Keep the guitar you like and get the crack repaired and enjoy it.

chris.gotfunk · #19 03-30-2015, 08:10 AM

Thanks again all! I ended up taking the guitar back since I had the option. The fret ends were also sticking out along the fretboard which didn't give me the best overall feeling. I kept the guitar in the case humidified to try and remedy it, but two strikes against the guitar were enough for me to return it and find another. I'm bummed, but I will get one that isn't cracked (or at least that I can see if it's had a repair). I really appreciate the advice.

phavriluk · #20 03-30-2015, 09:11 AM

I've never bought a used guitar from a dealer, or anybody else. Having identified my experience in such matters, here's my question: Is it common for dealers to try to sell guitars with protruding frets and cracks in the wood without first doing minor repairs such as OP's guitar needed? Seems like a lousy business model to follow. I thought that dealers would try to optimize their sales by servicing the instruments before offering them for sale, or if they weren't going to service them and there was obvious need of maintenance, sell them 'as-is'.

chris.gotfunk · #21 03-30-2015, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phavriluk

I've never bought a used guitar from a dealer, or anybody else. Having identified my experience in such matters, here's my question: Is it common for dealers to try to sell guitars with protruding frets and cracks in the wood without first doing minor repairs such as OP's guitar needed? Seems like a lousy business model to follow. I thought that dealers would try to optimize their sales by servicing the instruments before offering them for sale, or if they weren't going to service them and there was obvious need of maintenance, sell them 'as-is'.

To be somewhat fair to the dealer, I spent about 2 hours playing the guitar and looking it over. Granted, the lighting in the room wasn't the brightest and from about 1ft away, I could barely see the crack in the bridge even knowing it was there. But, when I was looking the guitar over, I literally looked at every bit of the guitar BUT the bridge... Lesson learned on that one. I also didn't run my hands along the edge of the neck to feel the frets. I just played it, and played it and played it. Again, lesson learned.

I do agree that it should have been looked over much better by the dealer, but I think it recently came in and they may have just rushed to get it on the floor. What puzzles me is that either the prior owner put new strings on it and didn't mention the crack, or the dealer put strings on it and either caused the crack or ignored it. Either way, I took it as a good lesson learned on my end.

pops · #22 03-30-2015, 10:26 AM

Fret ends can stick out on any guitar that is too dry and once dressed while it is dry should not be a problem. Guessing the bridge may have cracked for the same reason. I took a guitar that i had been playing into a store for consignment this winter and within a week it had dried out and was buzzing, didn't buzz when i took it in. Store owners should humidify, but i wonder how many do. It may have been fine when they put it out, but after a week or whenever you got it it could have changed.