Changing bridge on Landola steel string

[Henning]

Hello, I have a bridge for the guitar. But when "dry trying", I find the strings, when the adjustable piece of bone is in the saddle, touch the frets all over the fret board. Or at least on the 15 frets closest to the sound hole.

What to do please?
Should I try to get a thicker bridge?
Or can the adjustable piece of bone be shimmed? (If so, how much? Is there any rule of thumb for how much it may protrude above the bridge (assuming it is straight)?)
Maybe shimming the bridge instead? (Or both?)
Kind regards

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by Henning

Hello, I have a bridge for the guitar. But when "dry trying", I find the strings, when the adjustable piece of bone is in the saddle, touch the frets all over the fret board. Or at least on the 15 frets closest to the sound hole.

What to do please?
Should I try to get a thicker bridge?
Or can the adjustable piece of bone be shimmed? (If so, how much? Is there any rule of thumb for how much it may protrude above the bridge (assuming it is straight)?)
Maybe shimming the bridge instead? (Or both?)
Kind regards

I'm not criticizing, but from your post it sounds like you have no knowledge at all of what goes into succeeding with this and suggest you take it to a luthier.

If you insist doing it yourself, you do not ever shim a bridge, saddles can be shimmed but it's ill advised and it's best to start with a piece of bone high enough that it doesn't require shimming. You'd only replace the bridge if it requires more than 5/32nds plus of saddle sticking up above the bridge. Generally, the saddle should be up above the bridge 1/8" or so.

[Henning]

Originally Posted by runamuck

I'm not criticizing, but from your post it sounds like you have no knowledge at all of what goes into succeeding with this and suggest you take it to a luthier.

If you insist doing it yourself, you do not ever shim a bridge, saddles can be shimmed but it's ill advised and it's best to start with a piece of bone high enough that it doesn't require shimming. You'd only replace the bridge if it requires more than 5/32nds plus of saddle sticking up above the bridge. Generally, the saddle should be up above the bridge 1/8" or so.

Thanks for your response. If was hesitating but talked into doing this by a friend whose father owns the guitar. The old bridge was cracked at the saddle slot.
What would you say is the procedure?
The top of the guitar is somewhat convex. So if glued the bridge will have to be pressed hard at the edges (wings). Find another bridge that is thicker. Is that the way to go, please?
There is small variation in thickness with the original saddle (0,4 mm). The saddle protrudes less then 3 mm above the bridge.

Kind regards

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by Henning

Thanks for your response. If was hesitating but talked into doing this by a friend whose father owns the guitar. The old bridge was cracked at the saddle slot.
What would you say is the procedure?
The top of the guitar is somewhat convex. So if glued the bridge will have to be pressed hard at the edges (wings). Find another bridge that is thicker. Is that the way to go, please?
There is small variation in thickness with the original saddle (0,4 mm). The saddle protrudes less then 3 mm above the bridge.

Kind regards

I'd say the procedure is to admit that you're not up to this and advise them to take it to someone who is. There are too many issues to be solved here for someone with no experience.

[hat]

Does the guitar you are working on have any value, either real, or as a family heirloom? If so, then please take it to someone that can help guide you...if not, then yes, have a go at it. you can use a taller saddle, normally you don't want to go more than about 1/4" above the top of the bridge though, or 1/2 the total height of the saddle. To glue the bridge you will need to clamp it - so you'll need long clamps that can reach up inside the guitar. Use wood glue - Titebond works well. there is a lot of help on You-tube, frets.com, and other web sites - look and learn before you do anything permanent.

[Henning]

Originally Posted by hat

Does the guitar you are working on have any value, either real, or as a family heirloom?

Thank you Tom, I´d say it does. I was told he was given the guitar as a 50 year birthday present.

[CaffeinatedOne]

If I were in your shoes, I'd own the instrument before experimenting on it. If your bridge measurements are correct and the saddle still seems too low, the guitar may need a neck set. Shimming is not the answer.

If the neck angle is OK, then a straightedge run on top of the frets along the neck should give you a minimum height measurement at the bridge. It's a place to begin. The saddle has to be higher than that point for the strings to clear the frets.

If that initial height measurement seems out of whack with the combined height of your bridge and saddle, then something more is happening with the guitar and you have a complex problem to solve. Trying to shim at the bridge will just make the problem worse.

This is where experience matters. Because you don't own the instrument and it clearly has value to the owner, the best thing to do is to take it to a pro.