To Conduct a guitar inspection or not to

[Lamtaylor999]

Hello all! So I’ve been searching online and found a used Taylor 814ce first edition for a really good deal, only catch is the guitar had a bridge reglued. I asked to have it go through a branch transfer in order for me to inspect the guitar. Now I am wondering if you guys have any advice on what to look out for or check. Or if there are any potential long term damage with having a reglued bridge. I was also notified by the store that it could have potentially been left in a heated car and the glue had melted causing a lift in the bridge.

I also found a deal on reverb where the guitar is not as great a deal but still a price I’d be willing to pay (hopefully not to). Although it doesn’t come with the certificate of authenticity or the first edition strap.

I also found a deal for an 814ce v class edition too.

What’s my best course of action?

[redir]

Well, if it was left in a hot car then there could be other damage. Otherwise regluing a bridge on is a regular bread anb butter job in any qualified repair shop. Often times a reglued bridge is on better then the original, though the 814 was done right I'm sure. But point being I would NOT buy the guitar just because the bridge was reglued, as long as it was professionally done, but I might not buy it if it was done because of intense heat damage.

You might consider asking for a week trial period with the option of returning it, which is always a good idea under any circumstances really.

[Earl49]

The two reasons that bridges come unglued are high temperatures (softening the glue) and wild swings in humidity. In humid conditions the top swells, which can peel the bridge off the top if there were any imperfections in the original glue coverage. When in dry conditions, the top shrinks / sinks. Cycling through both high and low humidity puts stress on the glue joints attaching braces to the underside of the top and they can pop off too.

I don't what a "a branch transfer" is. I personally would not buy this guitar without a minimum three-day inspection period and a good return policy. As soon as it arrives it would go to my favorite luthier for a thorough inspection to see if there are any hidden problems. A re-glued bridge by itself is not a deal breaker for me - it happens - but you have to be wary of the collateral damage that also might have occurred.

[colder]

I think the re-gluing of a bridge is a common repair task and if a competent luthier did it, should be fine. Of course, if there was extreme heat involved you'd want to know if the rest of the innards are still glued the way they should be.

Where are you considering buying it from? If the place has a return policy, then you can have it checked out by a pro in your area. If there are more issues and you can't live with them, then you can return it.