Takamine Nashville series acoustic Bridge reset

[jeffmetzjr]

So I've been commissioned to reset the lifting / split ebony bridge on a Takamine Nashville series acoustic electric.
While attempting the standard removal of the bridge (Heat, Bridge Spatula, Patience) I noticed that I was hitting what appeared to be screws from the underside of the bridge plate going into the bridge.
Upon further inspection, I suspect that these are only "indexing pins" to position the bridge. Has anyone else encountered these ? They are not apparent from the top side , but rather only from inside the guitar.
As far as the bridge splitting. Its length wise from pin hole to pin hole the whole length of the bridge. Quite an interesting break. Bridge plate is 100% perfect and no loose bracing ( Besides actual bridge)
Does Takamine use Epoxy on their acoustic bridges? This seems to be a 2005- 2010 guitar. There seems to be epoxy on the underside of the bridge plate.
THanks

[mirwa]

I’m always concerned when I hear the words, I have been commissioned, now how do I do it or what’s happening here.

With that aside,

Many many bridges have indexing pins, typically you will start to work the glue line and find points that are hard and your spatula works around these points, these also appear on fretboards.

After market modifications appear in all forms, from screws to bolts to epoxy, some done well some now so much so, check that the bridge does not have some Infill above the pin areaswhich would indicate a postrepair by someone else, if no infills exist one can make the assumption it was done by the manufacturer.

Splitting through the pin holes I find occurs when too much rotation of thepin itself is happening, be thatfrom a worn bridge plate, from excess bridge rotation of just worn pins and or holes. Some people have informed me vee forums, that they have seen bridges just split becuase they do, I have nevercome across this phenomenon, to me I always find the reason why it’s happened, rectify that and then replace the bridge.

If epoxy is viewable around the bridge plate, then I suspect it has been removed and refittedby someone, not many manufacturers use epoxy to glue bridge plates on with, its to time consuming of a method.

Steve

[John Arnold]

Some people have informed me vee forums

Just stating the facts as I see it, based on sound principles.

If epoxy is viewable around the bridge plate, then I suspect it has been removed and refittedby someone

The OP was referring to the glue used to attach the bridge, not the bridgeplate. Since the pin holes are only drilled through the top and bridgeplate AFTER the bridge is originally attached, then the presence of glue on the underside is one way to tell if the bridge has been reglued. The only other way glue could end up there is if the locating pin holes extend through the bridgeplate.