Yamaha FG Bridge Replacement

[kaspforeva]

I own quite a number of late 70's Yamaha FGs that need a neck reset. They need their bridges replaced as they have been shaved down low. I am looking to acquire bridges for a bunch of FGs and one vintage L-Series guitar. I wonder has any vintage Yamaha owners faced the matter of acquiring new bridges, and how they went to acquire one?

[mirwa]

I reverse engineered a FG180 bridge many years ago, made a 3D Cad Model, I use this as the basis when making a replacement bridge, knock it out on the cnc and then fine shape and finish as I fit it to the guitar.

[viento]

Originally Posted by kaspforeva

I own quite a number of late 70's Yamaha FGs that need a neck reset. They need their bridges replaced as they have been shaved down low. I am looking to acquire bridges for a bunch of FGs and one vintage L-Series guitar. I wonder has any vintage Yamaha owners faced the matter of acquiring new bridges, and how they went to acquire one?

Do you know how to make a neck reset on those Yamaha FGs?

My FG 360 will need one too but I don´t dare to losen the neck because I do not know how it´s attached to the body.

[kaspforeva]

There's a lot of information out there on how to do it. It is daunting for me, that's for sure. But I feel I should give it go. I have a growing pile of vintage FGs in the corner of my house that are close to dead in the water. I've come to equate vintage guitars with bent guitars!
I look at what it takes to do the procedure and I reckon I ought to be able to do it. You know, people have the talent to build cathedrals but I can't pare away some surface to a joint and re-glue.

[kaspforeva]

That's a very high-tech way to go. I don't think that's an option for me.

[mirwa]

Find someone that has a cnc router, I can email the 3D model so they can locally machine it up for you

Steve

[kaspforeva]

And it can router out a shape from different woods, ebony or rosewood?
It is not an FG-180 that I need a bridge for. They are models that were brought out a bit later than that. An FG-251 and an FG-345, etc. Most of them look to have the same bridge, though there are a couple of smaller sized models where that might not be the case.
You wouldn't happen to have a model for such models as the 251?
A CNC router is totally new to me. The CNC router seems fantastic! I would have thought there would be clear avenues for obtaining a bridge for these FGs. Yamaha is about the most common brand - has been for decades. They only used a few different bridge shapes. One of the shapes was used on the majority of their guitars. I hoped that getting a duplicate wouldn't be hard.

[bostosh]

This sounds like a project i can do on the cnc i have access to.

I am a make-or-buy type guy, is it worth the time to D.I.Y. ?

There is a CNC custom bridge maker out there on the web.
Custom or repro. very reasonable cost.
Slot it for the piezo pickups under saddle.

[mirwa]

As an instrument repairer, everything I do is a DIY job

It’s not a tricky job to do by hand either, however having taken the time to draw it up, I can make a bridge whilst doing a refret, so that is time saving, then it’s just fine shaping and tweaking the bridge, maybe 5 minutes work (maybe)

I have reverse engineered many bridges for many guitars and even supply some back ot the distributors of said brands for other luthiers to ustilise.

The big advantage is sometimes damage has occurred around the perimeter of a bridge, so you can oversize the original by 1/2 a mm to cover said damage

I added a Maya acoustic bridge to my collection yesterday and am knocking it out onthe cnc today to fit to customers guitar

Steve

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by viento

Do you know how to make a neck reset on those Yamaha FGs?

My FG 360 will need one too but I don´t dare to losen the neck because I do not know how it´s attached to the body.

It’s just a tight fitted dovetail with glue.

Steve

[kaspforeva]

Originally Posted by mirwa

As an instrument repairer, everything I do is a DIY job

It’s not a tricky job to do by hand either, however having taken the time to draw it up, I can make a bridge whilst doing a refret, so that is time saving, then it’s just fine shaping and tweaking the bridge, maybe 5 minutes work (maybe)

I have reverse engineered many bridges for many guitars and even supply some back ot the distributors of said brands for other luthiers to ustilise.

The big advantage is sometimes damage has occurred around the perimeter of a bridge, so you can oversize the original by 1/2 a mm to cover said damage

I added a Maya acoustic bridge to my collection yesterday and am knocking it out onthe cnc today to fit to customers guitar

Steve

This CNC router technology is news to me. I've not been aware of it. It sounds fantastic! If anyone here in Australia does this to make bridges, it would be worth my while contacting him.
I've looked at how people make their own bridges - seen all the workshop machinery they use - and I think it would difficult for me to attempt. I might be able to make a rough (very rough) replacement I suppose, given time.
I see these rosewood bridges being sold on eBay for $20. I just wish I could meet this need as cost efficient as that. $20 a pop! and my bridge replacement needs are met! But I fear it's going to cost me a lot more.

[kaspforeva]

I've been watching youtube videos on how people make bridges. You see them using quite a large complement of woodworking machinery for the whole process. I don't have a workshop like that. I don't have any of those machines. So their approach is totally beyond me.
But I watched this other fellow manage to shape out a bridge using simple tools like a coping saw and a dremel. The final product looked pretty decent. If I ever attempt making a bridge it will have to be by simple methods such as that man used.