Question:
I recently came across a guild classical guitar which was damaged (The neck is slightly bowed and the the bridge is popped off) that I would like to repair. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to repair these problems?
Answer:
Check out http://www.frets.com. You should be able to find some answers there. If not, find some books on guitar repair such as Complete Guitar Repair by Hideo Kamimoto or Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine. Dan Erlewine also has some videos on guitar repair. The books and videos can be ordered from Stewart MacDonald's Guitar Shop Supply. http://stewmac .com. Get their free catalog. Good Luck and watch out, you might get bit by the Luthiers's bug!!! It's a complicated job. You have to make a bridge block, that is, a wooden block with slots in it corresponding to the pattern of the fan braces that will fit inside the guitar and sit under the bridge location. If the slots in the block are accurately cut (they're determined by shining a bright light inside the guitar in a darkened room -- the fan pattern appears as an x-ray through the translucent soundboard), the block will stay wedged in place if you pull back on it smartly while holding it in place under the bridge location. All the old glue has to be removed from under the bridge and the top bridge footprint. With the bridge block in place, you clamp the bridge in place with the correct amount of aliphatic resin glue (i.e., yellow Titebond) the right-sized c-clamps and properly shaped padded cauls so you don't mar the bridge with the clamps. Let dry overnight before stringing.
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