Dealing with 70's Bridges

As you probably know, 70's Martin D's often have a mis-placed bridge.  There are several solutions for this, presented below.  Keep in mind that I can combine options, too.  I can scoot the bridge back a little, cut the slot back a little, and put small shims under the heel to correct a really bad misplacement w/out making it looking it ugly.

To cut to the case, I usually prefer Option 2, balanced with a little Option 1. 

Option 1:

If the misplacement is less than or about 1/8", I can make a new bridge and scoot the saddle and pins back.  When I do this, I like to angle the pin holes to follow the saddle as this looks good and uses the space on top of the bridge better.  This is only an option, though, if the misplacement is 1/8" or less.  Any more than that and the saddle's going to be sitting in the middle of the bridge. 

Advantages:

• bridge goes into the original footprint
• pins following the saddle give a consistent break angle

Disadvantages:

• saddle is further back on bridge and this may affect the way it torques the bridge
• bridge sits farther forward on the X braces.  It's the original location, but it's further forward than it was designed to be.
• doesn't look right because the saddle is further back.
• requires a new bridge (costs $$$, but can be an advantage if you upgrade the wood)

Option 2:

Move the bridge back to the correct location.  This will reveal some bare wood that was under the leading edge of the bridge.  Fortunately, there is often some original finish under that will help mitigate this scar.  When there's not, I need to deal with the scar; I can usually make it not-real-obvious.  It'll never be invisible, but this is where we decide whether cosmetics are more important than function or vice versa.

Advantages:

• saddle is in correct location on bridge
• bridge is correct on X-braces
• can use original bridge
• you get the full scale.  Longer scales often sound a little fuller.

Disadvantages:

• have to deal with scar

As you can see, results vary widely from nearly invisible to pretty ugly.  However, note the difference between strings-off and strings-on in a few of the pictures.

This a raw scar, unworked on and unfinished. This one's over 1/8" off.

Here's a bad one- nearly 1/4" off and dark, ebony stained wood underneath.

But here's the same guitar with strings on... the scar is much less obvious, I think.

Another shot of the same guitar

An average scar.  It's a full 1/4" but is blending in fairly well.

Same guitar with strings on.

Here's one that turned out well.  This is about the best you can hope for:

Option 3:

This is an option that I have never actually done, but it is an option, especially if we're doing a neck reset.  This option involves using shims to space the entire neck back.

Advantages:

• reversible.  Remove the shims, everything's back to stock.
• can use stock bridge, footprint, pin holes

Disadvantages:

• ugly shim under the neck heel.
• 14th fret won't line up on body.
• small finish scar at end of fingerboard where it won't meet soundhole anymore.

Having never actually done this, I don't have any pictures.  What I do have pictures of, though, are necks that I've shimmed out to correct an overset neck.

This is a pretty thick shim:

Shims can be stained black to match binding.

My personal D-28 sports neck shims:

Option 4:

We can replace the entire fingerboard with one with a slightly shorter scale.  This is another one I've never done, but John Arnold favors this approach. 

Advantages:

• invisible.  14th fret will be in the correct place and everything will look right.
• uses stock bridge and location

Disadvantages:

• expensive.  Will require new fingerboard, complete refret, binding, etc.  You're looking at $400-500.
• scale is still short.

Well, there you go.  Consider and pick one.

Home