Off-Center Bridge

[Guitarlos]

I have a Tacoma made DV-4 that I bought about 6 months ago. I love the sound and look of this guitar, but shortly after buying it I noticed a minor flaw that I've been trying to overlook, but it's nagging me, so thought I would see if anyone on this forum has had issues like this before, and what kind of response I might get from the manufacturer if I tried to return or repair it.

The problem is that the bridge seems to be slightly off-center toward the treble side of the neck. The high E string is closer to the edge than the low E string, and when you look at the neck using the inlays as a reference point, you can see all the strings are equally shifted a bit. I suppose it could be the way the neck was set, or maybe the nut spacing, but I think it's the bridge being mounted off-center. Other than seeing the flaw, it bothers me sometimes when I play on the high E string, since it tends to slip off the fingerboard.

Does anyone know i) if this can be fixed by a luthier? or ii) if it's worth trying to replace or repair with the manufacturer, or if it's been too long (6 months)?

One other thing, I installed a sound-hole pickup, so I've already modded the guitar somewhat. (endpin jack rather than original endpin).

Thanks!

 

[dapmdave]

Unless it has the dreaded "USED" stamp, I would certainly go back to the manufacturer to have it fully replaced. Assuming you are original owner, of course. I can't see how installing a different end-pin jack would have any effect on a misplaced bridge.

Dave

 

[chazmo]

I agree with Dave. Of course, if it's reclaimed you're hosed. If it's factory warrateed, though, you should be able to put in a claim with Fender.

Removing and regluing a bridge is no sweat for a luthier, *but* moving one is another story. That's a big job. It's not just the bridge... it's the bridge plate (under the soundboard) too, not to mention the holes drilled through the soundboard itself. The real question... are the *strings* themselves actually off-center on the fretboard?

That's really a serious problem.

 

[Guitarlos]

Thanks both of you. Good points about the bridge plate, and bridge pin holes, etc. So moving the bridge prob isn't going to happen. The strings are definitely off-center. You can tell by looking at the neck inlays in relation to the strings.

I may start with my retailer, and see if they can handle a warranty/replace claim for me. I only mentioned the endpin since I don't want to lose my installed pickup and endpin jack if I get it replaced. And I'm wondering if that will affect how they treat my claim, since I've altered the guitar. I'm sure they can take them out, or I can.

Thanks again!

 

[cjd-player]

Are the bridge pin holes off center?

If so, then the bridge is definitely off center.

If not, then it may be a saddle issue. Does it have small grooves in it that are holding the strings to one side?

You may be able to shorten the saddle and slide it toward the bass side.

 

[chazmo]

Thanks both of you. Good points about the bridge plate, and bridge pin holes, etc. So moving the bridge prob isn't going to happen. The strings are definitely off-center. You can tell by looking at the neck inlays in relation to the strings.

I may start with my retailer, and see if they can handle a warranty/replace claim for me. I only mentioned the endpin since I don't want to lose my installed pickup and endpin jack if I get it replaced. And I'm wondering if that will affect how they treat my claim, since I've altered the guitar. I'm sure they can take them out, or I can.

Thanks again!

Guitarlos,

Assuming it's not the neck that's bent up or down, if the pin holes are truly drilled off-center (you can surely measure the distances from each side to the middle between the D and G string), then there's no way your warrantee should be voided -- i.e., that's easy proof of a manufacturing defect. And, for that matter, if it's the neck that's off, that's a defect too, although quite likely fixable with some shimming. I don't know.

Good luck.

 

[workedinwesterly]

Hey Chazmo....
As a Guild repairman i'm wondering if you know anyone who has been able to remove a guild bridge plate without ruining the guitar?
I've gotten 2 off in 30 years.
If you look inside a Guild you'll see that the plate contacts the X-brace on both sides...there's no place for it to be moved..right or left.

As for the strings not lining up over the neck...it sounds like a new bridge is in order. And the replacement will need to be slightly oversized to cover the scar of the original.
We used to keep oversized bridges in stock, or we'd make them ourselves if needed.
A quite common repair in westerly.

As for the 6 holes....the amount you'd be moving the bridge is miniscule. Let the glue fill the holes and redrill if necessary....It's not rocket science under a bridge.

 

[solenoid lopez]

Are you sure it's not that the nut slots are incorrectly cut?

 

[Guitarlos]

Are the bridge pin holes off center?

If so, then the bridge is definitely off center.

If not, then it may be a saddle issue. Does it have small grooves in it that are holding the strings to one side?

You may be able to shorten the saddle and slide it toward the bass side.

Player - good point about the saddle, but it's not that. The strings are straight from the nut, across the saddle and into the bridge pin holes, If I try to slide the strings on the saddle, then the tension will try to pull them back to being straight.

I'm gonna break out my ruler and get some more scientific evidence, other than my eyeballs. If it bears out what my eyes tell me, then I should be able to take this in and hopefully Guild will take care of it.

Thanks again! I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[chazmo]

Hey Chazmo....
As a Guild repairman i'm wondering if you know anyone who has been able to remove a guild bridge plate without ruining the guitar?
I've gotten 2 off in 30 years.
If you look inside a Guild you'll see that the plate contacts the X-brace on both sides...there's no place for it to be moved..right or left.

As for the strings not lining up over the neck...it sounds like a new bridge is in order. And the replacement will need to be slightly oversized to cover the scar of the original.
We used to keep oversized bridges in stock, or we'd make them ourselves if needed.
A quite common repair in westerly.

As for the 6 holes....the amount you'd be moving the bridge is miniscule. Let the glue fill the holes and redrill if necessary....It's not rocket science under a bridge.

Nope, no I was just thinking out loud, WiW... and I understand what you're saying; you wouldn't have to move the bridge plate, you'd just have to redrill some holes after replacing the bridge. And, that makes sense about the oversized bridge to cover the area that the original was placed over. OK, maybe this isn't as bad as I thought!

I do know people who've had bridge plates replaced, though not on Guilds I think. I don't know what the process for that is, WiW. It certainly does seem like the X-brace would make it difficult on any guitar.

 

[workedinwesterly]

In short, it's one big pain in the a**
WIW

 

[dapmdave]

Hey Chazmo....
As a Guild repairman i'm wondering if you know anyone who has been able to remove a guild bridge plate without ruining the guitar?
I've gotten 2 off in 30 years.
If you look inside a Guild you'll see that the plate contacts the X-brace on both sides...there's no place for it to be moved..right or left.

As for the strings not lining up over the neck...it sounds like a new bridge is in order. And the replacement will need to be slightly oversized to cover the scar of the original.
We used to keep oversized bridges in stock, or we'd make them ourselves if needed.
A quite common repair in westerly.

As for the 6 holes....the amount you'd be moving the bridge is miniscule. Let the glue fill the holes and redrill if necessary....It's not rocket science under a bridge.

Nope, no I was just thinking out loud, WiW... and I understand what you're saying; you wouldn't have to move the bridge plate, you'd just have to redrill some holes after replacing the bridge. And, that makes sense about the oversized bridge to cover the area that the original was placed over. OK, maybe this isn't as bad as I thought!

I do know people who've had bridge plates replaced, though not on Guilds I think. I don't know what the process for that is, WiW. It certainly does seem like the X-brace would make it difficult on any guitar.

Guitarlos,

If it were me, I simply would not accept anything less than a perfect, new guitar. This is what you paid for, after all. Unless it has that mysterious "mojo", and you are in love with this particular guitar.

Just my $0.02

Dave

 

[taabru45]

My 77 F 50 is a wonderful guitar, but not quite right for a few years, couldn't get the tuning just right, back then there weren't compensated saddles etc. A few years ago I took it to a luthier and he moved the bridge slightly 1/16 of an inch or so towards the bottom. Fixed the tuning problem entirely, You can see the old place on the top where the bridge was, but you'd have to look for it. A good finish man could probably disappear it but it doesn't bother me, You won't be happy till you get it fixed, you can live with it, but it would be something like a small pebble in your shoe, you will always know its there. Steffan

 

[plaidseason]

Just as as FYI, I had a similar issue with a (Nashville) Guild a number of years back and Guild completely replaced the guitar for me.

-Chris

 

[Seed]

Guitarlos,

I got a same problem before on my Japanese made guitar.
Bridge of my guitar was off-center about 1 mm (= 0.03937 inch) toward treble side. Sometimes I also got difficulties in playing high-E string.
To solve the problem, I simply asked a repairman to make a new nut for that guitar. He gave a new nut with shifted slots toward bass side in 1/2 mm (= 0.0019685 inch).
He didn’t charge much but it worked.

 

[onewilyfool]

I had a similar problem, turned out it was the saddle and the string grooves in the saddle were not correct....if you are talking about small measurements, then the saddle fix may work for you....