Bridge split

Brad Little

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When changing strings last week, I noticed this split in the bridge on my F212, I guess from drying out. I wonder how urgent it is to get it looked at. I was thinking I'd use some fingerboard oil and let it soak in to see if it makes a difference.
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Guildedagain

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Now is probably not the time to use oil, as that probably needs to get glued?

This last summer was a doozy. I have one guitar that I missed on watering that split down the middle of the fingerboard from the 7th fret on down to the 12th, ugh, frets sprouting out like Ginsu frets...

In that case, I did use oil, because you couldn't possibly get clue in the crack, and I don't want glue in the wood, keeping oil from the wood in the future.

PS Quite possibly urgent enough to loosen the strings until you get it seen to.
 
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wileypickett

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Regular wood glue won't do anything to help because there's no way to clamp the crack closed, and without clamping, wood glue has no inherent strength.

What I do for such cracks is to wick super-glue into the crack, accelerate the setting of it with Glu-Boost, then scrape off the excess and lightly sand the bridge. After that you can condition the bridge with whatever you like to use. (I use boiled linseed oil, but everyone has their own preferred conditioner.)

Cracks across the bridge pin holes are often caused because the pins are bigger than the holes. It looks like you've got plenty of room for the strings independant of the bridge pin holes (the string ramps) so I'd check that the bridge pins are not too tight. With the strings slack, you should be able to remove the bridge pins by hand. If you need some kind of tool to do it, the bridge pins are probably to tight for the bridge pin holes.
 

chazmo

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Regular wood glue won't do anything to help because there's no way to clamp the crack closed, and without clamping, wood glue has no inherent strength.

What I do for such cracks is to wick super-glue into the crack, accelerate the setting of it with Glu-Boost, then scrape off the excess and lightly sand the bridge. After that you can condition the bridge with whatever you like to use. (I use boiled linseed oil, but everyone has their own preferred conditioner.)

Cracks across the bridge pin holes are often caused because the pins are bigger than the holes. It looks like you've got plenty of room for the strings independant of the bridge pin holes (the string ramps) so I'd check that the bridge pins are not too tight. With the strings slack, you should be able to remove the bridge pins by hand. If you need some kind of tool to do it, the bridge pins are probably to tight for the bridge pin holes.
You may also want to put some rosewood sawdust in the mix... I think I've heard of folks that do that (just to make the repair look a little better. Yeah, there's no way to clamp that without removing it, Brad.

Having said that, have your luthier do a close inspection of the bridge plate and cross braces to make sure nothing's broken free under the soundboard.
 
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