The Best Way To Remove An Acoustic Guitar Bridge by using a 5" Spatula and No Heat.
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2021
- The traditional method to remove a guitar bridge uses heat on the bridge to soften up the glue before removal. However the same heat that breaks down the glue for the bridge also breaks down the glue for the bridge plate and the X bracing. This can create a potential future structural problem when the glue damaged by the heat fails under the bracing or bridge plate.
Our proven method uses a 5" flexible paint spatula that has been modified on a belt sander. The spatula has had the corners rounded and then I put a sharp bevel by grinding it on a belt sander to an angle similar to a chisel edge (aprox 30 degrees). Then I use a sharpening stone to sharpen the new chisel edge razor sharp but also by dressing the back of the spatula on a stone until its perfectly smooth with no burrs. Having no burrs insures you won't be scratching the finish around the bridge area while working as long as you keep it flexed so the blade stays flat to the top.
Now the spatula has a top and a back with a razor sharp chisel bevel. With your hand you can flex the spatula so that when entering the bridge it is perfectly flat and flush with the top. This prevents the blade from digging down into the top. Make sure to keep the back side of the spatula toward the top.
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I agree that this is an ideal method and I think you make a good point about heat. On an old hide glued bridge, I believe I could follow this and do this procedure similarly to the way demonstrated in this video. I can hear that glue cracking away nicely. On my 23 year old martin I removed the bridge from today (titebond I assume) I don't know that this would've worked (without heat and quickly) without potentially major tearout. It was lifting a little on the back edge but glued down super tight everywhere else. I could be totally wrong and recognize that you have a ton of experience.
Interesting, thank you. What about heating the spatula?
I think it would damage the finish if it was heated. I do heat the spatula in some cases but not for a bridge. Prepping the blade with a sharpening stone before each use is critical to prevent the finish from getting scratched.
Is the tool a putty knife/scraper like you would buy at a hardware store, or one you'd get through a luthier's supply?
It’s a 5 inch flexible paint spatula. However, it is modified for this job. First I round the corners on a belt sander or grinder. Then I put a razor sharp bevel on the edge of the blade and keep it sharp and always deburred on a oil stone. With the beveled edge you have a top and a bottom, by dressing the bottom on a stone prior to each use it will prevent putting scratches in the finish around the bridge area. Using it, you want the keep the bottom flat against the finish on the body and flex it up so the handle doesn’t dig into the top. It should be a very sharp bevel chisel edge, and smooth on the bottom.
Do you find it necessary to score around the bridge before starting the work with the spatula? I came across one video where the person recommended it to prevent the top from cracking as the bridge is removed. However, I haven't seen anyone else do it and it seems like the scoring could potentially create an opportunity for other issues down the road
No, I would never do that. The spatula after being prepped will not scratch the finish. If you were to score around the bridge then the spatula might dig in under the finish which you don’t want to happen.
If the bridge was finished into the top, like many Chinese guitars, then I would score the finish around the bridge so it wouldn’t chip out.
Do you have to sand off the old glue before reapplying a bridge ?
I use a dremel tool with a router base attachment and I lightly plane the glue and debris on the top under the bridge to clean it up. I put a strip of masking tape on either side of the bridge for the dremel base to ride on so it doesn’t scratch the top and set my cutter to barely take the thinnest amount off the top. Then I take a tiny piece of 80 grit and sand gross grain to give the glue a little more grip. If you don’t have the dremel setup you can back scrape the that area with a sharp 1/2” chisel to clean up the wood.
Honest Q.... Why is this method better compared to (seemingly) the same method but with heat??
When you heat the glue to remove the bridge you are also heating the glue that holds the bridge plate as well as the bracing directly under the bridge which can cause worse problems later after the guitar leaves the shop.
I’ve done it every way and this is the best and most consistent method for our shop. Proper dressing of the modified blade on a stone prior to use prevents scratches to the finish. No heat, no scratches, and off in seconds usually.
@@scottbaxendale323 Thx for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate your experience.
Scratch the hell out of your guitar
Not if you prep the spatula before using it and use it correctly. I’ve taken hundreds of bridges off using this method without scratching the finish. I’ve built around 300 custom guitars and remanufactured over 2500 of these Harmony rebuilds and scratching the finish has never really been an issue. There are more problematic issues using heat, namely the heat breaks down the glue to remove the bridge, but that same heat breaks down the glue under the bridge plate and X bracing as well which is a problem.