Harmony TG1201 Restoration attempt by a neophyte

Skarsaune
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:12 am

Re: Harmony TG1201 Restoration attempt by a neophyte

Post by Skarsaune »

Exactly.

Which is why it’s a blank vs a drop-in replacement.
Stray Feathers
Posts: 677
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
Location: Ladysmith, BC

Re: Harmony TG1201 Restoration attempt by a neophyte

Post by Stray Feathers »

I've found when making new saddles that you can't trust a nominal 1/8" saddle to fit snugly in a 1/8" routed slot, so I use a 3 mm router bit, and sand the saddle blank to a good fit. Bruce W.
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Harmony TG1201 Restoration attempt by a neophyte

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

You'll find that all blanks are made larger than needed, including nut blanks and bridge blanks. It's worth the extra work to shape them though, because they'll fit the specific guitar or situation.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Harmony TG1201 Restoration attempt by a neophyte

Post by MaineGeezer »

It's normal to sand down saddle blanks to thickness. The trick is to hold onto it while you're sanding. One idea: cut a pocket recess in a block of wood that the blank will just fit into. Then rub it across some suitable sandpaper, maybe #80. If you make the pocket a hair over 3/32" deep, you'll know when to stop.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Underwood
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:22 pm

Re: Harmony TG1201 Restoration attempt by a neophyte

Post by Underwood »

Thanks to all or your input I have a working guitar. I am playing it now and I will wait until the snow melts before I fine-tune the bridge, apply a lacquer finish, and attach the pickguard.

The strings are 0.090 high at the 12th fret. Despite the slight concave bow in the upper register of the neck, I will have room to asymmetrically sand down the bridge to lower the action on the high E side of the bridge.

Unfortunately, I think I rushed the bridge building either due to impatience, the low temperatures in my garage, or both. I can always build another bridge when both my patience, skills and temperature improve. I used Tite-Bond Hide glue to set the saddle in the bridge, as I went too far wet sanding the saddle. I don't know if the bone swelled, or the bridge swelled, but the morning after obtaining a tight fit I realized I needed to use a little glue to secure the saddle.

Bridge building lessons learned by a neophyte:
  • be patient
  • a template is good, but accurate measurements and a template are better
  • a better jig produces a better finished piece
  • be careful when wet sanding, a bone saddle/bridge may swell, and gummy residue affects measurements
  • use a new fine hacksaw blade or zona saw when cutting a bone saddle blank
Thanks again and I'll repost the finished guitar when the snow and spring rains make way for bright sunny skies.

Photos:
  • Guitar with new bridge
  • Bridge profiles
  • Strung guitar
TG1201_Bridge_2020-01-20.JPG
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Matt
Guitar Neophyte
Cape Cod, MA
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