Hi Diane, I like how you take on a challenge. I know a lot of people (and companies) use off cuts for bridge plates, but that's not very good structurally. I really don't do repairs, but I keep some skew cut woods around for bridge plates. What happened with the one you repaired is very common with quarter cut material used for a bridge plate.
I must thank you for posting these repair projects. There's not much money in building unless you have a gig name.
Brent
Washburn bridge plate
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bftobin
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 12:27 pm
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Diane Kauffmds
- Posts: 3256
- Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm
Re: Washburn bridge plate
Bridge plates don't fair as well when not cut at an angle to the grain, because of the strings. I know a lot of companies use offcuts. But, I've never seen this before. This was an extremely thin piece of spruce (a completely inappropriate wood for steel strings), with rosewood veneer that was a paper thin 0.25mm thick (I used a caliper).
That's nonsense. I've seen mistakes in construction from pretty much every company out there, but he bought this guitar new, and the bridge came off in a month. It started bellying shortly thereafter. Washburn glued the bridge back on, but hasn't stood good for the bad construction.
I'm well paid for my work, but I felt bad for this guy, and i gave him a break. He's a good customer of mine and he takes exemplary care of his guitars.
I'm not sure how long it's been since he's seen the guitar without the belly. He said it never sounded good, and I believe him. He's thrilled with it now.
Washburn is an American company, and a subsidiary of a Canadian company. They build these overseas. It's clear they need to do something about the lack of quality control.
That's nonsense. I've seen mistakes in construction from pretty much every company out there, but he bought this guitar new, and the bridge came off in a month. It started bellying shortly thereafter. Washburn glued the bridge back on, but hasn't stood good for the bad construction.
I'm well paid for my work, but I felt bad for this guy, and i gave him a break. He's a good customer of mine and he takes exemplary care of his guitars.
I'm not sure how long it's been since he's seen the guitar without the belly. He said it never sounded good, and I believe him. He's thrilled with it now.
Washburn is an American company, and a subsidiary of a Canadian company. They build these overseas. It's clear they need to do something about the lack of quality control.