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When I built my last two guitars, I masked over the general area of the bridge with low-tack "blue" masking tape, like painters use. I then figured out exactly where the bridge should go. I traced the outline around the bridge and then used an X-acto knife to cut just inside the pencil line. Then I removed the outer part of the masking tape, leaving the area of the bridged masked. I finished the top and peeled off the masking tape, leaving bare the area where the bridge would go. Then I glued the bridge on.

In just about all the books on guitar making I've come across, they say to finish the top first and then locate where the bridge would go. Then you trace around it, and carefully scrape away the finish from where the bridge will go. Then you glue the bridge on.

Is there any reason why this second method is better than the first method? The result seems to be the same to me, and it's easier to just peel off the masking tape than to scrape away finish. Or am I missing something critical here?

I position the bridge with index holes before I finished the guitar. I use blue tape like you do but I give myself about an 1/8 of an inch all around. After the finish is cured I set the bridge again and carefully trace around the bridge with a scalpel take the bridge off and trace around the tape with the scalpel and then pull the tape. With the tape exact I have two fears. one have to trace outside the bridge line to cut the finish on the out side of the tape. Two - I fear when pulling the tape I might pull up a chip of finish.

After I have the tape pulled I only have 1/8" inch of finish to remove all around. I find that going around with a chisel it is easy to pop up the finish between the area where the tape was and the finish I cut with the scalpel.

I find it much easier to level sand and buff if the bridge its not masked off. Same with the F B extension. Lady them out after finish and scrape them clean.

I place my bridge after finish . Like Bryan I don't mask off the bridge but I will mask off the extension .

I mask the bridge area AFTER I have shot the vinyl sealer. Then I use about the same method of John P, except I go about 1/16" in from the edge. I pull the tape off before level sanding so it doesn't get in the way and have a clear outline when I get ready to place the bridge and only a thin coat of sealer to remove (except that 1/16" around the perimeter).

Thanks for your input, folks. Come to think of it, the masking tape did get in the way of the sanding, so I ended up removing an additional 1/8" or so of it around its perimeter. (I don't use a buffer.)

After.....