X-Brace to Bridge Plate Glue Creep

[Darryl Young]

I would take it off and redo as well. I did something similar on my first build (different clamping but maybe a 0.030" gap between bridge plate and the X brace. I shaved it off with a small plane and a chisel, made a new one, and glued it again.

The bridge area is one area where I wouldn't want any compromise as I wouldn't want a chance of a buzz and sure wouldn't want this area structurally weak. I glue the bridge plate to the x braces as well as the soundboard. If I understood your description, your bridge plate isn't making contact with the x brace so you coudn't glue it. Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

[tippie53]

actually this happens because of bad clamping . You should use a cawl shaped like the plate. The water from the glue can cause the plate to want to cup. If not help correctly the plate will not stay seated. You can get a plate off pretty easy and redo it.
Take a cloths iron. set to high heat. Hold on the plate and in a few minutes the glue will release , Work a flexible putty knife under the plate and you should be good to go. It may take you 5-7 minutes.

[mjmeehan]

Well the ship has sailed, so to speak... I'm almost ready to start working on the finish. I'll keep ya posted.

[kencierp]

Gosh guys -- have you thought about this at all? The entire bridge plate is "laminated" full surface to the sound -board and that's the idea -- buzz? Please, there are bridge plate designs that don't even touch the "X" brace or for that matter any brace. This is a KMG kit and I've told Mike it would be a huge mistake to start heating and wetting and tearing his build apart --- there is "nothing to be gained".

[pete nardo]

FYI, in his book, Kinkade states that there should be gaps between the bridge plate and X-braces. Clearly, there's no consensus on this as StewMac's kit instructions say to notch the X-brace and fit the bridge plate into the notch when gluing.

Regards.

[kencierp]

Pete, the Kinkeade design was one of the visuals I had in mind when I made my above post, along with all the ladder braced steel strings guitars that have free floating bridge plates. I fully repect those that want their work to be perfect in every way. However, my management, engineering sense and experience over the years has taught me that trying to "repair quality" into a project most times can prove to be futile. And in many cases the end result is much more sub-standard than a tiny issue that could be left "as is." So I tend to, and also recommend that practicality rather then ideology be the guiding light.

[tippie53]

I may have misread. I thought the plate lifted. I agree that the plate doesn't need to touch the X braces. The change of a buzz may happen with the plate if is not glued to the X. If you are not touching you won't have a buzz.

[Darryl Young]

However, my management, engineering sense and experience over the years has taught me that trying to "repair quality" into a project most times can prove to be futile. And in many cases the end result is much more sub-standard than a tiny issue that could be left "as is."

Things can be made worse and things can be improved by a repair but it seems to be an important part of learning to build. No one will stop making mistakes so learning to repair along the way seems an important part of producing a quality product. In the end, each builder has to decide what kind of mistakes he/she will correct and what aren't worth the effort. This isn't one I would live with but to each his own. For the record, I'm living with some finish mistakes on my first build.......mostly so my daughter could start carrying it to school to use in her guitar club. The one I hate the most was a tiny, barely noticable issue that I made much worse trying to correct it. In hindsite, I wish I had left it alone. I will admit that I'm much more concerned with the sound of the guitar than the looks so.......I didn't try a second repair (at least for now <smile>).

[tippie53]

when you look at the basics of the guitar you need to repair structural flaws. Fit and finish issues are more appearance. As for the plate , as long as it is clean to the top , the X brace connections don't matte much. If a brace was up you would want to fix that.
In time you will learn more from failures than success. Have at it but also have fun .

[kencierp]

Good point John -- if you recall one of the guys recently had a gap under his "X" brace near the intersection --- no doubt that was a structural/integrity issue .. KMG sent him a replacement "X" set the next day. For that situation, in my view, re-do was a must.