I let my self down on this guitar top

Wood choice logic, brace shapes, braces patterns -- what and why for the "heart of the guitar"
Kenny Wiebusch
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Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:39 pm
Location: Southeast Texas

I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by Kenny Wiebusch » Thu Jun 27, 2024 4:50 pm

This guitar was finished except for the bridge and setup. I choked when I realized what I had done. I had the saddle in the perfect place but the bridge was 180 out . The bridge pin holes were towards the sound hole. I use the two outer pins to hold the bridge while gluing so it doesn't squirm. The holes show with the bridge in the correct position. I have plugged the holes down to the bridge plate but not as tight as I should have and they show. I could try going to a 3/8 plug but that just seems wrong. I think I just want to darken the top to hide it a bit.
Would it be best to dye the top and then clear lacquer or just spray amber lacquer. Of course I will have to sand the whole top. It was a very white Carpathian spruce . Any other ideas? Batman stickers?
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Kevin in California
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Re: I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by Kevin in California » Fri Jun 28, 2024 8:27 am

That is a bummer
I say make a new bridge that is a bit wider that will cover the plugs. How much is needed? 1/8" to 3/16"?

John Parchem
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Re: I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by John Parchem » Fri Jun 28, 2024 12:00 pm

Sorry that happened. I thought about this for a couple of days. It is hard in spruce to hide anything. I wonder if you switched to the upside down (reverse belly) Gibson bridge and a bit of tweaking you can cover the holes.
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Herman
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Re: I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by Herman » Fri Jun 28, 2024 12:03 pm

Yes Kenny, go with Kevin. Make a new bridge that covers the thing. No one will ever know.
Herman

Kenny Wiebusch
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:39 pm
Location: Southeast Texas

Re: I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by Kenny Wiebusch » Fri Jun 28, 2024 12:11 pm

I was considering a belly up gibson bridge and was just toying with it. It will look strange on a 12 fret 00 but no worse than holes. Thanks ya'll.

John Parchem
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Re: I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by John Parchem » Fri Jun 28, 2024 12:32 pm

K Wiebusch wrote: Fri Jun 28, 2024 12:11 pm I was considering a belly up gibson bridge and was just toying with it. It will look strange on a 12 fret 00 but no worse than holes. Thanks ya'll.
Understand the look, I think they look strange on any guitar, but I thought that was just my Martin style sensibility. Maybe a combination of oversized and small shift of the slot and holes can just cover the holes.

Kenny Wiebusch
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:39 pm
Location: Southeast Texas

Re: I let my self down on this guitar top

Post by Kenny Wiebusch » Fri Jun 28, 2024 3:44 pm

Hmmmm. Bridge shape not refined yet. This is for a cousin that was responsible for my guitar addiction 58 years ago but he is paying pretty good money for it. Tempted to let him decide. Or use the new bridge and never say a word.
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