|
If it's really leaning over, the saddle itself
might be broken:
Most of the time a broken bridge will show only a "hairline"
crack between the bridge pins or near the saddle for some
time before failing completely:
It can be a bit confusing as you look the body over for cracks.
There may be "cold checks" in the finish - tiny
cracks that are only cosmetic. A finish check may run along
the grain lines of the wood, but usually does not, instead
veering off in a curve that crosses over the grain lines.
Cracks in the wood almost always run along the grain. Don
t count on a body crack to be "just a surface crack."
Guitar bodies are made of wood that's barely 1/8" thick,
so any crack in a top, side, or back is certain to go all
the way through, and may be likely to weaken that part significantly.
As you look the guitar body over for cracks, try to view it
in reflected light. That way, you'll be able to see if there's
any difference in the plane of the finished surface, whether
the cracked area appears to bend downward or pucker upward.
Press on the crack lightly with your finger to see if the
wood appears to bend on the line of the crack. Evaluating
the significance of body cracks is certainly a job for the
repairer with an experienced eye. Your local luthier will
look all around inside to get the complete picture of what's
going on and how it can best be repaired.
Here's an especially nasty symptom of a loose top brace:
If you see this kind of "wrinkle" in reflected
light, there might be serious damage underneath. More
about loose top braces.
If your guitar has a pickup with a powered preamp, toady
is a good time to replace the battery. I figure once a year
whether it needs it or not:
Don t check it, replace it. A new battery once a year is
cheap insurance against being embarrassed in performance!
Now is also a great time to look over the condition of any
electronic accessories. A new battery for the electronic tuner.
How about the cables? Again, if you're traveling, you don
t want the hassle of trying to find a cable at the last minute.Take
inventory of your other important accessories. Strap still
OK? Especially with those acoustic electric jack end pins,
the end of the strap can wear and get loose The jack itself
is prone to working loose, too. If you don't lose capos as
often as I do, you might do well to check the rubber pad,
and see if yours is doing its job properly. This one is ready
for replacement, I think:
You don't want the back of your neck looking like this one,
so make sure the protective pads are still firmly in place:
Consider the case - it may be worn and look ugly, but it
still works, right? Maybe, but consider how you'll use it
when you are at camp, or wherever. That rope handle may be
fine around town, in and out of your car, but how about when
you have to hike with it?
Much, or all of the above may seem obvious, but it's important,
too. Simply keeping an eye on your gear will make a big difference
in how well it performs for you.
Back to Articles
Page» |
