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Thread: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

  1. #1
    Registered User Gsouth's Avatar
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    Default Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Hey guys

    So after a few years my bridge saddle decided to break, and with the current global situation a new one is probably going to take about a month to deliver.

    While I wait for it, I was thinking of just gluing the broken one back together. Can someone more experienced than me please advise as to the best glue to use for this application? What I have available, or can find locally is the following:

    - PVA
    - Cyanoacrylate
    - Polyurethane
    - 2-part Epoxy

    I can not find hide glue.

    Thanks in advance for any advice.

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    Cheers
    G
    Last edited by Gsouth; Aug-10-2020 at 3:05am. Reason: Added photo
    I haven't understood a bar of music in my life. But I have felt it. - Igor Stravinsky

    Gerald

    Eastman MD305 A-style
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    Carved Solid Maple Back & Sides, Rosewood Fretboard
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  2. #2
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Good quality CA, liquid, not gel. I prefer Loctite. Apply few drops inside to make sure all surfaces are covered and squeeze in vice or with strong clamp. remove glue residue with razor blade. Sometimes it won't hold if the wood is too porous or oily. I would add tiny piece of wood wedged below the crack for the time.
    Adrian

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  4. #3
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    I've had this happen a few times on old original dried out saddles on my Gibson's and tried to glue it never lasted long with the down pressure-as Adrian said above a wedge, but I would replace before adding anymore mass? There was a thread a while back about this problem.

  5. #4
    Registered User Gsouth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback.
    I have some non-gel locktite CA, And will add a small (maybe 3-4mm wide) wood wedge under the saddle below the E strings for added support until the new saddle arrives.
    Thanks again
    I haven't understood a bar of music in my life. But I have felt it. - Igor Stravinsky

    Gerald

    Eastman MD305 A-style
    Carved Solid Spruce Top
    Carved Solid Maple Back & Sides, Rosewood Fretboard
    Washburn WD20S Dreadnought
    Solid Sitka Spruce Top
    Rosewood Back, Sides & Fretboard

  6. #5
    Teacher, repair person
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    I've never been able to get one to hold long no matter what glue I used.
    If you haven't ordered yet, it would be a good idea to order a spare.
    In the meantime, if you're handy with tools, you can make a temporary replacement out of any dense hard wood.
    Good luck.

  7. #6
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    I've repaired quite a few of similar failures. I hate making new bridges and don't have steady supply of ebony or ready bridges (I'm in EU) for everyone. Here is my basic procedure (basicly 15-30 minute job of repairing the saddle).
    Most of the time I glue it with CA, then saw off the bottom part of saddle between thumbwheels with japanese saw, flatten bottom and add 1/16 of good ebony wit CA (more often than not the failure was because someone removed wood from bottom of saddle above the wheels by well-meaning seller). I then reglue the removed cap back and refit the bridge - typically they really need it.
    I have never seen one of these fail again.
    Adrian

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  9. #7
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    I broke an upright bass bridge on a gig a couple of years ago, on gig 1 of 3 for New Year's Eve, and got it back together for six weeks of gigs with a cheap tube of CA glue that was in the pub manager's desk. That's 300+ lbs of tension; it should work fine for you mandolin.

    While you are at it, order a new one from Steve Smith at Cumberland Acoustics and you'll have a solid backup plan. If your base is fine, you can purchase just the saddle for a modest price.
    www.condino.com

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  10. #8
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Quote Originally Posted by j. condino View Post
    While you are at it, order a new one from Steve Smith at Cumberland Acoustics and you'll have a solid backup plan. If your base is fine, you can purchase just the saddle for a modest price.
    But don't forget to measure spacing of the posts and their diameter. There is no standard here. Your's look like metric (could be 3 or 3.5mm diameter)
    Adrian

  11. #9
    Registered User Gsouth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Hey Guys

    Just wanted to give an update on my bridge saddle.

    So I followed HoGo's advice. I glued the crack closed, cut off the bottom nib between the thumb wheels, made up a new piece of wood to glue to the bottom of the remaining saddle (could not find ebony, so I used rosewood) and glued back the nib.

    For my first wood project, armed with a tube of CA, a Dremel tool with a steel cutting disc and some 360grit sand paper, I think it actually came out pretty nicely.
    I actually kindof like the red line of the rosewood.

    Now to see if it lasts long enough for the new saddle to get here, but I am pretty positive with this fix.

    Thanks again for all of the help and advice.

    Cheers.

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    I haven't understood a bar of music in my life. But I have felt it. - Igor Stravinsky

    Gerald

    Eastman MD305 A-style
    Carved Solid Spruce Top
    Carved Solid Maple Back & Sides, Rosewood Fretboard
    Washburn WD20S Dreadnought
    Solid Sitka Spruce Top
    Rosewood Back, Sides & Fretboard

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  13. #10
    Registered User Greg Mirken's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Nice work. If anyone notices and asks about it, b.s. them with something like "Yeah, the second harmonic on the A was a bit harsh, so I did that to tame it a bit."
    Shade Tree Fretted Instrument Repair, retired
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  15. #11
    Still a mandolin fighter Mandophyte's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    I had a similar problem five years ago, see: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ghlight=bridge
    I glued it with CA and clamped it in a vice overnight and it's still OK.
    John

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  16. #12
    Registered User Gsouth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Awesome, thats good to hear!
    I haven't understood a bar of music in my life. But I have felt it. - Igor Stravinsky

    Gerald

    Eastman MD305 A-style
    Carved Solid Spruce Top
    Carved Solid Maple Back & Sides, Rosewood Fretboard
    Washburn WD20S Dreadnought
    Solid Sitka Spruce Top
    Rosewood Back, Sides & Fretboard

  17. #13
    Registered User Gsouth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Mirken View Post
    Nice work. If anyone notices and asks about it, b.s. them with something like "Yeah, the second harmonic on the A was a bit harsh, so I did that to tame it a bit."
    Haha, I like that one.
    I haven't understood a bar of music in my life. But I have felt it. - Igor Stravinsky

    Gerald

    Eastman MD305 A-style
    Carved Solid Spruce Top
    Carved Solid Maple Back & Sides, Rosewood Fretboard
    Washburn WD20S Dreadnought
    Solid Sitka Spruce Top
    Rosewood Back, Sides & Fretboard

  18. #14
    Registered User Gsouth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bridge saddle repair - which glue to use?

    The before and after

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    Last edited by Gsouth; Aug-12-2020 at 4:44pm.
    I haven't understood a bar of music in my life. But I have felt it. - Igor Stravinsky

    Gerald

    Eastman MD305 A-style
    Carved Solid Spruce Top
    Carved Solid Maple Back & Sides, Rosewood Fretboard
    Washburn WD20S Dreadnought
    Solid Sitka Spruce Top
    Rosewood Back, Sides & Fretboard

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