When watching an expert removing and fixing a guitar bridge is way more entertaining than 99 % of the stuff that is on TV these days, then you know that the TV networks are in deep trouble 😂
I have been playing Martin guitars since 1969. I have 4 12 strings and 5 6 strings, I can tell you first hand Martin has changed their attitude to the "Lifetime" warranty. 1984 I sent one of my D-28s back to Nazareth where they put new frets and fretboard on and generally reset it up nicely. I paid shipping was all. Today, they will give you a run around and send you to "authorized" Martin shops that rarely do your quality of work or, won't do it at all. So nice to watch a craftsman that knows what he is doing, and cares.
@MickCone, That's sad to hear. I mean if the shops can't reinstall a bridge, what are they good for? I wouldn't consider that a huge job. They should at least be able to direct you to shops that will.
As a young un, I played a guitar at World of Strings in Long Beach, which sounded so much better than anything I'd ever heard. It was a Martin. Later, working security for a t.v. show called Don Kirshners Rock concert, a guitarist named Al Di Meola said if you plan on playing the rest of your life, go ahead and invest in a quality guitar. You won't regret it. So later I went to Houston and the worlds largest left-handed guitar shop. I bought the shop owner a pizza and played every guitar for 2 days and ended up buying a.....you guessed it, a Martin 000- 28V.
I live in Austin and the only luthier who touches my stuff is Mark Erlewine. He gives Trigger a yearly once over for Willie Nelson. That's endorsement enough for me.
LORD HAVE MERCY,,,,,, I was a auto mechanic for almost 30 years and had to quit cause my hands would start cramping up so bad that I could not hold the wrenches anymore. Been retired for 20 years and I have to tell you ,,,,, WATCHING this made my hands started cramping up like they did 20 years ago...... Can't do anything anymore that require that kind of hand work..... Well done sir. I am 70 just in case you are wondering.
Ive been a wood worker now for ohh 45yrs. A musician for 40. And a string player for 35 of those years. Slowly gathering the tools and what l THOUGHT were the skills necessary to become a luthier. Little did l realize that once l took the leap that my most used tools would end up being my small community's entire supply of one sided safety razor blades and my giant pickle jar full of old bits of partially used sandpaper. All those years.... I had everything l needed right there at my fingertips. Except for clamps. Still buying clamps of every size, shape and construction. Otherwise I'll bet l do a solid 50% of my work with a friggin razor blade!
I just bought my first Martin guitar and it's similar to this one. It's a 2015 HD28V. It's so nice to watch a pro at work! Here I am at 60 yrs old retired and thinking, "I think I'd like to do this kind of work!" You're a pleasure to watch, sir! 😊 Thanks for posting!
I currently make a living as a carpenter. Watching Jerry makes me want to get a job at Martin guitars. Why not? I live in PA not too far from the factory in Nazerth.
I have been playing (and stringing) guitars for over 55 years and you just taught me a new way to string them that looks easier than the easy way I developed years ago. Thanks.
Sir, I can't play anything except the radio but I thoroughly enjoyed watching your repair. You obviously know what you are doing. Your friend is lucky to have such a friend!
There was a longtime luthier in my area that I believe rarely declared any stringed instrument as hopeless. Another luthier that owned a guitar shop barely looked at my dad's treasured (but not rare) guitar. As a kid I fiddled withe the truss rod not knowing what it was. The 1940'sh guitar neck was very bowed. Mr. Bowman repaired that guitar AND two other violins. Thankyou for repairing such sentimental treasures. My dad and his friends played string band music for barn dances.
A very fine example to use for a "real world" bridge repair instructional!! Watching this brought back memories of my very first repair 47 years past. I was young and broke with dreams of building and repairing. I needed to make a saddle after a bridge repair but had no access to materials. I thought deer antler might work so I hit my cousin up for the only piece he had which was very small. I spent an hour just mapping out a cut to yield a blank of hard material just barely long enough to make a saddle. My only tools were a small $5 vise, a coping saw, a file, a 6" machinist rule, and some sandpaper. My workspace was a coffee table. Working slowly and carefully with the sheer desire for a professional result it came out perfectly by anyone's standard!!! I was able to relive the experience by watching your video!! Thank you so much!!!
As a aircraft assembly mechanic that sound of that “snick” of that bone saddle into the bridge was music to my ears. Great craftsmanship and I agree with sneaking up on perfect
It's the times we're living in. Better to do it yourself, after watching Rosa String Works for the necessary instructions on how to do it the right way, even including how to string up a Martin.
I love the boldness of your strategy juxtaposed with your polite humility. Your string winding was marvelous and a reminder of what skills are lost to retirement if they are not shared. Thank you.
At 48:21 in the video, maybe I'm wrong, but it appears there is either glue, finish chipped out or bare wood exposed at the back of the bridge. I certainly appreciate the advanced level of craftsmanship required for this project (having had neck resets and bridge removals on my Martins over the years), but I would not be satisfied if my guitar was delivered back to me in this condition. If I am wrong about what I think I see in the video, I apologize for the negative feedback.
I'm sorry to say I have to agree. And sanding using the guitar body for support is just not worth the risk, no matter how much pressure is applied. I really enjoyed the banter but....
Good point, at 27:10 we see the glued bridge and it looks fine. At 36:00 we see it again and the spruce near the bridge looks completely different and he never explains this. My guess is the bridge came loose after he drilled it at 27:24 (which I was shocked by, and the amount of wood the drill bit brought out). He should have never drilled the bridge with that bit after gluing it to the top (wtf?), just use the reamer to carefully clear the holes. My advice to all instrument/music lovers, never try to "save money" on a repair. Take it to the best and be prepared to pay. Also, if you are pulling out a glued-in saddle, pull it from the center not the end. Would also like to know the year of the guitar or did I miss it? A good bridge repair video that uses some different techniques: ua-cam.com/video/wZExe86TxLs/v-deo.html
Beautiful work as usual, you describe perfectly how and why you do what you do, a very good teacher. A volume of knowledge for generations to come. Like an encyclopaedia.
I live in the desert southwest. The humidity can be really low here. Listening to your comments and doing my own research, I've started running a humidifier to help keep the relative humidity at about 40% in the room where I keep by instruments. Per the charts this should be about 7% moisture content in wood. This is also in the range where humans are comfortable. I've also noticed my skin has not been as dry since I started using the humidifier. Thank you for making me less ignorant. :)
I had this beautifull green sunburst like guitar. It was very light but after a while the bridge came loose. Wel actually it didnt came loose, it ripped the wood apart. I turned it in and got it back totally black with two giant screws sticking out of the bridge on the inside. It looks all bumpy where the damage has been. I could cry I can tell you that. I wish I had known Jerry at that time.
I find it fascinating to watch you work and educate people with your decades of expertise. Most factory authorized repair centers only want the easy money jobs and anything that takes a lot of time and knowledge they pass on. Another job well done sir!
Two shops authorized for Martin that couldn't take a bridge off and glue it back, sickening. I would never do business with them for anything and let everyone know it. Even my sorry butt can do it, I learned from the Master, you Jerry. Nice work as always, and as many times I've seen you do it, it never gets old. Now close that shop and enjoy your hiatus.
I can't play a note but as a teenager my closet friend owned a martin built in 1933 this was early 70s in past 50 years I've yet to hear another guitar that had such a Rich and perfect sound actually it's hard to put in to words. He is dead and gone no idea where guitar is but that one guitar made me hit on this video 60 years later
Hyde glue for ALL repair work...a retired trained luthier who takes pleasure in watching folks do what I did for 30 yrs...and am both entertained and in shock..you do a good job..I have done that bridge removal many times..and fixed many turnaways from fraudsters with no pedigree or training..from ukelele to geetars and violins and violas and cellos and double basses etc..repair and restoration..award winner for a violin I made in 1988...and travelled the world as a luthier teacher and performer..now I play for seniors..in siberia alberta kanada..
@@jonandersonmd7994 not in authentic wood repair...because of it's efficacy and age resistance..proven for centuries..the techno chemicals destroy natural elements..God hates anti hyde glue flateartherz..
I know nothing about guitars - I can't even play one. However, it has been a joy to watch you repair this guitar, step by step, with such precision and care and expertise. Like all great craftsmen, you make the difficult look easy!
Wonderful down home skills and based on the teaser ending - I wouldn't mind just hearing you play. Fifty / sixty years ago I had some of the best guitar players come to various folk clubs that were very popular for a while in England. Cheers Jerry - I'll be back!
Wow. Your sandpaper method is a game-changer for me. I am no luthier, just a guitarist who likes to work on few of my cheaper guitars - and this definitely seems worth doing. Its nice to see a work of such quality done on a beautiful guitar!
Sir, you are a master craftsman and a gifted teacher. I am a recently retired general surgeon and watching you repair that Martin reminds me of how I used to approach things in the O.R. You never knew exactly what you were going to run into and no two patients are alike. Sometimes you just draw upon experience and logic to find the best technique for the job at hand, all the while trying not to let perfection be the enemy of good. I own a D-28 which has lost its pick guard (another common problem with Martins, or so I’m told). I live about 4 miles from the ocean in LA so the humidity tends to be consistently on the higher end of the scale but at least it doesn’t fluctuate much. Perhaps that’s why the finish hasn’t cracked on mine. At any rate, I’ll be taking it back to the shop where my dear old dad bought it as a birthday gift for me back in ‘74 for repair (Westwood Music). Incidentally, I will be adopting your stringing technique in the future. That alone was worth the time to watch the video. I have subscribed and I’m sure you’ll get to 100K in no time. By the way, your daughter-in-law’s singing is just fantastic. I enjoyed the sound track as much as the video. Take care my friend.
I have a certified Martin repair group in my town and they could not fix a friends guitar. They charged him $60 just to look at it. It was a Framus Mayfield and it apparently was dropped at a different music store (sold for $1700, was $3500 new) and really cracked the lower bout/lower part of soundboard and back. I fixed it and didn’t charge him anything hoping he talks to the luthiers. I am not a luthier, I consider myself a guitar builder and have learned to fix many of my own mistakes and learned from other woodworkers. Amazing how the Martin people think they are the best when they can’t do intermediate repairs like this. Good job fixing this HD28!
The best bridge reset method I've seen on UA-cam hands down,I totally agree with Jerry on his take on the glue squeezeout, if all that excess glue stayed Trapped under the bridge it creates microscopic air pockets therefore weakening the joint, all your trying to do is fill in the pores of the wood on both surfaces and leave just enough adhesive in between to create the bond.
I am no Luther! But once I had a nice vintage Guild guitar that needed a bridge reglued and I was broke and did not have deep throated clamps. So I fell back on my boat building skills and 'vacuum bag' clamped the bridge reglue job :)
Jerry has more patience than anyone I've ever seen. I've got a Martin OM-28V and every time I've ever taken it in asking about any work on it they look at the guitar and especially the through cut bridge and say "everything looks fine". 😄
You do great work on your repairs. Hate to see them coming to and end. The factory glue job was faulty and Martin should have done this under warranty. Good on you for doing what Martin Authorized Repair People would not do.
That crossed my mind also. They took fine care of my wife's 82 HD28. I can only guess that this is not the original owner. The warranty covers the original owner, and is not transferable.
If you're not in US your lifetime guarantee turns to 1 year. I've had to take my Martin for major surgery as it basically folded in two. Had to remove the neck and shave down the heel to be able to get the action down the neck was so out of true. Then again about a year later. Only one of these repairs was covered under guarantee. Martin are living on past reputation
Took possession of an 1976 D28 bridge came off, gluing it over the varnish at the factory didn't help. Stew Mac to the rescue I fitted it myself, plays like a dream.
Impeccable job Sir! I've stumbled upon this video just by chance. Got captivated the first second so I sat the whole thing through. Shame on those authorized shops for letting your friend down. "Polite applause" is yours! 😊
I use to tell my band mates that i could change a busted string in under a minute, well that just might be true now after watching you do it. Thanks for the great video. Subscribed.
it was fun watching you do this scary repair. Before I took a luthier's course I had a bridge split due to a poorly installed undersaddle pick up (done by a certified luthier). I talked to Jean Larrivee on the phone and he told me to remove the bridge and send it too him and he would make me a copy. He told me that to remove the bridge, I was to use no heat, and to match up a block of hard would with the north side of the bridge and with a large wooden mallet to strike the block with one good hard blow (swinging south toward the tail of the guitar of course) and that that should remove the bridge, and that there might be some chip out to deal with but it should be mostly good. It worked. YIKES! then he sent me the new bridge with all the old chip pieces. ( I live in the middle of now where so that's why I was doing it myself. and I wanted to learn). I had no bridge clamps so I made some blocks to support the bridge plate, cut sacrificial chop sticks for the pin holes, glued up and placed the bridge where it goes with the chopsticks firmly holding things in place, placed the guitar in it's case, forced the lid closed, and got something heavy to rest on the top of the guitar case and left it together for a couple of days. I had lots of squeeze out that was hard to clean up but here we are, 40 years later and the bridge has never lifted, the guitar has had a very active life always getting play'd hard with 13 gauge strings and is still my number one. (it's one of the earliest Dreadnaught style Larrivees) Thanks for your vid. It was very fun to watch.
At the start I thought, "Geez! He's talkin' his head off!" But by the time he got to bridge removal, I realized, by golly, this is VERY good step-by-step instruction (and just as important, the rationale for each process)! I've never replaced a bridge, but I'm confident I could view this piece a couple of times and view it as I followed go-stop to do the job. Thank you, sir!
side cutters to remove saddles!!!!!,,gee im cringing here on a few levels but you got guts doing it like that!!.....i could not get away with that!!....thats entertainment!
As a non- guitar playing person I enjoy your channel because you explain why you do the different things when repairing a guitar. Keep the great videos coming.
I struggled with the thought between spending my money on a new Gibson or a Martin however after seeing and reading the comments , I will buy a Gibson. If I am going to spend $10,000. 00 dollars on a guitar it better have a lifetime warranty on it including parts and labor.
Hi Jerry, can I just say how much I enjoy watching you work on instruments, you are very knowledgeable and explain how, why, and what for with all you do, keep the good work up, regards from Steve Young, Hull, UK
I have been using Hyde Glue in the form of Old Brown Glue for attaching bridges. I do like it and heat will take it off again. It also cleans up really easy with a paper towel and hot water.
The technique you did for putting the strings on the peg is a neat way that I'm wanting to use on the next set for my acoustic guitar. Excellent tip !!!
In my younger years I played in a band and was roommates with a guy who became a quite famous luthier. I'm pretty handy with tools of all sorts, as well as being a musician. If I'd been smart at that age, I might have paid more attention as he and his partner rose to fame with their well-known creations. But, I was preoccupied with my own crazy world. It's possible that I could have learned awesome things, from building to pickup design. Life is funny. You look back sometimes and say, "Hey, I've had six careers." I love this video. I've watched it twice. I am in a business where I always need to be making decisions about how to make things work, and I appreciate anyone who can find solutions, especially in situations where sensitive equipment is at stake, LIKE WITH BEAUTIFUL GUITARS!
I’m a luthier in Maryland. I’ve encountered very similar situations, and have learned that Martin will hand out their “Authorized” designations to any schmoe that comes along. And the “Martin Authorized” shops in this area are absolute hacks. I’ve re-repaired so many “authorized” repairs, I’ve completely lost track. HACKS.
You make it seem so doable to work on these expensive guitars. I'd be afraid to mess with anything and almost cry if I pulled out a broken saddle. Thanks for demonstrating your skill!
I couldn’t play Pop Goes the Weasel on a thousand dollar bet but I love watching you make the mechanical make the art of the music. I enjoyed this one. 🤠 🎶 🎸
I really enjoyed your video. Your calm demeanor and your plan of attack for the repair was spot on! Too many times people want the quick fix, as in I'll slap a set of new strings on it and call it a day. You proved that with a little effort and thought about what actually was wrong with the guitar you had to go beyond the "quick fix". It was a pleasure to watch your craftmanship in action. The results speak for themselves.
Beautiful work as always Jerry, my poor old Martin sure could use that experience and expertise, just have to figure out how to get myself out West!! Enjoy your time off, see you soon.
Great video. I picked up some important knowledge from you, thanks. You’ve inspired me to start a new (part time) career as a luthier in a local music store, fixing bowed instruments.
When I was a youngster a little shop in town had a "fake shop" list. They where very discreet about it (they didn't advertise having it u just had to know, and u had to ask the right guy there), but if a shop advertised as being "such and such authorized" and turned down a job, they made the list. If you pay nice coin for a nice instrument, there's no reason to be turned down at a shop "authorized" to repair your particular instrument.
Thank you for showing this excellent nowhow. I just love experience and real craftmanship. I am not in guitar business or anything but I just love this. My dad played jazz bass from the -50´s here in Sweden until a year ago. He also played with Ella Fitzgerald when she visited here. That was of topic but I just love great work. Tank you for exist.
A very interesting and rewarding trade you have mastered. I'm a guitar player but love seeing the build of hand made guitars, troubleshooting and approaches to doing the repair. This was a great learning hour and I also learned a easier way to restring. Thank you!
No one would touch mine, so I angled it and let glue flow into it, loosen the strings, then clamp it up, wiped off the excessive glue , let it dry for two days, then it’s been working fine for 7 years now!
Excellent work Jerry. Your skills and techniques will be in use probably years after you're gone. You are the best because of your attention to detail. This separates the men from the boys. I see you are trying to slowdown and enjoy a retirement as allowed and well deserved. Thanks for all the years of detailed explanation. Skills beyond reproach. Best wishes from Idaho.
I have to tell you, I almost cringed when I first started watching you remove the saddle on the Martin HD 28, but after just a couple minutes, I realized how delicately and precise your movements were. Obviously you just instinctively let your many years of repair experience show your exacting movements. You know your way around a guitar much like a chef knows his or her way around a kitchen but with 1000’s of a inch precision. I had to watch the entire video even though I am sure I will never attempt this on any of my 3 Martins. My favorite is my Martin HD 28 LSV ( large sound hole) . I love to see real craftsmanship. I am a 77 yr old …. mostly just guitar and fiddle holder. I now know how this should be done. Thanks.
Looks like a major guitar brand is now using your bridge pin mod as a feature. Ibanez AE275 uses it and even markets the design as part of their promotion. It's nice to see some of the mods you do becoming mainstream among major manufacturers.
I will start by saying that I don't play a stringed instrument. That being said, I have learned a lot about guitars watching you. As my mother often said, "who would have thunk that so much went into making something like that...". Thank you for showing us that you don't have to muscle things but approach woodworking with little finesse and ease into the final product. I really enjoy watching your videos.
Just a few things: - Bridge removal and replacement - especially on Martins - is a bread and butter job for a professional shop. No pro turns these away because it is easy money. If in fact the Martin-authorized shops took a pass on the job, it was far more likely that they judged it a non-warranty repair and quoted the usual $250-$320 for the work. - Use a 0.0025" or 0.003" feeler gauge (paper is 0.0035") to probe... paper is floppy and gets soggy when water is introduced, and you'll usually want to get some water in when the bridge is on with HHG (I have never reglued a bridge with Titebond... horrible, nasty stuff that should never be use on a decent instrument... creeps cold or hot, contaminates the surfaces, and is a miserable material to clean off wood when cured). - NO... the saddle is NOT glued in... if it is a Martin and has rounded ends, it is a drop-in made to look like a through saddle... which is to say it will lift out. Use a mini end cutter with the edges blunted for the job... $8 for a Husky or other cheap big box mini end cutter. Because ebony these days is always seasoned for far less time time than in years past, it will shrink a bit after fabrication, so a saddle which was a tight fit in the factory at set-up will feel like it is glued after a decade or so. Slowly work it out by moving back and forth along the saddle with the modified end cutter and some scrap wood veneer to protect the top of the bridge. For post-2005 square-ended through saddles, expect to find them glued in with CA... idiotic, but that is what happens when you don't have to fix your own guitars (192g HHG is the correct adhesive for gluing in a through saddle, and they need to be glued in on vintage and even new Martins). If you don't have a good approach to removal of a CA-glued saddle (a saddle mill or heat lamp setup for removal), find someone that does and have them do the job. - NO...do NOT score the finish around the bridge on a post-2005 Martin.... they used a pocketed bridge glue technique on this guitar and all you are doing is creating a stress riser that will cause top failure. If you are not familiar with how Martin does the work, again, find someone that knows what they are doing. And if you want to score a finish for removal such as on a refinish where you forgot to mask, use a fresh needle and light pressure... it is only necessary to score the lacquer - no need to cut all the way through if your scraper is sharp (single edged razor blade with edge turned). - You HAVE to work both sides of the bridge (sound hole side and tailback side) for release on most tops because of grain runout on the book matched top...nature of the material. Runout may work to guide the palette knife blade down towards the bridge plate if you are not paying attention, so determine how much runout/which direction (e.g., rising grain on treble side/descending grain on bass side). If sound hole-side access is limited by the pick guard, just pull it off...these 'peel and stick' pepperoni guards come right off with a pallet knife and naphtha and go right back on with 3M 468 film (eBay), or make another $145 by swapping out that ugly pizza guard for a shop-made Vintage Brown 0.028" guard using the Axiom material or other upgrade cellulose nitrate material. if the top is markedly darker on one side of the centerline than the other, it usually means a significant amount of runout. if you move your viewing angle, the light/dark sides will swap and you will have your answer as to runout direction (light means the grain is rising away from your eye position and dark means grain is rising towards your eye position. -Rock maple rift-sawn bridge PLATE... NOT pad. It is the traditional Martin plate material and at 0.095"-0.105", a good compromise between wear resistance (more is better) and added mass (less is better). Bigger, more massive bridge plates are ALWAYS a bad idea. Ramp and slot the bridge and use good quality hard plastic (Galalith) unslotted pins, then teach your customers how to correctly orient the string balls. Again - a bread and butter job that is a consistent $80 in the door every time. There are luthiers that make a good living pulling those massive rosewood 1970's Martin plates and replacing them with rift-sawn rock maple... focusing on wear resistance and ignoring mass is not a good idea. -Lacquer...not varnish. Totally different materials. One is a drying finish and the other is a curing finish... that matters when doing repair work. Trying to do finish repairs with the wrong material or using the wrong technique creates a heck of a mess. Tung/phenolic varnished guitars are exceedingly rare, but is one of the most durable finishes for a musical instrument ever devised, but it is far more time and material intensive, so seldom used on production instruments. Since Ford and Devilbliss pioneered practical lacquer spray application, Gibson and US-made Martin guitars have always be lacquered with standard instrument lacquers on the body/neck and cat lacquer on satin and a few gloss necks.... one of the reasons why so many newb-made Gibson headstock touchups fail (mine included way back when .... cat lacquer requires more prep and a very solvent-hot initial tack coat for a drop fill or overspray). Again... easy check to verify the finish, and yes - it def matters. - Use some water on the palette knife... you'll need it on pre-1968 and Authentic HHG jobs, and a bit of water on the knife on a Titebond-glued bridge keeps the residue from sticking. A good technique is to warm the pallet knife in hot (not warm... think 150-160 deg F) water... either a Rival Hot Pot or one of those $30 Amazon wax warmers does a good job and is one of those things that every repair bench needs. Keep dipping the knife in the hot water. - You broke the saddle... and it is bone. Bummer... it happens... hopefully just once, given you've learned your lesson. Next time work along the length of the saddle, back and forth - avoiding using one end as a pry bar - and shooting for just a bit of movement (0.010" or less) at each lift. If the saddle cannot be removed, call the customer, get the extra $125 in time and materials approved, and either carefully break it out or use a saddle mill to remove by routing (some of these CA-glued Martins are like this...). - No - the bridge was NOT glued to the finish. Remember - pocketed bridge... possibly some glue residue over the finish if not properly fitted and clamped, but no intent to bond finish to bridge with adhesive. Yes - Martin's early pocket bridges prior to the 'improved' CNC router method had excessive finish left on the top, but there is more than enough clear area for a successful reglue job. Use 315 gram strength HHG and it will be in place long after both of us are dead and gone. Clear the existing patch, heat the bridge to about 160-170 deg F on a hot plate (the old Salton plate warmers are great for this), then precut both surfaces and clamp up. The mass of the bridge will provide a heat reservoir to remelt the HHG on the bridge patch as you snug up the clamps. - For fretboard cleanup, plastic razor blades do the same job as steel, but don't scratch the crap out of the ebony. 0000 stainless steel wool gets you to that satin factory look after the cleanup. - Oil is about 400 times less effective at excluding moisture per mil of thickness than wax, and moisture resistance is the primary reason why we put stuff on the fretboard. Mineral oil will evaporate within a few hours, leaving some fragrance and whatever other contaminates were in the oil. Looks nice for a bit, but useless for protection against player perspiration wicking under fret wire or gumming up the board. Howard's Feed and Wax has wax, some mild citrus-based cleaners, and just enough mineral oil and naphtha to get the cleaning job done. The wax stays behind and seals the fretboard and - more importantly - the fret/board interface - against moisture intrusion. If all you are after is a temporary cosmetic effect, other mineral oils will work for a few hours, but if you want cleaning horsepower and moisture resistance, use Howards. Other than that, certainly an entertaining video and good luck on the non-luthiery projects.
“Just a few things.” Quite the contrary. I found your detailed response to be quite informative. Thank you. I’m no expert but I have eyes. I was distressed to see the finish damage after brute-forcing the bridge removal. The obvious glue residue was discouraging too.
Jerry sir, you are a true master! I love your content I've learned so much from you and wanted too say how much it's appreciated! There has been many times Im trying to figure out the correct way to repair something and magically a video comes out with my exact problem 😅 not all heros wear capes but if you decide to wear one I'd support it!
Well .. my first time watching a video from this creator. Im a fan now. Wouldn't it be great to apprentice with this guy! Someone absolutely needs to. This knowledge needs (MUST) continue. Sir, if you do not yet have an apprentice, please consider taking one on.
It's such a pleasure watching you fix a stringed instrument. You are a true craftsman Jerry. Been watching you for a couple of years now and everytime I watched you fix a guitar or a mandolin, you have nailed it perfectly. It seems like you haven't really retired from it yet, even though I think I remember you saying you were gonna retire. You're son looks like he is going to be a good craftsman too. I have a 1971 Epiphone 12 string a friend of mine gave me about 35 yrs ago that his mother put in the attic next to a radiator for a yr and the pull of the strings with the hot and cold temps folded it and broke the neck block in two and folded the top so the laminated pieces of the top seperated. Really don't know what to do with it but it still sits in the closet. Are you interested? Haha. Maybe you got a video for something like that in your collection. Anyhow love your work.
@@RosaStringWorks Well I am glad to hear you are not retired, but try not to work too hard on your hiatus. Find time to relax and enjoy a beer or cocktail. I am going to make a video of my broken 12 string but it might not be worth paying the price to repair it, which would probably be more than what the guitar is worth. Enjoy your hiatus buddy.
I have a 12 string that did the same thing, the top has wrinkled at the base of the neck. Of course the neck has lifted to where I quit using it. Good luck.
Amazingly patient and steady! I have not done any guitar repair and have wondered how one replaces the bridge and the many improvements you made! Thank you for being so clear with each step and the many 'adjustments' you made on that herringbone D28. I'm sure the owner really appreciated your artistry, I know I would be. Martin drives a very hard bargain on warranty issues. I had a curling pick guard on my D35 from 1975, but when I complained using online media, and they read my story, they came around in a hurry. Wonderful video and a pleasant one to watch. Thanks
When watching an expert removing and fixing a guitar bridge is way more entertaining than 99 % of the stuff that is on TV these days, then you know that the TV networks are in deep trouble 😂
You say that..but would our wives watch this?
In today’s world its good to watch something creative and postive for a change
I totally agree! 😊
I have been playing Martin guitars since 1969. I have 4 12 strings and 5 6 strings, I can tell you first hand Martin has changed their attitude to the "Lifetime" warranty. 1984 I sent one of my D-28s back to Nazareth where they put new frets and fretboard on and generally reset it up nicely. I paid shipping was all. Today, they will give you a run around and send you to "authorized" Martin shops that rarely do your quality of work or, won't do it at all. So nice to watch a craftsman that knows what he is doing, and cares.
@MickCone, That's sad to hear. I mean if the shops can't reinstall a bridge, what are they good for? I wouldn't consider that a huge job. They should at least be able to direct you to shops that will.
As a young un, I played a guitar at World of Strings in Long Beach, which sounded so much better than anything I'd ever heard. It was a Martin. Later, working security for a t.v. show called Don Kirshners Rock concert, a guitarist named Al Di Meola said if you plan on playing the rest of your life, go ahead and invest in a quality guitar. You won't regret it. So later I went to Houston and the worlds largest left-handed guitar shop. I bought the shop owner a pizza and played every guitar for 2 days and ended up buying a.....you guessed it, a Martin 000- 28V.
@@ericmadeoftin8206 Well that is true, all the guitars but one that I bought are worth a lot more than I played for them.
Going to the Martin Company is even more frustrating atleast for a Bass player, it's just a museum with one or two basses without a follow up
I live in Austin and the only luthier who touches my stuff is Mark Erlewine. He gives Trigger a yearly once over for Willie Nelson. That's endorsement enough for me.
"You can't do better than perfect, so we'll call this good enough"
Great😄
LORD HAVE MERCY,,,,,, I was a auto mechanic for almost 30 years and had to quit cause my hands would
start cramping up so bad that I could not hold the wrenches anymore. Been retired for 20 years and I have
to tell you ,,,,, WATCHING this made my hands started cramping up like they did 20 years ago......
Can't do anything anymore that require that kind of hand work..... Well done sir. I am 70 just in case you are
wondering.
Ive been a wood worker now for ohh 45yrs. A musician for 40. And a string player for 35 of those years. Slowly gathering the tools and what l THOUGHT were the skills necessary to become a luthier.
Little did l realize that once l took the leap that my most used tools would end up being my small community's entire supply of one sided safety razor blades and my giant pickle jar full of old bits of partially used sandpaper.
All those years.... I had everything l needed right there at my fingertips.
Except for clamps. Still buying clamps of every size, shape and construction.
Otherwise I'll bet l do a solid 50% of my work with a friggin razor blade!
Love watching Jerry work and hearing his various wisdom on instrument repair, life, etc. He's the kind of guy you wish was your neighbor.
I just bought my first Martin guitar and it's similar to this one. It's a 2015 HD28V. It's so nice to watch a pro at work! Here I am at 60 yrs old retired and thinking, "I think I'd like to do this kind of work!" You're a pleasure to watch, sir! 😊 Thanks for posting!
I currently make a living as a carpenter. Watching Jerry makes me want to get a job at Martin guitars. Why not? I live in PA not too far from the factory in Nazerth.
got on this by accident, but watched the whole video anyway. i love watching people with a passion for what they do.
I have been playing (and stringing) guitars for over 55 years and you just taught me a new way to string them that looks easier than the easy way I developed years ago. Thanks.
thanks for the mention ole buddy I owe ya a few once I get back into making videos steady again. nice work on this guitar!
Sir, I can't play anything except the radio but I thoroughly enjoyed watching your repair. You obviously know what you are doing. Your friend is lucky to have such a friend!
There was a longtime luthier in my area that I believe rarely declared any stringed instrument as hopeless. Another luthier that owned a guitar shop barely looked at my dad's treasured (but not rare) guitar. As a kid I fiddled withe the truss rod not knowing what it was. The 1940'sh guitar neck was very bowed. Mr. Bowman repaired that guitar AND two other violins. Thankyou for repairing such sentimental treasures. My dad and his friends played string band music for barn dances.
The first thing that a person needs in this kind of work is unwavering confidence. The suspense is killing me.
A very fine example to use for a "real world" bridge repair instructional!! Watching this brought back memories of my very first repair 47 years past. I was young and broke with dreams of building and repairing. I needed to make a saddle after a bridge repair but had no access to materials. I thought deer antler might work so I hit my cousin up for the only piece he had which was very small. I spent an hour just mapping out a cut to yield a blank of hard material just barely long enough to make a saddle. My only tools were a small $5 vise, a coping saw, a file, a 6" machinist rule, and some sandpaper. My workspace was a coffee table. Working slowly and carefully with the sheer desire for a professional result it came out perfectly by anyone's standard!!! I was able to relive the experience by watching your video!! Thank you so much!!!
As a aircraft assembly mechanic that sound of that “snick” of that bone saddle into the bridge was music to my ears. Great craftsmanship and I agree with sneaking up on perfect
“I’m [glued] all over again.”
Thank you for sharing your time to do this repair for your friend. This was a great repair to witness.
I'm a longtime woodworker, but have never done anything like you do! I appreciate craftsmen like you so much!
It's the times we're living in. Better to do it yourself, after watching Rosa String Works for the necessary instructions on how to do it the right way, even including how to string up a Martin.
Jerry, it's a joy to watch a real craftsman at work. Thanks for a great video!
I love the boldness of your strategy juxtaposed with your polite humility. Your string winding was marvelous and a reminder of what skills are lost to retirement if they are not shared. Thank you.
Thanks for your efforts to show us your repair techniques. I have learned a few things and had a lot of fun watching. God Bless you. Much love.
At 48:21 in the video, maybe I'm wrong, but it appears there is either glue, finish chipped out or bare wood exposed at the back of the bridge. I certainly appreciate the advanced level of craftsmanship required for this project (having had neck resets and bridge removals on my Martins over the years), but I would not be satisfied if my guitar was delivered back to me in this condition. If I am wrong about what I think I see in the video, I apologize for the negative feedback.
I was surprised to see that as well. I went back to the beginning of the video to confirm that it was not there to start. Unfortunate.
I'm sorry to say I have to agree. And sanding using the guitar body for support is just not worth the risk, no matter how much pressure is applied. I really enjoyed the banter but....
Good point, at 27:10 we see the glued bridge and it looks fine. At 36:00 we see it again and the spruce near the bridge looks completely different and he never explains this. My guess is the bridge came loose after he drilled it at 27:24 (which I was shocked by, and the amount of wood the drill bit brought out). He should have never drilled the bridge with that bit after gluing it to the top (wtf?), just use the reamer to carefully clear the holes. My advice to all instrument/music lovers, never try to "save money" on a repair. Take it to the best and be prepared to pay. Also, if you are pulling out a glued-in saddle, pull it from the center not the end. Would also like to know the year of the guitar or did I miss it? A good bridge repair video that uses some different techniques:
ua-cam.com/video/wZExe86TxLs/v-deo.html
This was amazing to watch. Very sadly, true Craftsmen like yourself are a rarity these days. Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful work as usual, you describe perfectly how and why you do what you do, a very good teacher. A volume of knowledge for generations to come. Like an encyclopaedia.
I live in the desert southwest. The humidity can be really low here. Listening to your comments and doing my own research, I've started running a humidifier to help keep the relative humidity at about 40% in the room where I keep by instruments. Per the charts this should be about 7% moisture content in wood. This is also in the range where humans are comfortable. I've also noticed my skin has not been as dry since I started using the humidifier. Thank you for making me less ignorant. :)
I had this beautifull green sunburst like guitar. It was very light but after a while the bridge came loose. Wel actually it didnt came loose, it ripped the wood apart. I turned it in and got it back totally black with two giant screws sticking out of the bridge on the inside. It looks all bumpy where the damage has been. I could cry I can tell you that. I wish I had known Jerry at that time.
I find it fascinating to watch you work and educate people with your decades of expertise. Most factory authorized repair centers only want the easy money jobs and anything that takes a lot of time and knowledge they pass on. Another job well done sir!
Two shops authorized for Martin that couldn't take a bridge off and glue it back, sickening. I would never do business with them for anything and let everyone know it. Even my sorry butt can do it, I learned from the Master, you Jerry. Nice work as always, and as many times I've seen you do it, it never gets old. Now close that shop and enjoy your hiatus.
I have no idea how they would even call themselves luthiers when they cant even unglue a bridge!
I can't play a note but as a teenager my closet friend owned a martin built in 1933 this was early 70s in past 50 years I've yet to hear another guitar that had such a Rich and perfect sound actually it's hard to put in to words. He is dead and gone no idea where guitar is but that one guitar made me hit on this video 60 years later
Hyde glue for ALL repair work...a retired trained luthier who takes pleasure in watching folks do what I did for 30 yrs...and am both entertained and in shock..you do a good job..I have done that bridge removal many times..and fixed many turnaways from fraudsters with no pedigree or training..from ukelele to geetars and violins and violas and cellos and double basses etc..repair and restoration..award winner for a violin I made in 1988...and travelled the world as a luthier teacher and performer..now I play for seniors..in siberia alberta kanada..
Are there downsides to using "liquid hide glue" ?
@@jonandersonmd7994 not in authentic wood repair...because of it's efficacy and age resistance..proven for centuries..the techno chemicals destroy natural elements..God hates anti hyde glue flateartherz..
I know nothing about guitars - I can't even play one. However, it has been a joy to watch you repair this guitar, step by step, with such precision and care and expertise. Like all great craftsmen, you make the difficult look easy!
Wonderful down home skills and based on the teaser ending - I wouldn't mind just hearing you play. Fifty / sixty years ago I had some of the best guitar players come to various folk clubs that were very popular for a while in England. Cheers Jerry - I'll be back!
You’re exactly right about Elixirs. And I’m definitely trying that string winding technique.
Wow. Your sandpaper method is a game-changer for me. I am no luthier, just a guitarist who likes to work on few of my cheaper guitars - and this definitely seems worth doing. Its nice to see a work of such quality done on a beautiful guitar!
He's an amazing artist/technician. A truly remarkable man. His forethought, patience and execution are true gifts. Nice goin Jerry!
He tried to remove the bridge with a pair of wire clippers. duh
Lol cries all the way to the bank
Sir, you are a master craftsman and a gifted teacher. I am a recently retired general surgeon and watching you repair that Martin reminds me of how I used to approach things in the O.R. You never knew exactly what you were going to run into and no two patients are alike. Sometimes you just draw upon experience and logic to find the best technique for the job at hand, all the while trying not to let perfection be the enemy of good. I own a D-28 which has lost its pick guard (another common problem with Martins, or so I’m told). I live about 4 miles from the ocean in LA so the humidity tends to be consistently on the higher end of the scale but at least it doesn’t fluctuate much. Perhaps that’s why the finish hasn’t cracked on mine. At any rate, I’ll be taking it back to the shop where my dear old dad bought it as a birthday gift for me back in ‘74 for repair (Westwood Music). Incidentally, I will be adopting your stringing technique in the future. That alone was worth the time to watch the video. I have subscribed and I’m sure you’ll get to 100K in no time. By the way, your daughter-in-law’s singing is just fantastic. I enjoyed the sound track as much as the video. Take care my friend.
No one cares about surgeons. lol Write a book.
@@foobarmaximus3506 They care a lot when they're about to go under the knife.
I'm so happy you worked on this. It goes to show real men of craftsmanship don't say no ... Shame on you Martin guitars. ❤
I'm genuinely confused why any repairer would turn this job down.
Seems like a pretty standard bridge replacement to me....
I have a certified Martin repair group in my town and they could not fix a friends guitar. They charged him $60 just to look at it. It was a Framus Mayfield and it apparently was dropped at a different music store (sold for $1700, was $3500 new) and really cracked the lower bout/lower part of soundboard and back. I fixed it and didn’t charge him anything hoping he talks to the luthiers. I am not a luthier, I consider myself a guitar builder and have learned to fix many of my own mistakes and learned from other woodworkers. Amazing how the Martin people think they are the best when they can’t do intermediate repairs like this. Good job fixing this HD28!
The best bridge reset method I've seen on UA-cam hands down,I totally agree with Jerry on his take on the glue squeezeout, if all that excess glue stayed Trapped under the bridge it creates microscopic air pockets therefore weakening the joint, all your trying to do is fill in the pores of the wood on both surfaces and leave just enough adhesive in between to create the bond.
not to mention excess glue muffles the tone and volume
I love your attention to detail when making and fitting the saddle. Bravo on the entire repair!
I am no Luther! But once I had a nice vintage Guild guitar that needed a bridge reglued and I was broke and did not have deep throated clamps. So I fell back on my boat building skills and 'vacuum bag' clamped the bridge reglue job :)
Jerry has more patience than anyone I've ever seen. I've got a Martin OM-28V and every time I've ever taken it in asking about any work on it they look at the guitar and especially the through cut bridge and say "everything looks fine". 😄
You do great work on your repairs. Hate to see them coming to and end.
The factory glue job was faulty and Martin should have done this under warranty.
Good on you for doing what Martin Authorized Repair People would not do.
I had an instinctive thought indicating those who refused repair were not confident about their ability to repair ... 😮
So much for Martin's lifetime warranty and also their quality control.
That crossed my mind also. They took fine care of my wife's 82 HD28. I can only guess that this is not the original owner. The warranty covers the original owner, and is not transferable.
@@noisefuljoy yup. I love used Martins that have been taken care of. No warranty though!!
@@noisefuljoy Sounded to me like the wouldn't even do the work for money, though.
If you're not in US your lifetime guarantee turns to 1 year. I've had to take my Martin for major surgery as it basically folded in two. Had to remove the neck and shave down the heel to be able to get the action down the neck was so out of true. Then again about a year later. Only one of these repairs was covered under guarantee. Martin are living on past reputation
@@Simbosan dang man. What gauge strings did you have on it?
Took possession of an 1976 D28 bridge came off, gluing it over the varnish at the factory didn't help. Stew Mac to the rescue I fitted it myself, plays like a dream.
A true craftsman! What a pleasure watching you work!
I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos. You are a talented Craftsman!
Impeccable job Sir! I've stumbled upon this video just by chance. Got captivated the first second so I sat the whole thing through. Shame on those authorized shops for letting your friend down. "Polite applause" is yours! 😊
I use to tell my band mates that i could change a busted string in under a minute, well that just might be true now after watching you do it. Thanks for the great video. Subscribed.
Awesome work for an accomplished luthier!
it was fun watching you do this scary repair. Before I took a luthier's course I had a bridge split due to a poorly installed undersaddle pick up (done by a certified luthier). I talked to Jean Larrivee on the phone and he told me to remove the bridge and send it too him and he would make me a copy. He told me that to remove the bridge, I was to use no heat, and to match up a block of hard would with the north side of the bridge and with a large wooden mallet to strike the block with one good hard blow (swinging south toward the tail of the guitar of course) and that that should remove the bridge, and that there might be some chip out to deal with but it should be mostly good. It worked. YIKES! then he sent me the new bridge with all the old chip pieces. ( I live in the middle of now where so that's why I was doing it myself. and I wanted to learn). I had no bridge clamps so I made some blocks to support the bridge plate, cut sacrificial chop sticks for the pin holes, glued up and placed the bridge where it goes with the chopsticks firmly holding things in place, placed the guitar in it's case, forced the lid closed, and got something heavy to rest on the top of the guitar case and left it together for a couple of days. I had lots of squeeze out that was hard to clean up but here we are, 40 years later and the bridge has never lifted, the guitar has had a very active life always getting play'd hard with 13 gauge strings and is still my number one. (it's one of the earliest Dreadnaught style Larrivees)
Thanks for your vid. It was very fun to watch.
At the start I thought, "Geez! He's talkin' his head off!" But by the time he got to bridge removal, I realized, by golly, this is VERY good step-by-step instruction (and just as important, the rationale for each process)! I've never replaced a bridge, but I'm confident I could view this piece a couple of times and view it as I followed go-stop to do the job. Thank you, sir!
Good job, Good advices, That kind of work requires a lot of patience. Thanks for sharing.
side cutters to remove saddles!!!!!,,gee im cringing here on a few levels but you got guts doing it like that!!.....i could not get away with that!!....thats entertainment!
As a non- guitar playing person I enjoy your channel because you explain why you do the different things when repairing a guitar. Keep the great videos coming.
Your work is just as much of an art as anything Hendrix or clapton ever did. Fun watching you work.
Just watching this video is ALL the reason I need to never learn how to fix or repair guitars and just play them. Thank you.
I struggled with the thought between spending my money on a new Gibson or a Martin however after seeing and reading the comments , I will buy a Gibson. If I am going to spend $10,000. 00 dollars on a guitar it better have a lifetime warranty on it including parts and labor.
Hi Jerry, can I just say how much I enjoy watching you work on instruments, you are very knowledgeable and explain how, why, and what for with all you do, keep the good work up, regards from Steve Young, Hull, UK
Amazing,this guitar is better now after repair, than it was new made!
I have been using Hyde Glue in the form of Old Brown Glue for attaching bridges. I do like it and heat will take it off again. It also cleans up really easy with a paper towel and hot water.
Thank you. For an instrument lover, that was an hour well spent.
That’s a man who absolutely knows his craft. My first time watching your channel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. You’ve certainly earned my subscription.
He's an amateur
Do tell, professor.
Jerry, as always great job, I hope you are enjoying your retirement.
The technique you did for putting the strings on the peg is a neat way that I'm wanting to use on the next set for my acoustic guitar. Excellent tip !!!
In my younger years I played in a band and was roommates with a guy who became a quite famous luthier. I'm pretty handy with tools of all sorts, as well as being a musician. If I'd been smart at that age, I might have paid more attention as he and his partner rose to fame with their well-known creations. But, I was preoccupied with my own crazy world. It's possible that I could have learned awesome things, from building to pickup design. Life is funny. You look back sometimes and say, "Hey, I've had six careers." I love this video. I've watched it twice. I am in a business where I always need to be making decisions about how to make things work, and I appreciate anyone who can find solutions, especially in situations where sensitive equipment is at stake, LIKE WITH BEAUTIFUL GUITARS!
Wow! Great job Jerry!Love watching a real artisan at work!!
Your daughter in law sounds great and the song has a great hook.
I’ve been playing Martin’s for 55 years and I’ve never found a saddle glued in. 😎
You are extraordinary! It is enjoyable watching you work on these guitars. Best wishes.
I’m a luthier in Maryland. I’ve encountered very similar situations, and have learned that Martin will hand out their “Authorized” designations to any schmoe that comes along. And the “Martin Authorized” shops in this area are absolute hacks. I’ve re-repaired so many “authorized” repairs, I’ve completely lost track. HACKS.
that explains alot, thank you.
The fact that so many need repaired in the first place tells you all you need to know about manufacturer. I would never own one.
You make it seem so doable to work on these expensive guitars. I'd be afraid to mess with anything and almost cry if I pulled out a broken saddle. Thanks for demonstrating your skill!
I couldn’t play Pop Goes the Weasel on a thousand dollar bet but I love watching you make the mechanical make the art of the music. I enjoyed this one. 🤠 🎶 🎸
I really enjoyed your video. Your calm demeanor and your plan of attack for the repair was spot on! Too many times people want the quick fix, as in I'll slap a set of new strings on it and call it a day. You proved that with a little effort and thought about what actually was wrong with the guitar you had to go beyond the "quick fix". It was a pleasure to watch your craftmanship in action. The results speak for themselves.
Beautiful work as always Jerry, my poor old Martin sure could use that experience and expertise, just have to figure out how to get myself out West!! Enjoy your time off, see you soon.
Enjoy your hiatus and thank you for another lovely video.
I must say, thank you for taking the time to fix this guitar, I enjoy watching good craftsmanship as a therapeutic medicine!
Great video. I picked up some important knowledge from you, thanks. You’ve inspired me to start a new (part time) career as a luthier in a local music store, fixing bowed instruments.
When I was a youngster a little shop in town had a "fake shop" list. They where very discreet about it (they didn't advertise having it u just had to know, and u had to ask the right guy there), but if a shop advertised as being "such and such authorized" and turned down a job, they made the list.
If you pay nice coin for a nice instrument, there's no reason to be turned down at a shop "authorized" to repair your particular instrument.
I've been a carpenter for a half century, and I learned a few things in this video. Thanks.
After watching you pry like a maniac and tear spruce out of the soundboard I don’t think I’d ever let you work on even a plywood guitar of mine.
Thank you for showing this excellent nowhow. I just love experience and real craftmanship. I am not in guitar business or anything but I just love this. My dad played jazz bass from the -50´s here in Sweden until a year ago. He also played with Ella Fitzgerald when she visited here. That was of topic but I just love great work. Tank you for exist.
A very interesting and rewarding trade you have mastered. I'm a guitar player but love seeing the build of hand made guitars, troubleshooting and approaches to doing the repair. This was a great learning hour and I also learned a easier way to restring. Thank you!
No one would touch mine, so I angled it and let glue flow into it, loosen the strings, then clamp it up, wiped off the excessive glue , let it dry for two days, then it’s been working fine for 7 years now!
Aaah, craftsmanship, experience, and passion in harmony, a joy to behold.
Excellent work Jerry. Your skills and techniques will be in use probably years after you're gone. You are the best because of your attention to detail. This separates the men from the boys. I see you are trying to slowdown and enjoy a retirement as allowed and well deserved. Thanks for all the years of detailed explanation. Skills beyond reproach. Best wishes from Idaho.
Muy buen trabajo, y con herramientas hechas a mano, lo cual tiene aún más mérito. Enhorabuena y muchas gracias por compartir su pasión por la guitarra
It's like visiting a sausage making factory. The process is scary to look at but the end result is great...... If you like sausage.
I have to tell you, I almost cringed when I first started watching you remove the saddle on the Martin HD 28, but after just a couple minutes, I realized how delicately and precise your movements were. Obviously you just instinctively let your many years of repair experience show your exacting movements. You know your way around a guitar much like a chef knows his or her way around a kitchen but with 1000’s of a inch precision. I had to watch the entire video even though I am sure I will never attempt this on any of my 3 Martins. My favorite is my Martin HD 28 LSV ( large sound hole) . I love to see real craftsmanship. I am a 77 yr old …. mostly just guitar and fiddle holder. I now know how this should be done. Thanks.
Looks like a major guitar brand is now using your bridge pin mod as a feature. Ibanez AE275 uses it and even markets the design as part of their promotion. It's nice to see some of the mods you do becoming mainstream among major manufacturers.
I will start by saying that I don't play a stringed instrument. That being said, I have learned a lot about guitars watching you. As my mother often said, "who would have thunk that so much went into making something like that...". Thank you for showing us that you don't have to muscle things but approach woodworking with little finesse and ease into the final product. I really enjoy watching your videos.
Never heard a Martin as great as my Lowden.
Great to see a real craftsman. I can't get over how much your voice sounds like the character Brooks from The Shawshank Redemption.
Just a few things:
- Bridge removal and replacement - especially on Martins - is a bread and butter job for a professional shop. No pro turns these away because it is easy money. If in fact the Martin-authorized shops took a pass on the job, it was far more likely that they judged it a non-warranty repair and quoted the usual $250-$320 for the work.
- Use a 0.0025" or 0.003" feeler gauge (paper is 0.0035") to probe... paper is floppy and gets soggy when water is introduced, and you'll usually want to get some water in when the bridge is on with HHG (I have never reglued a bridge with Titebond... horrible, nasty stuff that should never be use on a decent instrument... creeps cold or hot, contaminates the surfaces, and is a miserable material to clean off wood when cured).
- NO... the saddle is NOT glued in... if it is a Martin and has rounded ends, it is a drop-in made to look like a through saddle... which is to say it will lift out. Use a mini end cutter with the edges blunted for the job... $8 for a Husky or other cheap big box mini end cutter. Because ebony these days is always seasoned for far less time time than in years past, it will shrink a bit after fabrication, so a saddle which was a tight fit in the factory at set-up will feel like it is glued after a decade or so. Slowly work it out by moving back and forth along the saddle with the modified end cutter and some scrap wood veneer to protect the top of the bridge. For post-2005 square-ended through saddles, expect to find them glued in with CA... idiotic, but that is what happens when you don't have to fix your own guitars (192g HHG is the correct adhesive for gluing in a through saddle, and they need to be glued in on vintage and even new Martins). If you don't have a good approach to removal of a CA-glued saddle (a saddle mill or heat lamp setup for removal), find someone that does and have them do the job.
- NO...do NOT score the finish around the bridge on a post-2005 Martin.... they used a pocketed bridge glue technique on this guitar and all you are doing is creating a stress riser that will cause top failure. If you are not familiar with how Martin does the work, again, find someone that knows what they are doing. And if you want to score a finish for removal such as on a refinish where you forgot to mask, use a fresh needle and light pressure... it is only necessary to score the lacquer - no need to cut all the way through if your scraper is sharp (single edged razor blade with edge turned).
- You HAVE to work both sides of the bridge (sound hole side and tailback side) for release on most tops because of grain runout on the book matched top...nature of the material. Runout may work to guide the palette knife blade down towards the bridge plate if you are not paying attention, so determine how much runout/which direction (e.g., rising grain on treble side/descending grain on bass side). If sound hole-side access is limited by the pick guard, just pull it off...these 'peel and stick' pepperoni guards come right off with a pallet knife and naphtha and go right back on with 3M 468 film (eBay), or make another $145 by swapping out that ugly pizza guard for a shop-made Vintage Brown 0.028" guard using the Axiom material or other upgrade cellulose nitrate material. if the top is markedly darker on one side of the centerline than the other, it usually means a significant amount of runout. if you move your viewing angle, the light/dark sides will swap and you will have your answer as to runout direction (light means the grain is rising away from your eye position and dark means grain is rising towards your eye position.
-Rock maple rift-sawn bridge PLATE... NOT pad. It is the traditional Martin plate material and at 0.095"-0.105", a good compromise between wear resistance (more is better) and added mass (less is better). Bigger, more massive bridge plates are ALWAYS a bad idea. Ramp and slot the bridge and use good quality hard plastic (Galalith) unslotted pins, then teach your customers how to correctly orient the string balls. Again - a bread and butter job that is a consistent $80 in the door every time. There are luthiers that make a good living pulling those massive rosewood 1970's Martin plates and replacing them with rift-sawn rock maple... focusing on wear resistance and ignoring mass is not a good idea.
-Lacquer...not varnish. Totally different materials. One is a drying finish and the other is a curing finish... that matters when doing repair work. Trying to do finish repairs with the wrong material or using the wrong technique creates a heck of a mess. Tung/phenolic varnished guitars are exceedingly rare, but is one of the most durable finishes for a musical instrument ever devised, but it is far more time and material intensive, so seldom used on production instruments. Since Ford and Devilbliss pioneered practical lacquer spray application, Gibson and US-made Martin guitars have always be lacquered with standard instrument lacquers on the body/neck and cat lacquer on satin and a few gloss necks.... one of the reasons why so many newb-made Gibson headstock touchups fail (mine included way back when .... cat lacquer requires more prep and a very solvent-hot initial tack coat for a drop fill or overspray). Again... easy check to verify the finish, and yes - it def matters.
- Use some water on the palette knife... you'll need it on pre-1968 and Authentic HHG jobs, and a bit of water on the knife on a Titebond-glued bridge keeps the residue from sticking. A good technique is to warm the pallet knife in hot (not warm... think 150-160 deg F) water... either a Rival Hot Pot or one of those $30 Amazon wax warmers does a good job and is one of those things that every repair bench needs. Keep dipping the knife in the hot water.
- You broke the saddle... and it is bone. Bummer... it happens... hopefully just once, given you've learned your lesson. Next time work along the length of the saddle, back and forth - avoiding using one end as a pry bar - and shooting for just a bit of movement (0.010" or less) at each lift. If the saddle cannot be removed, call the customer, get the extra $125 in time and materials approved, and either carefully break it out or use a saddle mill to remove by routing (some of these CA-glued Martins are like this...).
- No - the bridge was NOT glued to the finish. Remember - pocketed bridge... possibly some glue residue over the finish if not properly fitted and clamped, but no intent to bond finish to bridge with adhesive. Yes - Martin's early pocket bridges prior to the 'improved' CNC router method had excessive finish left on the top, but there is more than enough clear area for a successful reglue job. Use 315 gram strength HHG and it will be in place long after both of us are dead and gone. Clear the existing patch, heat the bridge to about 160-170 deg F on a hot plate (the old Salton plate warmers are great for this), then precut both surfaces and clamp up. The mass of the bridge will provide a heat reservoir to remelt the HHG on the bridge patch as you snug up the clamps.
- For fretboard cleanup, plastic razor blades do the same job as steel, but don't scratch the crap out of the ebony. 0000 stainless steel wool gets you to that satin factory look after the cleanup.
- Oil is about 400 times less effective at excluding moisture per mil of thickness than wax, and moisture resistance is the primary reason why we put stuff on the fretboard. Mineral oil will evaporate within a few hours, leaving some fragrance and whatever other contaminates were in the oil. Looks nice for a bit, but useless for protection against player perspiration wicking under fret wire or gumming up the board. Howard's Feed and Wax has wax, some mild citrus-based cleaners, and just enough mineral oil and naphtha to get the cleaning job done. The wax stays behind and seals the fretboard and - more importantly - the fret/board interface - against moisture intrusion. If all you are after is a temporary cosmetic effect, other mineral oils will work for a few hours, but if you want cleaning horsepower and moisture resistance, use Howards.
Other than that, certainly an entertaining video and good luck on the non-luthiery projects.
“Just a few things.” Quite the contrary. I found your detailed response to be quite informative. Thank you.
I’m no expert but I have eyes. I was distressed to see the finish damage after brute-forcing the bridge removal. The obvious glue residue was discouraging too.
Your the guy I want working on my guitar
Jerry sir, you are a true master! I love your content I've learned so much from you and wanted too say how much it's appreciated! There has been many times Im trying to figure out the correct way to repair something and magically a video comes out with my exact problem 😅 not all heros wear capes but if you decide to wear one I'd support it!
Well .. my first time watching a video from this creator. Im a fan now. Wouldn't it be great to apprentice with this guy! Someone absolutely needs to. This knowledge needs (MUST) continue.
Sir, if you do not yet have an apprentice, please consider taking one on.
Love this channel. I learned so much from it. The relentless dedication to quality is inspiring to see.
It's such a pleasure watching you fix a stringed instrument. You are a true craftsman Jerry. Been watching you for a couple of years now and everytime I watched you fix a guitar or a mandolin, you have nailed it perfectly. It seems like you haven't really retired from it yet, even though I think I remember you saying you were gonna retire. You're son looks like he is going to be a good craftsman too. I have a 1971 Epiphone 12 string a friend of mine gave me about 35 yrs ago that his mother put in the attic next to a radiator for a yr and the pull of the strings with the hot and cold temps folded it and broke the neck block in two and folded the top so the laminated pieces of the top seperated. Really don't know what to do with it but it still sits in the closet. Are you interested? Haha. Maybe you got a video for something like that in your collection. Anyhow love your work.
For the record I have not retired I am just on a hiatus for a few months working on farm projects
@@RosaStringWorks Well I am glad to hear you are not retired, but try not to work too hard on your hiatus. Find time to relax and enjoy a beer or cocktail. I am going to make a video of my broken 12 string but it might not be worth paying the price to repair it, which would probably be more than what the guitar is worth. Enjoy your hiatus buddy.
I have a 12 string that did the same thing, the top has wrinkled at the base of the neck. Of course the neck has lifted to where I quit using it. Good luck.
Amazingly patient and steady! I have not done any guitar repair and have wondered how one replaces the bridge and the many improvements you made! Thank you for being so clear with each step and the many 'adjustments' you made on that herringbone D28. I'm sure the owner really appreciated your artistry, I know I would be. Martin drives a very hard bargain on warranty issues. I had a curling pick guard on my D35 from 1975, but when I complained using online media, and they read my story, they came around in a hurry. Wonderful video and a pleasant one to watch. Thanks