bunnyf
Well-known member
Went camping, opened case and this is what I found. how common is this, uke is about 6-12 mo old. never had this happen with another uke. Is this a big deal to fix?
Bridge off
- Thread starter bunnyf
- Start date
oh NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So sorry this happened. From what I read here on UU it might be fixable, but depending upon how much damage is done all together, will determine, the amount of careful effort, luthery skill, and cost required to make repairs for it to be like new again...
If you can add some close-up photos and maybe give a heads-up in the Luthiers section, you might get more (experienced) eyeballs to read your plea for help....
I am no expert, and have not done a bridge repair myself, and UU is the first place I'd look, and the second place would be for videos on Youtube showing guitar or uke bridge repair or replacement...
Please report back whatever happens.....
Good luck!
-Booli
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bunnyf
Well-known member
Well I'm in SW Fl, and I have 2 LoPrrinzi ukes, so I'm hoping they can help, but I just contacted them and they are at NAMM thru the weekend, so I guess in will have to be patient and wait. So bummed since I play the bari 80% of the time! even tho I have many other ukes
kdavis04
Active member
Did the bridge separate cleanly from the top?
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/archive/index.php/t-17708.html
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/archive/index.php/t-17708.html
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bunnyf
Well-known member
Yep. I know nada about luthiery but it looks like glue just failed and it cleanly separated. Am trying to post a picture but an struggling.
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bunnyf
Well-known member
Better view?
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bunnyf
Well-known member
I'm thinking that I could contact the original builder but it's just that I play this uke every day and would hate to have to ship it out.
Nickie
Well-known member
Sorry to hear about that bunny.....my favorite Kala popped its bridge off a few months ago....I took it to the local repair guy, he reset it and glued it back on....no problems since then, and it only took about a day to properly set in. Yours looks like the bridge came apart. They'll just pop off the old bridge and stick in a new one...Good luck!
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bunnyf
Well-known member
Nickie you are by me, who did you use? I was going to use LoPrinzi as I have two of his ukes, but this one is from another luthier further away. Since the LoPrinzis are away at NAMM I would use someone else since this is my daily player and I'm jones in' for it
BlackBearUkes
Well-known member
Looks like a tie on bridge style and the portion of the bridge that is critical broke completely off. If it were my uke, I would have a new bridge installed. Simply gluing things back together may work for a while, but I wouldn't count on it. New bridge time IMO.
What about glueing on the broken piece just for aesthetic purposes, and then drilling four 1/8" holes and converting it to a 'string-through' bridge, provided that the bridge-plate is strong enough?
That way you could play it, and not need to visit a luthier....
Just put beads or washers ahead of the string knot so it can press on the underside of the bridge plate to prevent it from slipping through.
Once at pitch, String pressure should pull the bridge and soundboard together, in such a way that this will not happen again.
Also, I was thinking that if that bridge is ebony and not rosewood, from having worked with ebony a little, it is VERY brittle, and especially if there is low humidty, you can snap pieces of ebony like a soup cracker, and that could be why the wood responded to the stress by coming off in that way...
kypfer
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If it was my instrument and warranty repair was an option, I'd take it. It really does look like an unfortunate case of poor manufacture. I'd not try to repair it "as was", I simply don't think you'd achieve the mechanical strength for a long-term fix. Booli's suggestion of drilling through and fitting the strings from inside the instrument with beads or washers sounds like a very valid concept. A 4-string banjo tailpiece might also work, if you can find something of an appropriate size.
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bunnyf
Well-known member
Thanks for your replies. This is a handmade uke from Appalachia. I could contact the luthier but hate to ship it and wait. It is my daily player. I live in sticksville so no nearby luthiers here, not even any reliable local guitar repair guys. I am a few hours drive to LoPrinzi's shop (I have two of their ukes) but they are away at NAMM. It's been super hot and humid here and I do play outside with frequency (don't know if that had any effect). I guess I will wait for the LoPrinzis to get back. I'm certainly not handy enough to touch it myself.
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bunnyf
Well-known member
I didn't really want to ship it off, but I did windup talking to the luthier who made this uke and he is going to replace the bridge. Thanks again folks for your replies. Meanwhile...since I am lost without my baritone, I was jonesin' and couldn't stop myself from just checking eBay and you know how that goes. I figured that I really should get a bari backup. Something that I can take anywhere like camping and the beach in this hot humid Florida weather and leave the expensive uke home. Well, wouldn't you know, I saw green label Harmony, late 40s, early 50s up for sale. Looked in good condition and included the vintage case. Couldn't pass it up. Can't wait!
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