Help with stewmac bridge cockup

dodgi

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Hi all, this is my first post in the luthier's lounge so please be gentle with me :)

I've just completed my first stewmac soprano kit build and having spent hours getting everything right somehow managed to cockup the bridge mounting. I'm not sure what happened but essentially the bridge is not straight, it is angled slightly from bottom to top so the 'a' string is slightly longer than the 'g' string. I can only guess that there must have been an unnoticed slip when I was putting the screws in. I have used magic nails glue to secure it. So here's my questions:

1. It sounds alright so apart from the aesthetics of knowing it's out of kilter will this angled mounting cause me any problems?

2. If I decide to remount am I likely to make a mess trying to remove the bridge and re-mounting it? I'm wondering if, for example, the glue will tear at the face board. Also, I'm a little concerned about re-drilling the mounting holes as they are going to be so close to the originals.

Thanks in advance

Dodgi
 
If sound ok I wouldn't worry about it . Im not sure about the glue you used it may be to risky to try to get it off . Just look at it as a learning experience and enjoy playing it
 
Hi Dodgi,

It all depends on how slight is "slightly". If it is immediately obvious when you look at it, then it will be hard to live with. If it is not obvious, but still enough to affect the intonation, I would suggest making a compensated saddle to sort it out. If it is only VERY slightly out of line, it might not affect the intonation enough to warrant messing about with it.

I'd be very reluctant to attempt to remove a bridge. The chances of doing it without damaging the uke are not good.

I bought a very nice uke with a wonky bridge. It is about 1/16" out from one end of the saddle to the other, relative to the twelfth fret. You can clearly see the error, but a compensated saddle sorted it out, and it now plays in tune all the way up. I quite like its cheeky lopsided grin!

John Colter.
 
Thanks very much for your responses. I'll take your advice and live with it. I guess it does give it a certain uniqueness :)
 
Maybe you can learn to play it slightly angled.....then the bridge will look straight
 
As suggested, I would try to compensate the crown of the saddle as far as possible.
And this is the primary reason that nothing should be used but either hide glue or PVA should be used to glue a bridge on. It's meant to be removable and repairable. Same with neck joints; never make them permanent.
 
Actually That should have been 'no more nails' not 'magic nails' but that's a good point Chuck. Being new to this I wanted to make all my joints as secure as possible but I can see your reasoning. Oh well next time :)
 
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