Finish on a Gibson re-placement bridge question?

[RETROROD]

I am having to replace a broken adjustable bridge from a '67 or so Gibson B-25. The original is rosewood and had pulled up from the rear and cracked parallel with the adj screws.

I found a luthier on the net to make a re-placement with a fixed bone saddle. I have recieved it. I am happy with it but the color is quite a bit different than the original and it does not have a similar finish sheen to it.

Would anyone 'enlighten me' to the proper Gibson finish on a rosewood bridge?

I guess I have never really thought about it, but they do have a 'distinctive' glow!

Rather than proceed in reckless fashion, I would like some info from the pros....

Rod

[Greg Mirken]

There's no finish on that old bridge. It's simply been burnished by contact with hands over the years. You could rub a little oil into it and rub it with a cloth after you glue it on. You are going to pull out that mounting hardware and fill the holes, aren't you?

[RETROROD]

Yes! That is done now. I filled the bushing holes with spruce but need to scrape the bridge pad area some more to prepare it  for hot hide glue. I will send pics after I get them downloaded.

I think oil would be good!

What would you say to Tru-Oil......Like... for gunstocks?

[harrison phipps]

I would not put oil on a guitar bridge. Carefully sand it till 1500 or 2000 grit and then hold it to a polishing wheel. The old bridge is most likely Brazilian, what did your luthier use?

[RETROROD]

I don,t doubt that the original is Brazilian....and I know he didn't use Brazilian....I just assume that he used a rosewood of some sort? It is quite a bit 'drier' (feeling and looking) than all Gibson bridges that I have experience with....?

[William F.Eden]

I would go with Harrison on this one it  is to bad you hadn't sent the old one to him to copy completly. Bill............

[RETROROD]

I hear ya Bill...I might wish I had...?!!?

Possibly, I got what I paid for....?

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi Rod,

I use a little oil on acoustic guitar bridges all the time.  I've been doing this for 40 years and have never experienced a problem with it.

I sand it with 400, then 600 then 0000 steel wool and then put fingerboard oil on my fingers, just a couple drops, and hand rub it into the top of the bridge.  I emulates an unfinished bridge that's been burnished from play for 20 years.

Why I do this has nothing to do with the function of the instrument.  I do it because it looks great and it makes it more comfortable for the players who rest the butt of the palms on the bridge.  On high grade instruments, I even ever so slightly chamfer the "ears" of the bridge on their edges to eliminate the sharp edge.  I do that with a sanding stick and lots of top protection.

So, I say go ahead and oil it if you wish.  Of course, do this AFTER the bridge is installed to avoid glue-up issues.  And, don't saturate it, but you most like know that already.

I love those "Dreamsicle Burst" Gibsons from that era.  That guitar is in good shape.  Nice score man.

Later on,

Paul

[RETROROD]

Thanks Paul, I will, as suggested by you and Harrison, fine sand it progressively. After mounting, I will use some Howards Feed and Wax as Eric suggests. I like the Howards treatment and results on dry fingerboards.

Yes, the guitar is in absolutely excellant shape and I am a big fan of the colors from this era also.

....Looking back, I really wanted to salvage the original bridge and re-use it. I discovered that the bass-side adjustment screw had sheared off in the bushing. Tonally, it will be an improvement to get rid of the adj-saddle.

I guess it is possible to have someone fill in the wide saddle opening and then route for a fixed saddle insert. I was not sure of the structural integrity as the bridge was removed in two pieces? It seemed 'do-able' in the right hands, at least!

In searching, I came across a luthier on the East Coast who specialised in re-placement bridges for the earlier 'belly-up' plastic bridges that were used on some Gibsons of the era.

Since my example is 'belly-down', I had to send him my original(I got back) to copy and get the saddle route correct.

[Eric Steven Johansen]

I'd go with the oil idea. I use Howards Feed and Wax, the same as I use on my boards.

[Hesh Breakstone]

+1 - that's what we use too - Howard's and you can find it at "real" hardware stores - great stuff. 

Rod buddy if you are going to use HHG which is an excellent choice provided that the bridge patch and bridge bottom have excellent, full wood-to-wood contact consider preheating the bridge (15 - 18) seconds in a microwave depending on the wattage of the microwave) and it will extend that pesky, short open time of HHG for you.  Dry clamping runs are your friend also when using HHG or any glue for that matter but with hide it's especially useful and important since you are racing against the clock.

I've used oil before as Paul does and it works great too.

[RETROROD]

Thanks Hesh! I did just that, as you recommended. She is clamped down for 24 hours. I am hoping for the best!

Update to follow..