repairs to '59 Gibson CW

[Dave Richard]

I recently bought this as a fix up player for myself, and have questions about some of the repair issues.  I'll ask about two for now.  When I got it, the bridge was held on by only the bolts, and the bridge plate by bolts and a little glue.  Both came off easily.  The top has a significant bulge behind the bridge area, and I'm wondering if I should try to flatten it somewhat before reinstalling a new bridge and plate. Two pictures show the top bulge.

The pickguard has a severe concave dishing, from shrinkage.  I'm considering removing the guard, flattening the area, and sealing the bare wood/reattaching the guard with double sided adhesive film.  Has anyone had good luck removing this size of guard(it's mostly well adhered to the top). The shrinkage has distorted the top(pulled it up) by the soundhole.

[Dave Richard]

I should add, the top bulge is not caused by loose bracing, and I've added another picture of the bulge, viewed from the end of the body.

[Ned Knepp]

Dave,

 the bulge behind the bridge and the concave area in front of the bridge are probably caused by the  loose bridge and plate. The bridge and bridge plate hold this area fairly flat and spread the string load to the braces. When they are loose, the top can "roll" with the bridge and raise the top behind  while pressing in the top in front of the bridge. In my opinion it needs to be flattened as it will probably only get worse. I think it will also make getting the action into acceptable playing condition problematic.  Make very sure none of the braces are loose. You may also need to check the long legs of the X to see if they are warped too.

[nathan clark]

What's a "cw"?

I've never successfully flattened a top by clamping blocks to sandwich the top. I've only had success flattening tops by replacing damaged or broken parts. I've heard others mention success by using clamp and blocks. If I'm not mistaken, TJ Thompson has put his name behind a tool system that flattens tops.

I recently repaired a 1962 Gibson b-25 that had a plastic bridge and bulged top. The plate was still secured to the top so I scooted the new bridge back about 1/8 or 3/16", used the same pinholes and had plenty of room for the saddle slot. I made the new bridge flat across the grain and with the grain of the bridge, a little less arched than the top. A new bridge plate would have made the top even flatter. It flattened the top a little.

[Dave Richard]

It's a 'Country- Western' model, a J-50 with more bling.

The x braces are not loose, surprisingly, although they may have taken on more of a curve, or radius, than was original. When I got the guitar, it was still strung with corroded medium guage strings: bridge and plate were loose, which has caused the distortion. I'm only hoping to reduce the bulge somwhat(and remove the 'kink' visible, under the straightedge, about where the low E string would be). I' m concerned about clamping a new, radiused bridge, and new plate onto that bulge/kink, and not getting good contact.

Does anyone know what that reddish, bubbly glue is, that Gibson was using at that time?

[William F.Eden]

I have worked on some of these J-50's and found that the top is so thin  that you can see the braceing throught the top with out a lite inside I would replace the bridge plate with a Maple one and sweat the top down first.Bill..........

[Dave Richard]

Bill, what's your method to sweat down the top?

[William F.Eden]

Well Dave I just take a hot damp rag  turn the guitar upside down and lay the rag in were the bridge plate is and leave it there for a bout one hour .Then take a piece of 3/4 plywood about 2 1/2'' wide by what ever you can get in between the x braces and a little bigger piece of the same on the top I usually heat the top piece first and clamp it all down. Then put some heat into the inside with a hairdryer as  well as the top and cover it all with a heavy blanket and do it several times sometimes I heat the inside plywood as well. I hope this is of some help to you it always work's for me. P.S you really have to try different ways as they all don't work the same. Bill..............

[Dave Richard]

Thanks, Bill, I think I will try that procedure.