bulging soundboard

[geoff]

Hi,

Just after a bit of advice,

i have a cheap samick abilene aw15 dreadnaught guitar that was given to me, it had a buldging top behind the bridge, which made the string height way to high for playing.

i have removed the soundboard off the guitar ali=ong with the neck, the sound board is still raised even after a week or more without strings, the bracing is still glued, no breaks, How do i go about flattening the soundboard out again. i think it is NATO

 

cheers

geoff

[Dave Yelverton]

Hi Geoff

Since you've got the soundboard off then it would be easy to use heated metal cauls to reduce the belly swelling. You could make your own if you have some thick aluminium or try Stewmac's own products
.
For a less expensive solution, I have had a lot of success with 12-strings using the JLD bridge system. By increasing the dowel torsion gradually over a 2-5 week period with the guitar unstrung, you can reduce the belly, largely by undoing the bridge rotation that caused it in the first place. There is no real consensus on how good a solution this is; it works for me and I find it appropriate for an inexpensive guitar.
If you then re-string with lightweights, the problem should disappear,.

Regards

Dave

[geoff]

Hi Dave,
thanks for your response,
the metal cauls, they are used to create an even distribution of pressure over the soundboard right?
would i only apply these to the effected area or the whole soundboard?
how much pressure should i apply to the cauls?
i will definietely have a closer look at the jld bridge system, are there any how make diy plans for this system??

cheers
geoff

[Eugen C]

Take a look at this: http://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/12-string-sigma-with-bellied

[geoff]

Eugen,
thankyou very much for the link,
it is very interesting, your pictures look very similar to the extent of my bellied top, i have removed the top from the guitar so work maybe a little easier for me, until i have to put it all back together again!!!
i was wondering if i should maybe replace the top, but after seeing your result i will give it a try to flatten it out.

thanks again.

cheers
Geoff

[William F.Eden]

I f it were my guitar and I ready had the top off it I would just replace the top..... The top is not all that much and you will have trouble getting it all lined up anyway. Be sides you can now change the bracing and get rid of the problem once and for all. Just my take on the subject. Bill.''''''''''''''''''''''''''

[geoff]

thanks bill,
appreciate our input,
so i take it you believe it would be poor bracingplacement that would allow this top to bulge???

is one bracing pattern better than another???

[Ned Knepp]

On a steel string flat top guitar, half the job of bracing is to keep the instrument from coming apart. I think there's a pretty good chance the there are gaps where the braces are not glued securely to the top. If you have the top off, look at the bracing to see of there are any gaps between the braces and the top wood. Also take a look at the condition of the bridge plate. If you can, take some pictures of the inside side of the top you removed and post them.

Your question about one bracing pattern being better than another might be the beginning of an argument so it's a bit harder to answer but the basic design should probably be an X brace.

Ned

[geoff]

hi ned,
thanks for the reply,
i have looked at the bracing as this was my motivation to remove the top, i thought some would have had to be loose, but not so, it seems as though the bracing is in resonable condition, i will do as you have sugested and take some pics ad post them.

the main bracing is an X shape.

cheers
geoff

[Ned Knepp]

Have the braces distorted along with the top? What about the condition of the bridge plate?

Ned

[geoff]

i will check more closely this afteroon ned, the bridge plate sees to be missing a layer of wood alog the pin line

[William F.Eden]

Well i was away yesterday i was glad to see that our good friend Ned jumped in and ofered to give you some help.My exp. has been that if every thing that Ned has ask you about is all fine then it is likely that the top is to thin and or the tone bar behind the bridge plate is to far away from the B,P. P.S. i would still go for the new top and put a little arch in the top. BILL.''''''''''''''''''''

[Ned Knepp]

The missing wood in the bridge plate along with wear in the top from the string balls is a big problem and could be the crux of the issue but check that the braces are tight and straight. If they are loose you should be able to reglue them. If they are bowed, you could replace the whole thing more easily than you can fix it.

If the top really is nato, ( which doesn't sound correct to me ) I wouldn't mess with with trying to repair it. Bill may be right, since you already have it off, replacing it may be easier than fixing it and getting it to all line back up again. ( Most of the time issue like this are dealt with through the sound hole rather than by removing the top.)

Something to consider is that the guitar probably isn't worth what you would put into it so unless you really want the experience...

Ned