12 String steel w classical bridge -- how to bridge doctor?

[Barbara Millikan]

I'm working on this instrument for a friend; it was made by a couple of HS seniors in a shop class in the 60s, I believe. It has a LOT of quirks, including fan bracing and a big old chunk of a bridge with the strings threaded through it ( NO pegs).

Without reading carefully, I ordered a JLD bridge doctor from StewMac and got the one recommended for 12 strings. Now I see that its purpose seems to be to turn a pegged bridge into a threaded one.

Can I adapt that by just drilling one hole?

Does the brass peg make for a stronger connection? Or was the purpose of the brass pin mount to convert a pin bridge to a classical bridge?

Thanks,

Barbara

[Ned Knepp]

Hi Barbara, 

   I haven't tried installing one of these on a fan braced guitar so I don't know how it would be positioned internally but as long as you can get firm mounting points I don't know why it wouldn't work.

[Barbara Millikan]

Ned, I've talked to Don Kendall now, and he confirms my suspicion that I should have bought the other kit -- the one with the screw and the dot cover for it. The Bridge Doctor with the brass pins is only for a 12 string with a pin bridge and this one is pinless.

What I wasn't sure of was if there was a strength difference between the ordinary screw and the brass pin. 

Tanks.

Barbara

[Mark McLean]

Hi Barbara

Fortunately the BD is not too expensive so you won't be too mauch out of pocket if you need to buy another.  Stew Mac are usually also very good about taking returns if you have bought the wrong thing (if you are not too far to justify the postage - I am in Australia, so nothing ever gets sent back!).  The BD that bolts through the bridge is easy to install and I have done it in a fan-braced guitar before.  You need a flat bit of bridge-plate in the centre-line.  But if there is a brace in the way you can even carve down a section of that brace and install it right on top. 

Mark