Hi everyone! Problems with acoustic repair

[Manuel Salitre]

First of all, hi everyone and sorry about my not so correct English... ;)

I'm from Spain, and trying to fix something really ugly.

Let's talk about the patient: a cheap chinese guitar, cheap in price, so I knew sooner or later will bring me troubles... The thing it's that the guitar was a gift from my girlfriend, so at least, I'm forced to try repairing the thing.

Well, the bridge was glueing off, so I thought about took directly it all off, and reglue the proper way. But then I realized about the "belly" of the top near the bridge (actually, just by the side). Then I realized what had really happen: the bridgeplate craked (not all, but at least a big part of it), and the tension of the strings did the rest.

So I decided to take the bridge of anyway, due it was not well glued anyway...it damaged a little the top, (again, good materials and handle at the building process...).

How can I bring back the top to its good form? Maybe forcing it with clamps?

How can I repair the neckplate? Or should I think about making a new one?

And if the part of the top under the bridge was damaged...could I fix it with titebond or similar?

Thanks for your time, and please, forgive me about my English.

Cheers!

[Eugen C]

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

Hope it helps.

[Manuel Salitre]

Thanks Eugen. I searched for something like what you show me, but I couldn't find no one.

It seems a case with a lot of similitudes with mine, so I will act like our Romanian buddy ;)

By the way, the bridgeplate and the part of the top (at least what remains of it) under the bridge don't make me feel very confident. So, how can I fix that? I don't think fixin the bridgeplate would be an option, so, can I unglue it with heat? And can I reinforce the top abobe the bridgeplate with more wood o something like that?

In fact, I think the *#%$&$ bridgeplate is the one to blame...

Thanks again Eugen.

[FRANK]

HEY MANUEL CAN YOU ADD A PHOTO ?

[Manuel Salitre]

Sorry Paul, my reflex died (RIP) just a few weeks ago... I'm gonna try geeting one, though.

The belly is almost exactly the same of the guitar of the thread Eugen posted. So I think that matter could be easily fixed.

Now, touching the inside, I had found thath the bridgeplate itself its curve to, as the top. Again that make me think about the bridgeplate as the one to blame.

Suggestions for unglueing the bridgeplate?

And once again, thanks for sharing your time.

[FRANK]

MABY IT IS BUILT THAT WAY WITH THE TOP ARCHED THE BRIDGE PLATE IS A BRACE ALSO JUST LIKE THE BRIDGE IS A BRACE ALSO SO THE TOP MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A ARCH ? WHAT ARE THE BRACES DOING ARE THEY GLUED

[Manuel Salitre]

Well, I don't think so. The belly starts just at the end of the braces, and as I said, the bridgeplate its almost cracked, and that crack marks the most prominent zone of the belly.

I though about installing a tailpieze, if everything fails, but I supose there would not be enough angle to work properly.

Do you consider taking off the bridgeplate as a good way to resolve this trouble?

[FRANK]

IF YOU CAN GET TO IT TO TAKE IT OFF YEA I WOULD NOT WANT THAT JOB IT SOUNDS LABOR INTENSIVE AND HIGH AMOUNT OF DIFFICULTY