Query failed: connection to localhost:9312 failed (errno=111, msg=Connection refused). Aria 12 String split and cracked behind bridge - Acoustics Discussions on The Fretboard
›
UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Aria 12 String split and cracked behind bridge

What's Hot
nonesuchnonesuch Frets: 289
edited March 2021 in Acoustics
I have an old Aria 12 string acoustic from the late 1980s. Unfortunately the string tension seems to have pulled the bridge forwards and upwards cracking the wood badly along the back edge of the bridge.

Is this repairable, and if it even is, would it cost more than the guitar is even worth?




0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter

Comments

  • tomjaxtomjax Frets: 59
    Yup, definitely repairable and probably not as expensive as you'd think. Where are you based, people might be able to recommend a good local repair guy. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter
  • nonesuchnonesuch Frets: 289
    North East, Newcastle area.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter
  • tomjaxtomjax Frets: 59
    I know great people in York and Leeds but not Newcastle. Hopefully somebody else can point you to a trusted repair tech in the area. They generally provide a repair quote before any work is done, so you can get an idea of what it might cost you. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter
  • nonesuchnonesuch Frets: 289
    Just an update on this - Neil at Guitar Guitar in Newcastle was able to glue and clamp the spilt and it seems to have worked. Didn't have to take the bridge off, so that made the repair affordable and worthwhile. He couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't start to pull apart again in the future, but I'm totally alright with that. I think he's done a great job considering I didn't want to be spending a fortune. 


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter
  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 11742
    Tune it down to D, you can always capo it to get back to standard tuning. It’ll put much less stress on the bridge.  ;)
    My trading feedback  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57616/
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 69426
    boogieman said:
    Tune it down to D, you can always capo it to get back to standard tuning. It’ll put much less stress on the bridge.  ;)
    You should always tune a 12-string down to D in my opinion - they sound better, play more easily and it puts a lot less stress on them - not just the bridge. To tune to E you need really light strings, and then they just don't sound quite as good anyway. Old 12-strings were always designed to be tuned down, before light strings were available.

    Looks like he's done a nice job given the relatively low value of the guitar. If it shows any sign of lifting again, have it bolted down - with some pearl dots over the bolt heads it will look fine, in fact many guitars (eg Gibsons) are built like that. With decent-sized washers on the inside it will never shift.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    0reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom · Share on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.