Bridge plate damage ??

invasion · April 2016

I have a Yamaha Compass series that I have owned since new. I have never changed the strings on it in the time that Ive owned it which is 2 years. any way finally thought I should change them was the sound was rather dull as you would expect lol.

I decided to look at the bridge plate before changing the strings which are the factory fitted ones and found this I take it it shouldn't have the big hole at the G string pin??

ICBM · April 2016

I suspect it should in the sense that it looks like it's a location hole for assembling it on a jig, since it's directly between the G and D string holes.

But it shouldn't in the sense that there really shouldn't be a hole there.

Interesting that Yamaha are fitting D'Addarios too - I didn't know that. Or could it have been re-strung in the shop?

Lewy · April 2016

As ICBM says, it's not damage, it's a location hole. You'll see the same on a Gibson.

I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the ball end is disappearing into it though...

invasion · April 2016

Thanks guys, That makes sense it was a location hole for assembly, but really don't like the idea of the ball end going into the hole

Wish I had checked when I purchased it from Nevada music a couple of years back. Picture wise, thats my fault, Yamaha aren't using D'Addarios, that is the second picture I took after I had replaced them to see if the ball end was going into the hole again or had made it worse.

so do I leave it or is there a repair that needs to be done ?

thats again for your help really appreciated

ICBM · April 2016

Leave it, it won't get any worse. You'll probably find similar on many guitars - almost no-one will ever look. Likewise the very roughly drilled peg holes.

What you should probably do is try to deliberately put the ball end towards the B string slightly. If you pre-bend the end of the string and make sure it's pointing that way as you push the peg in, it should work. (You should really always pre-bend the strings anyway, it helps make certain they don't hang up on the ends of the pins.)

invasion · April 2016

ICBM said:

Leave it, it won't get any worse. You'll probably find similar on many guitars - almost no-one will ever look. Likewise the very roughly drilled peg holes.

What you should probably do is try to deliberately put the ball end towards the B string slightly. If you pre-bend the end of the string and make sure it's pointing that way as you push the peg in, it should work. (You should really always pre-bend the strings anyway, it helps make certain they don't hang up on the ends of the pins.)

Ok thats great as it is a lovely sounding guitar especially with the long overdue strings I purchased 5 sets so I won't be leaving it that long again. Going to contradict myself now, it did come with D'Addarios from new, I just checked my photos and they are the same before and after I also checked the old set I took off.

thanks again

Lewy · April 2016

To reassure you even further, check out the state of the bridge plate on a new £2.5k Gibbo J45 True Vintage....oh the care! (sounds great though...)

ICBM · April 2016

Is that ply, or just a very odd piece of wood with different coloration on the face and the edge? Or a trick of the photo lighting?

Looks like crap, anyway! And what's that other hole forward of the top E peg?

Just like they were done in the 60s though, no doubt… I had an amazing-sounding '61 J-45 (stupidly sold, which I still regret) and the kerfing inside looked like it had been fitted by a trained monkey. That hadn't finished its training.

invasion · April 2016

Lewy said:

To reassure you even further, check out the state of the bridge plate on a new £2.5k Gibbo J45 True Vintage....oh the care! (sounds great though...)

thanks for posting it has put my mind at rest

You really wouldn't expect that at on a 2.5 k guitar. Really amazes me looks like I've built it on the inside. but I guess it is all about the sound...you don't see many records selling because you have a really nice bridge plate

Lewy · April 2016

ICBM;1047837" said:
Is that ply, or just a very odd piece of wood with different coloration on the face and the edge? Or a trick of the photo lighting?

Looks like crap, anyway! And what's that other hole forward of the top E peg?

Just like they were done in the 60s though, no doubt… I had an amazing-sounding '61 J-45 (stupidly sold, which I still regret) and the kerfing inside looked like it had been fitted by a trained monkey. That hadn't finished its training.

It's a trick of the light (iPhone flash).

My '57 Southern Jumbo looked similar too. Gibson really just don't care about this stuff, and in the case of this guitar I probably agree with their prioroties. It looks awful for a £2.5k guitar .... but, I suspect that an Adirondack topped and braced guitar with hot hide glue construction AND immaculate tidiness inside would be closer to £3.5k and wouldn't sound any better.

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Bridge plate damage ??

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