3 pro tips to save a bridge!
We all know how important a bridge is! I mean, how else do you get to Dartmouth from our shop! (a little Nova Scotia humour for our non-local readers). In all seriousness, the bridge is one of the most important parts of your instrument. It affects your string height and tone. We also know that they are not cheap to replace and you want them to last as long as possible!
Here are 3 pro tips that can help prolong the life of your bridge!
1. Visually inspect
Before you put your instrument away or end your practice session, look at your bridge from the side. Your bridge should be perpendicular to the face of your instrument.
This is an image of a crooked bridge. Note the angle the bridge is at in comparison to the face of the instrument. If you also look carefully, the bridge feet do not sit flat either!
This is how your bridge should look! Make sure it is perpendicular to the face of the instrument.
2. Carefully straighten
Oh no! The bridge is leaning a towards the fingerboard or towards the tail piece! Carefully hold the bridge from both sides while having support for the body of the instrument. You can put it on a workbench (with leather or something soft to protect the varnish from scratches), your lap, or even the floor. If you are uncomfortable doing this yourself, bring it in to a shop for a luthier to help you.
3. Bring it to the shop before it’s too far gone!
I didn’t pay attention to my bridge and it’s warping now! That’s okay! If it has only begun to warp, the bridge can be bent back and will prolong the life of the bridge for a while. This is an inexpensive fix but may not necessarily be a permanent fix. Each bridge and instrument will be a little bit different, but the earlier you bring it in, the greater the chance of saving the bridge!
Look how this bridge is curving now. This is what it looks like when the bridge is warping! Note how the bridge is also sitting crooked on the instrument. A crooked bridge with the string tension on it for extended periods will cause the warping pictured here!
Leave a comment if this was helpful! And contact us if you need help!
