Please help my 1973 D50 find a new bridge.

Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
My 1973 Guild D50 needs the bridge replaced. A previous owner cut it down and cut out the bottom to lower the saddle. In doing so the saddle opening was widened which allowed the saddle to tip forward, resulting in the bridge developing a crack along the saddle cut and also cracked the saddle. I am in search for an exact replacement bridge. I found three Guild bridges on www.reverb that appear correct, but came to find out the space between the lower points of the bridge are spaced 1/2" wider than mine. Any help locating a replacement bridge without having my luthier make one would greatly be appreciated!
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
My 1973 Guild D50 had been put away for many years, actually decades. I now wish to bring it back to restoration. In doing so, I am told it needs the bridge replaced, along with the neck being reset. I cannot afford to do both at the same time, but wanting to do the bridge replacement first.
The bridge had been modified from a previous owner. It was cut down so low it allowed the saddle to rock forward, resulting in cracking the bridge along the saddle groove and also cracking the saddle. I found three Guild bridges on www.reverb that are very close to being the same as mine, but the dimension between the lower points on these bridges was 4" instead of 3-1/2" like mine. If anyone has suggestions to help me find a new or good used bridge, I sure would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you.
 

GardMan

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
5,359
Reaction score
959
Location
Utah
Guild Total
5
First, welcome to LTG!

The first person I would contact would be LTG member Hans Moust. Hans wrote "The Guild Guitar Book," (literally), and had many contacts with the Guild employees during the Westerly years when your D50 was made. Then, and since, he has acquired many parts and pieces for vintage Guilds, and he may be able to help you out with a replacement. You can PM Hans from LTG, but it is probably better to e-mail him (his address is in his profile).

Another person to check with might be Ken Nash (http://www.theguitarmechanic.com/bio.html).

Good luck!
 

cutrofiano

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
207
Reaction score
25
Location
Freiburg / Germany
My advise:
Don't waste your time (and money) searching for an original that won't fit in the end.
I have tried it with a recent GAD and it did not work!
Nowadays bridges are cut by CAD based on the precise measurements.
It costs a little but the result will be a perfect fitting bridge with 100% authentical looks.
10 times better than modifying the existing holes in the top just to make them match the replacement bridge...

Moritz
 
Last edited:

sailingshoes72

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
1,477
Reaction score
414
Location
Virginia, USA
Welcome to LTG! Please note that your first few posts have to be reviewed by a moderator, and won't post in real time.

One thing to keep in mind, the reason the previous owner shaved the original bridge down may have been to improve the action of the strings. A bad neck angle can make the guitar uncomfortable to play. A short term solution is to shave the bridge and saddle down to lower the string height. It is not unusual for a 47 year old guitar to need a neck reset because of the constant tension of the strings over the years. If you replace the bridge only, you may still have to shave the new bridge down to get reasonable action on the strings. Also, often times, when a luthier resets the neck on a guitar, they will re-glue the bridge at the same time for proper intonation and optimal playability. These are some things to consider.

Here is a good article about checking the neck angle on a guitar:

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/NeckAngle/neckangle.html
 

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
Can't get the right one through Guild?
Not for a 1973 Guild... The only person that can help is Hans Moust, if he still has one for a 1973 D-50. Tell him the serial number but message him through his webpage not LTG.

Ralf
 

jedzep

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
1,017
Reaction score
691
Location
Cooperstown
Wow! Just read on their site, no parts pre-2014. Wadda' drag for vintage geeks!
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
Wow! Just read on their site, no parts pre-2014. Wadda' drag for vintage geeks!

Actually doubt Guild had any of those parts ever since close of Westerly.
Hans describes rescuing a box of bridges from the repair department at the time, post #3 (edited), here:
https://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?155949-Brazilian-in-Guilds/page2

When the Westerly plant closed in 2001, there was still a box with Brazilian rosewood bridges in the repair department.
I was able to get some and I assume some of the other Westerly gang members got some as well.
Some of these bridges look really nice. If I can find the time I will make a picture later!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

And it's been said before, Cordoba (understandably) has no interest in supporting legacy builds.
From their viewpoint there's very little money to be made and likely detracts from sales of new instruments.
And they only assumed the warranty liability for New Hartford made models purchased from an authorized dealer by the original owner.
 
Last edited:

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
Wow! Just read on their site, no parts pre-2014. Wadda' drag for vintage geeks!
Well, CMG just acquired Guild in 2014, so they wouldn't have anything from prior times. Also there are almost no former Guild New Hartford employees (I only know one today) working at CMG in Santa Monica or Guild in Oxnard. The CMG guys who answer the phone or answer e-mails hardly know anything about Guild prior to 2015. That's where we at LTG cover to fill the gap...
Ralf
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Thank you all for the valued information related to my 1973 D50 bridge needs. I have contact with Haus thru email. He was requesting the serial numbers of my guitar, and I not knowing of him was reluctant to give them all out, so I furnished all but the last two and supplied the dimensions of the bridge. He responded requesting all the nos. I am new to this blog thing and posting anything on line so I was not comfortable exposing the guitars' entire serial number, therefore asking him to give me his phone no. so I could call him and discuss it with him.
Now, hearing from more than one of you who seem to know him as a reputable source, I feel a little more comfortable. Does anyone think it is Ok to give out the entire serial number of your guitar online??
.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Moritz,
Thank you for the information on your bridge replacement experience. Do you have a recommended connection to a CAD bridge builder?
 

GardMan

Enlightened Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
5,359
Reaction score
959
Location
Utah
Guild Total
5
I have given Hans complete serial numbers for several of my Guilds for his database. I trust him completely.
 

SFIV1967

Venerated Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
18,442
Reaction score
8,956
Location
Bavaria / Germany
Guild Total
8
Does anyone think it is Ok to give out the entire serial number of your guitar online??
A lot of people do on Instagram or Facebook or LTG or other sites. I know some are concerend somebody could misuse the numbers. But you only talk about sending it to Hans via E-Mail. So only he would see. Hans knows your guitar probably anyway and probably even has pictures of it. He has the largest database of serial numbers and pictures for vintage Guild guitars. As you know he is the author of the book and works on a second book as well since many years. So you are totally safe telling Hans.
Ralf
 

geoguy

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
3,519
Reaction score
1,640
Location
metrowest MA
A skilled repair person should be capable of fabricating a new bridge for you, if Hans doesn't have an exact replacement.

And yes, you can trust him with your guitar's s/n!
 

davismanLV

Venerated Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
19,197
Reaction score
11,815
Location
U.S.A. : Nevada : Las Vegas
Guild Total
2
Blasting a serial number on social media or websites, even this one, makes some people nervous. I can kind of understand this, but it's not something I do. Sharing anything with Hans via email is totally secure and he's a super trustworthy and honest person. I have two Guilds that are in the somewhat limited run category and he has both of my serial numbers. That should not be a worry to you in the least. He can help you, and in the rare case he can't, he can at least steer you towards the best options for your bridge for your D50. Good luck with your repairs on your Guild!! :encouragement:
 

beecee

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
3,569
Reaction score
2,411
+5 on Hans. If you want the right one...he has it.

He has been more than helpful to me in spite of me never doing anything for him!!
 

Br1ck

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2014
Messages
1,671
Reaction score
1,414
Location
San Jose, Ca
I don't know if they are the same bridge, but Hans had two for my D 35. I bought one, but that was several years ago now. My 70 bridge is Brazilian. If the neck angle is off, it would make a lot of sense to do both at once. A correct bridge plus saddle will make a pretty unplayable action. That is why the bridge was shaved in the first place. Shaving bridges should be illegal IMHO.
 

jedzep

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
1,017
Reaction score
691
Location
Cooperstown
Can Hans be trusted? That's the funniest question of the decade.

I can never figure out how someone with nothing more than a guitar's FON or SN can do anything crooked with it, unless they are etching it into different instruments and then finding complete idiots to sell to.
 
Top