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Post by avawong on Dec 18, 2017 16:06:26 GMT
Hello all, I've been a long time lurker on this forum and appreciate all the great advice being contributed! A few days ago my toddler found my instrument and accidentally knocked it over. The bridge completely came off the belly. I'm heartbroken and don't know if it is worth fixing or buying a replacement. I took it to a local guitar repair shop and they wouldn't even touch it. They are not familiar with the pipa and they are probably not confident they will be able to fix it. So I am going to try a few other local repair shops later this week. I have some questions - I paid $300 USD for my pipa, is it even worth fixing? Could I repair it myself with the right glue/tools?
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Post by dawei on Dec 19, 2017 3:18:17 GMT
Yes you can repair a pipa bridge. Evan a modest-price instrument is worth fixing if possible.
You need some high-grade wood glue that will not creep and some way to clamp the bridge in the exact place it was before it was broken.
Did the bridge break off cleanly?
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Post by aeliascent on Dec 19, 2017 3:19:28 GMT
I never touched a pipa, but it looks like it's glued on, much like on an acoustic guitar. You can likely do it yourself with wood glue If the old glue left a mark, you should just be able to glue it right back, following the marks as a guide. Clamp it, or put books on top to give it pressure for about 24 hours. May I ask where you live? If you live in New York City, there is a guy named Rick Kelly who owns "Carmine Street Guitars" in West Village. He's a luthier who specializes in building electric guitars with hand tools, but he would have the skill set to fix it. EDIT: Or if you want to be rebellious, give it a Bigsby and a rosewood archtop bridge hehehe  |
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Post by davidmdahl on Dec 19, 2017 7:45:48 GMT
Welcome to our forum, Avawong. I have had several of my Chinese and Vietnamese instruments repaired at a local guitar store, so it is possible to get help. I would ask around some more. Sometimes the right glue and tools can make all the difference, and an experienced luthier should have the right supplies to do the job properly. I expect a luthier would use hide glue. That requires a hot glue pot, which most people don't have.
Best wishes,
David
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Post by dawei on Dec 19, 2017 16:52:06 GMT
Hide glue is an excellent choice - low creep, high strength, can be removed for later repairs. |
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