A Seagull dreadnought came in for a setup, a battery box, and some real structural work: two braces loose, one of them cracked, and a crack in the bridge. Braces re-glued and the cracked one repaired, bridge crack fixed, battery box set into the side, cleaned inside and out, set up with 13s. Four hours.
- Instrument
- Seagull dreadnought
- Tech
- Dave Eastwood
- Customer complaint
- Setup, loose bracing, cracked bridge, battery box install
- String gauge
- Lifespan 13s
- Diagnosis
- Two braces loose and one cracked; a crack in the bridge; battery box to be fitted in the side; very dirty inside
- Work performed
- Battery box installed in the side near the bottom; bridge crack repaired; loose braces reattached and the cracked one repaired; cleaned inside and out; set up with 13s
- Parts
- Battery box
- Bench time
- 4 hours
- Outcome
- Battery box came out great, braces reattached, bridge fixed, plays great
What Came In
A Seagull dreadnought with a list: a setup, a battery box to install for its pickup, loose bracing and a cracked bridge.
What We Found
Two braces had come loose inside and one of them was cracked. The bridge had a crack. The battery box needed a home in the side of the guitar, and the inside was very dirty.
What We Did
Cut in and installed the battery box in the lower side. Repaired the crack in the bridge. Reattached the loose braces and repaired the cracked one. Cleaned the guitar inside and out, then set it up with 13s. About four hours on the bench.
Parts Replaced
A battery box, fitted into the side of the guitar.
Result
The battery box came out great, the braces are reattached, the bridge is fixed, and it plays great, in Dave's words.
Why do loose braces matter?
The braces under the top are what let a thin piece of wood carry string tension and still move. When one lets go, the top can rattle, sink, or crack, and the guitar loses volume. Re-gluing a brace is done through the soundhole by feel, which is why it is bench work and not a kitchen-table job.
Related
- The Repair Vault
- Guitar Repair at Paul's Guitar Hideout
- How to Know If a Guitar Is Worth Repairing
- LAG Acoustic: Interior Rattle Traced to the Jack Washer
- How Humidity Affects Your Guitar, and What to Do About It
Bring It In
Rattle inside, a crack you can see, or a pickup with nowhere to put its battery: bring it in and we will work the list. Guitar repair at the Hideout.
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If stairs are difficult or you're bringing in something you don't want to carry up, call or text us and we'll arrange access.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5 PM
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com