need help fixing an old acoustic

[Linas]

I inherited a late 60s yamaha guitar. Yes... its a guitar get over it. As of now it has 2 problems. There is a crack in the bridge between all the bridge pins. Im not sure if ill need a new bridge or if i can somehow fix this. Also, there are a couple holes in the guitar. Clean drilled holes. Im not sure why they are there, but i think i should fill them, i just dont know how or with what. Aesthetics arent the biggest concern to me, as this is a major beater. Im going to try to get pics later.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Linas

I inherited a late 60s yamaha guitar. Yes... its a guitar get over it. As of now it has 2 problems. There is a crack in the bridge between all the bridge pins. Im not sure if ill need a new bridge or if i can somehow fix this. Also, there are a couple holes in the guitar. Clean drilled holes. Im not sure why they are there, but i think i should fill them, i just dont know how or with what. Aesthetics arent the biggest concern to me, as this is a major beater. Im going to try to get pics later.

Can't tell you a thing without looking at it in person. Maybe if your pictures are good enough someone might get an idea.

You might have to replace the bridge which could be a major job best left to a pro, but who knows without looking at it up close?

I've fixed up some pretty badly beat up acoustic guitars and made them into players but it's taken a lot of work and these were guitars that were good enough to warrant fixing in the first place. Some of the cheap crap isn't worth it. You can go out and buy a new one made in Asia that's better. Things have changed a lot since the sixties.

[Linas]

[62bass]

I don't know if I would bother replacing the bridge at this point. You might wick a bit of super glue down into the cracks to help hold it together. They may not get any worse and it shouldn't affect playability. I'd take a small round file and slightly enlarge them so the bridge pins don't put as much pressure on them. Leave the holes in the body alone. You'll never be able to fix them so they don't show. Careful work by someone competent would repair them but they'd still show and it would cost more than the guitar is worth.

I'd clean the thing up, put on a set of strings and do a set up. Cost you very little and you might wind up with a playable guitar.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

^+1, exept for filing the anchor pin holes.

The pin holes should be reamed if anything and if the pins aren't sticking too badly, not even that. That kinds of cracks are quite usual with old flat top acoustics and are seldom repaired, mainly because replacing the bridge is a major PITA and the cracks don't affect anything really.

The same goes for the holes, seldom repaired for the reasons 62bass above mentioned. They are most probably for a jack and a potentiometer, the soundhole edge shows the wear of a soundhole pickup. At least it looks like it to me.

Regards
Sam