Bridge collapses while playing

[dbudd]

My bridge collapsed on me twice today during rehearsal. It was very disturbing. Sounded like a rifle shot when it went over and slammed into the body of my 41 Kay. ...

Can anyone explain why this might be happening and if there's something I can do to remedy the situation?

I've never had this problem before, but today I changed the string configuration and suspect that has something to do with it.

I've been using two gut strings, G and D, and two spiro mediums on E and A. I took the spiros off and put on UB Blacks, a synthetic core string wound with black tape.

When I put the two UB blacks on, I noticed the bridge was leaning forward, toward the neck, a bit. But I didn't think it was a problem. ... The bridge collapsed when I dug in kind of hard on the A string. It was obviously wrong to let the bridge lean.

So I put it all back together, with a friend holding the bridge nice and straight, and I tuned up making sure the bridge stayed straight -- perpendicular to the body. Also, the bridge is in the correct position, because I've outlined the feet on the body with pencil marks.

But then, Bam. The bridge slammed down again.

Any theories? Should I jsut take it to a luthier? It seems this must have somethign to do with the UB blacks. Are they too smooth, and not causing enough friction with the bridge, or causing too much friction and pulling the bridge over as I play?

[Gearhead43]

Take it to a luthier and have him check the fitment of the feet to the top.

Always keep the bridge at a 90 degree angle to the top, always! Push the bridge back into place when tuning and check to make sure the feet are sitting flat at all times.

Allowing a bridge to lean can warp the bridge over time and the edges of the feet can even damage the top over time also.

[clink]

The back of the bridge should be perfectly straight and perpendicular to the top. The feet should make full contact with the top. You may need to grab the top of the bridge between the A and D and gently push it towards the tailpiece.
If the bridge is bowed toward the fingerboard you need a new one.

[dbudd]

I wonder now if I put the bridge back in place facing the wrong direction. I realize now that there is a front and back to a bridge, and in my haste I didn't pay much attention to this. So it's possible that the bridge fell the first time because it was leaning too far after replacing the two strings I discussed earlier, and then it fell the second time because it was put back in place backwards. ... Now, the sound post has fallen, so I have no choice but to take it to a luthier.

Unless someone can recommend how to get the post back in place. There is a mark on the inside body where it goes.

[clink]

Take it to your luthier. You shouldn't do it yourself.

[hdiddy]

Just curious... are your bridge adjusters tapped into the feet or into the bridge?

[dbudd]

the bridge adjusters are screwed into the feet and the post ends sit in the bridge.