Can a collapsed ABR-1 be repaired?

I've seen a few sites illustrate that collapsed bridges can be repaired with a vise by but I've yet to read anyone talking about it. I just had this happen to my 74' Custom LP. I went ahead and purchased a Faber ABRH-59 aged gold replacement. I will have that installed. However in the meantime I might consider having my original repaired as a backup. Does anybody have any experience with a repaired bridge? If so, who would you recommend to do something like this?

Sorry this happened to you, although I have to say that in the 31 years I've been playing guitar I have never had an ABR bridge collapse on me. Be sure you asses why this happened.

From my understanding, the bridges are cast metal. Thus, bending it back into place may work but the shape will be very weak compared to pre-damaged state.

I've had two 50s ABRs fixed, so it can definitely be done. I didn't do it myself though, I had a luthier do it for me. :salude

thejaf said:

Sorry this happened to you, although I have to say that in the 31 years I've been playing guitar I have never had an ABR bridge collapse on me. Be sure you asses why this happened.

From my understanding, the bridges are cast metal. Thus, bending it back into place may work but the shape will be very weak compared to pre-damaged state.

Click to expand...

I've been playing for 40 years and never even heard of it until last month. I knew something was screwy because I know my guitar. It still played in tune but it just felt strange. My hands felt something different but I couldn't really put my finger on what was going on. I would bend strings and the higher strings would roll over the middle strings. It was a bit of a struggle and definitely weird.

Anyway I just received the Faber replacement today so I took off the original. It's definitely collapsed. The saddles are no longer arched like the fretboard radius. The middle is dipped ever so slightly. This was brought to my attention by a local luthier. I brought it to him saying it was playing weird. I thought perhaps my frets needed dressed. However, he noticed my bridge was situated rather high and my tailpiece was screwed to the body. He said "aha!" and had me look at the break angle of the strings. He said this probably had put tremendous pressure on the bridge and it collapsed over time. He suggested a new bridge and adjusting the heights of both the bridge and tailpiece. I'm also top wrapping from here on out.

I'd still would like to have the original repaired if possible.

Totally repairable - I’ve done many.

Ill see if there's a link link I can find later on...

EDIT - I can't find anything but I'll explain it.

Place the ABR upside down on two small pieces of wood at either end, essentially lifting the middle away from the work bench so you apply pressure, gently, to that area. Do that by placing a traditional style wood clamp (threaded pressure bar) and gently tighten against the bottom of the bridge (place a shim in there so you don't damage anything). Very gently, slowly increase pressure until the top of the ABR is straight. Go too hard too fast and you'll crack it.

If anyone wants I could jimmy up an example over the weekend and take a photo. It really is an easy process.

If the ABR-1 is only slightly bent, then sure, it can be bent back to the original shape. Some guitar techs make a little jig that enables them to do this. The guitar tech I go to did this on a 1970 ABR-1 bridge that came off a Les Paul Deluxe I owned.

If the ABR-1 has any cracks, then it would be very difficult to repair. If it's an expensive 1950s vintage bridge it might be worth the effort to repair it. I have heard that brazing cracked metal hardware can sometimes work. Brazing is a metal-joining process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the adjoining metal. The part may need to be sanded and replated if the brazing is extensive.

Anything newer than about 1964, may not be worth the trouble of repairing via brazing.

jig and metal C-clamp, tighten in small increments over a period of several days, go too fast and it will crack, patience is a virtue. Good luck ...

I have done it several times (never broke one). As said, you have to be very careful or you will have a 2 piece bridge.

I have often heard of this phenomon and I am at a loss to understand what causes it ?

El Gringo said:

I have often heard of this phenomon and I am at a loss to understand what causes it ?

Click to expand...

Many many pounds of downward pressure on a piece of pot metal that is essentially hollow at the top...the tailpiece on my '73 LP Custom '54 LE is being slowly pulled into an arc by the strings. I'll post a shot.

Time and pressure cause it.
Pressure and time can fix it!
I give them a little extra arch :q