Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello everyone,

Title is self-explanatory, but her's a bit more info.

The patient is a Taylor BT-1, a Baby. A bad case of lifting caused I believe by general dryness. I had to reglue a good quarter of the top and moving center seam that had already been cleared but apparently not glued.

So I'm deciding if I'm going to use bottled liquid hide glue or regular Titebond.

What do you experts think? Is LHG OK for bridges? I don't have access to HHG.

Thanks a lot.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

I'm by no means an expert, but I've just been using regular Tite-bond (the red bottle). The guy I learned from uses it for most everything.

No, no, no, no, no.

Thanks Barry. I take that as a "yes yes yes yes" for Regular Titebond.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

Fish glue? I might be able to find some locally.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

Regular Titebond would be my third choice due to cold creep concerns. Second would be fish glue. First is HHG.

Thanks a million. Substantiated answers rule!


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

I've used Titebond (original) on quite a few bridge reglues and all of my new guitars - absolutely no problems. I have used HHG on a couple of vintage instruments where I wanted to be totally period correct but in general my hide glue chops are pretty marginal and I like the open time of Titebond. In general liquid hide glue is not recommended for lutherie - there have been quite a few discussions about it.

I've used LHG quite a bit in the past in low-stress joints (braces and such), I've even repaired clean-cracked necks with it. Never had a problem as long as it's fresh. The bridge got me second-guessing, though. Now I'm looking for a hot glue pot. I guess its time has finally come.

In the meantime, this particular bridge got glued with regular Titebond as it had to move out. Thanks for all, your expertise is very much appreciated and has helped me a lot these past years.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

You don't need a glue pot. A small crock pot or hot plate will do nicely.

I'll fix something up until I find a deal... thanks again!


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

Yep, hit the thrift store and find a small croc-pot. HHG is not as difficult to use as it seems to be. I had a hard time at first because I was so nervous about the open time. I would end up taking too long because I was trying to hard to be fast (if that makes sense). I’m many ways it is easier to use than titebond. It doesn’t slip around nearly as much while you are trying to get it clamped. It is easy to redo a glue up if you mess up because it is easy to get cleaned up and ready to try again.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

No need for glue pot, but there is need for practice and care when using hot hide glue:

1. Mix dry glue with cold water; allow water to be absorbed; heat & blend as usual. Store covered in refrigerator.
2. When you're ready to use the glue, prepare the joint, and arrange all the clamps, cauls, and fixtures you'll need.
3. Boil a 500 ml beaker or other handy container full of water in microwave. (It'll cool as you go.)
4. Place a small chunk of cold glue in 1-2 oz. disposable plastic cup (like take-out hot sauce cup) and float or clip inside beaker.
5. Use glue when it melts. After use, discard plastic cup, applicator and leftover glue. Applicator can be cheap brush, Q-tip, etc.

Be DEAD CERTAIN that the parts are quite warm before glue application, and that they are fully clamped before the glue has a chance to cool. You MUST have liquid, not gelled squeeze-out. For gluing bridges, I give 'em a 15-second trip in the microwave to heat 'em to about 150F.

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Cheers,

Frank Ford

FRETS.COM
HomeShopTech
FRETS.NET

I would have never dared put a bridge in the microwave (actually it would have never occurred to me). But if it is Frank approved, you can bet I'll be doing it next time.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Hey Frank, I've read and re-read "all that (you) know about hide glue" quite a few times these last years, so I believe I'm about ready to have a go at it. I’m primarily a guitar tech and repairman, so I've gotten by with less involved glues for many years now, but I always have this nagging feeling that I should really use the better stuff, even though I'll be wasting most of it anyway 'cause I don't need that much of it in a week.

By the way, any thanks to you, Dan, Hesh, and all those wonderful people sharing their experience and knowledge. I'll never be able to thank you guys enough for helping me make a living of a lifelong passion after a long career in tech. Not unlike Hesh... although he's gotten quite a long lead on me!


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

Anything Frank-approved gets God's rubber-stamp.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

_________________
Pierre Castonguay

To each their own but I started using HHG on the reccomendation of other luthiers using heat lamps and thrift store hot pots and so on to melt the gleu and always found it to be a PIA. So I went and got the Levin glue pot and warmer and could not be happier. Yes it's expensive but I put the glue in it in the morning and it stays hot all day till I close the shop.

https://www.musicaravan.com/gluepot

But anyway... About 25 years ago I built a classical guitar entirely out of Franklin LHG. I used that glue because I was young and dumb and didn't know any better. I probably heard something about the great violin makers of the past using hide glue or something. Having said that, I've had ZERO problems with this guitar and you should see how it looks today with all the years of abuse I put it through. It was my camp fire guitar, and still is.

But just don't do it. Dont use Franklin LHG for anything in luthiery. Once in a while you will hear a success story like mine but there are far far too many stories of just the opposite.

Iv'e used Fish Glue for bridges too but since I have also learned of horror stories of bridges coming loose on $5000 guitars because of Fish Glue I don't use it for that purpose anymore either.

Titebond is plane and simply as good as it gets. It works on absolutely every joint you make in guitar building and just about for all repair work too. Most probably agree that HHG is the best for a bridge joint. I would not argue with that because I agree but only for the purposes of reversing the glue joint. It's not terribly hard to remove a bridge glued down with Titebond either but it's a joy to remove one with HHG.

Well thanks for taking the time to share. Seems like there's a general consensus here. That's what's great about this place. This is a very helpful community, thanks again to all.


Pierre
www.torvisse.com

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Pierre Castonguay