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Topic: Old Cortez Flat Top Issues |
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 23 Apr 2020 7:54 am |
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Ever see a bridge like this? It's a steel bridge base that accepts a 1/8 in. saddle. Notice how it's concave. I figured it was warped or bent when I first saw it, but no it's made that way. I guess so that it rocks back and forth the set the low to hi strings height. The saddle also has a bow in it the same way. I may replace that...we'll see how it looks when the new tuners come in and I get to string it back up.
Also, probably little to no chance to find it, but one of the butterbean style tuners has been lost. Looks like the tabs that hold it in place at the plate either got bent or was loosened up for some reason. Anyway, I'd like to find one of just the keys to put back if anyone would have one laying around. Bad photo, but it's a nickel or steel tuner button.
I have some new 3 or a plate tuners coming, but just would like to use the originals if possible.
It's a cheap guitar, but something I'm trying to put back in service for my use or as an aid to some aspiring youngster who can't afford one. |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 23 Apr 2020 8:37 am
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Would you photograph the wooden bridge itself, please.
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 23 Apr 2020 2:00 pm
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Yeah, I got a shot of it but it's on my phone. Pics not too good, but here 'tis. It's a 1/4 in. flat bottom slot cut in the bridge like most acoustics.
Got the tuners today, installed new zero fret, tuner plates which had to have mounting holes relocated,
 re-installed the bridge and strung up with new D'AD 10 set. Used the same bridge ass'y...works OK, I guess.
Surprisingly good tone and intonation. Another one saved from hot attic death. Actually, two counting the kid's classical guit I found and put back in playing order. Sump'n to do, 'ya know? |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 24 Apr 2020 3:44 am
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I have no idea, Jerry. Just one last question: Is the fretboard straight like on a classical guitar?
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 24 Apr 2020 4:08 am
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It has a radiused, or slightly curved fingerboard Joachim...so not flat like a classical.
I might replace just the bridge saddle with one that has a similar radius, but for now I'm just leaving it as is because it seems to play OK. Still, the design seems counter. The fretboard is vex, while the bridge base is cave. Thanks. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 9 May 2020 6:50 pm
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Are you certain that's the bridge that came with the guitar? I think the bridge should be higher in the center (convex) to help match it to the curve radius of the fretboard.
Can you just turn it over? |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 12 May 2020 11:19 am
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I dunno Donny. I found a similar Cortez guitar on Reverb or eBay that appears to have the same bridge. The chrome base is concave and the saddle fits it perfectly in the saddle groove.
You couldn't turn the base over cause then the groove would be upside down. The saddle could be flipped yes, but then it would only touch the base at a couple tiny points on either end. All the string marks, wear marks etc. indicate it has been like this always.
It's an odd duck for sure. I have a new saddle with the more common radius curve that I am going to try and fit to both the base and the radius of the fretboard.
I'll see how it goes. I was hoping someone else had experience with these strange bridge parts and would offer some further insight. |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 13 May 2020 6:53 pm
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| used to see a lot of gibson adjustable bridge flat top guitars come into the shop when i did a lot of guitar repair. they sounded terrible. we would take off that adjustable bridge and throw it out the back door of the shop as far as we could throw it! put a real bridge on with a bone saddle....made the guitar sound so so much better. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 20 May 2020 10:05 am
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| Bill Hatcher wrote: |
| used to see a lot of gibson adjustable bridge flat top guitars come into the shop when i did a lot of guitar repair. they sounded terrible. we would take off that adjustable bridge and throw it out the back door of the shop as far as we could throw it! put a real bridge on with a bone saddle....made the guitar sound so so much better. |
Did the same with a late '60s LG-1 and the difference was like night and day. Like going from a modern Squire Tele to a mint '52. Geez, I wish I still had that little Gibson. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 20 May 2020 10:11 am
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| The adjustable ones were bad, especially the ones with the white synthetic bridge. The ones with the adjustable Tune-a-Matic set a whole different standard for sucking. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 20 May 2020 1:48 pm
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This guitar plays and sounds pretty good with that old original bridge. I don't think I should expect more considering it's a low end japanese import from the 70s.
I'm just going to leave that adjustable chrome bridge base in there. I did stick a radiused saddle I have from another guitar in there, but it really didn't make much difference.
I also have a new bone nut and saddle set I may put in there next time I take it down.
I'm not at all unhappy with the way it plays actually, with either saddle. And it has better volume than my more recent rosewood import. Of course the mahogany has aged nearly 50 years so it's probably mellowed out a bit.
It has been stuck up in an attic for a few years and I thought I'd see if I could make it playable again.
It has a 1/4 in. dent that's almost all the way through one side, the bottom of the lower bout back looks like someone drug it down the driveway, the bridge pins don't match, it's got scratches, dents and dings, finish blems etc. but it's got it's own character and I like it. I don't worry about cleaning and polishing it or dinging it up, I just play it.
I'd as soon play it as any guitar I own and actually prefer it to some of them. |
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