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Joined: Nov 2019
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Has anyone successfully repaired a cracked bass cantilever bridge without removing it?

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Where is the crack?

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There are plenty of posts on the subject here and elsewhere. I just did a cheap and dirty fix with epoxy on my bridge that was cracked along the pins. Wont know if I was successful until it is tuned and see whether the repair holds up. A picture of the cracked bridge will get you better answers.

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I will post a video of it next week. thanks

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Go to this link for the video. thanks https://youtu.be/-vuq65atK9I

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Any way you can use a mirror or some other device to get down in there for a closer look?
Maybe try to probe in it with feeler gauge somehow?
If it is a split at a glue joint the fix would likely require removing the plate.
By the video I’m not convinced it’s a split.


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I cannot get my inspection mirror to fit in there but I was able to make better lighting with it. I made a feeler wire by bending the end of a 12 1/2 wire at a 90% angle. The wire will not go back into the split but one end of the split is wide enough that the wire stops when you drag it across. I am reasonably convinced it is a split.
I have not tried this before but I'm wondering if I loosened all the bass strings enough to take the pressure off the bridge and then drilled three 1/8" holes through the bridge and sound board, one hole in the middle of the crack and the other two about 1/4" beyond the end of the crack on each side to prevent the crack from widening. Using three 1/8" bolts I could cinch the crack back together. I wouldn't be able to use glue because I have no way of getting it into the crack. Once everything was tight I would tune the bass section. This should work for fixing the crack but I'm not sure what negative effects, if any, it would cause.
The customer has a limited budget so would not be able to afford having the piano tore down to fix it right.
Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated.

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Not a repair I have experience with.
Only thing I can think of is looking at bolts won’t be pleasing.
Also, the soundboard is softwood and the bridge root is maple.
Not certain how well bolts would hold it together or if bolts may damage the soundboard??
Also, if it is a split, when you remove bass string tension it should close up or it should be easy to lift it and see the split close.
Moving it may reveal a more extensive split.
If it is a split and you do use bolts I would try to get some glue in the split.
Maybe force some in with a putty knife or ???
It would really help with long term stability.
Have the client start saving for proper repair in future.


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The condition of the strings is more important than how flat the piano is. That is, provided the piano will hold pitch at all.


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