Would you reject a guitar like this?

[Charlie Bernstein]

House painters have a saying for when they make mistakes: Can't see it from my house!

I doubt the rough holes are hurting anything, and the only people who will ever see them are the people you show them to.

I knew a woman who worked sales at the Tiffany Jewelers showroom in Manhattan. The sales floor was immaculate. The employees-only area was a complete pig sty every day. A shambles.

It took nothing away from the quality of the merchandise or the shopper's experience.

So just pretend you're playing a Tiffany. But not with a paintbrush.

[Bowie]

Kinda concerning how many people seem to think bridge plate damage is just a cosmetic thing. I encourage folks to check the plate with an inspection mirror when buying an instrument, especially a used one. You may save yourself a lot of trouble in the future.

[mtdmind]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

I would love to hear how a bridge plate can cause an intonation problem. Could you explain this, please?

Edit to add: But I agree with a simple bridge plate patch...

Yes. As the ball end sinks in because it is not braced snuggly, the intonation will go flat as it sinks. This is from experience.

[Rev Roy]

On a “budget” guitar, maybe.

On a “standard” guitar, yes.

On a “boutique” guitar, h*** yes.

[mtdmind]

I believe bridgeplates are made from rosewood or maple on bettter guitars. Being harder wood they are less likely to get chewed up.

[musicman1951]

I wouldn't send it back because I would never know it was there. I have incredibly little interest in the inside of the guitar. If I love the sound and feel I expect my luthier to handle anything on the inside.

But having seen it - I still wouldn't send it back.

[abn556]

This is the only inexpensive fix I know of for a bridge plate that is torn up by the string barrels. I used one on an old guitar and could not notice any tonal change from it.

https://www.mitchelsplatemate.com/platemate

[redi]

Originally Posted by abn556

This is the only inexpensive fix I know of for a bridge plate that is torn up by the string barrels. I used on an old guitar and could not notice any tonal change from it.

https://www.mitchelsplatemate.com/platemate

Yes I have used these as a quick fix on old inexpensive guitars I was not planning on doing repairs to keep the bridge plate from getting any worse.

I doubt I would use one on a new guitar to make up for build issues hidden inside. Still have not heard back from the retailer.

[CharlieBman]

Even on an inexpensive Yamaha I would expect cleanly drilled holes. Now maybe it wouldn't have any affect on the guitar. But personally, on a new guitar, it would bug me enough to send it back.

[cedartop52]

Yes, I would return it. I would also return a new car if I discovered a rust hole in trunk when I got it home.

[mtdmind]

Originally Posted by redi

Still have not heard back from the retailer.

Same here. I tried to contact the retailer and no response. I know StewMac sells them, too.

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by mtdmind

Yes. As the ball end sinks in because it is not braced snuggly, the intonation will go flat as it sinks. This is from experience.

That would alter tuning, but not intonation. Intonation is simply the geometry between where the strings rests on the saddle and on the nut. The bridge (and specifically, bridge plate) has nothing to do with that equation.

If a string slips, yes, that's a problem. I doubt that would happen based on the pictures I looked at, but it's possible.

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by pagedr

That's a super chewed up bridge plate for a brand new guitar. I'm not a very picky guy and in the vast majority of the "should I send it back" threads I'm usually on the side of keep it. But in this case I would send that guitar back.

I am in pagedr's camp 100% on this. I am not nearly as cosmetically picky as most folks out here on all the little oopsies, but that is really poor quality work and could definitely effect the function of that bridge plate in holding the string ball ends properly. I too am really surprised that Yamaha would let something like that pass QC in the building process, that is not typical of the standard of quality they work to.

Back it should go.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[PinkLine]

Dang termites!

[TheGITM]

After reviewing the photos again it looks to me like the wood has been chewed up by the ball end of the strings. There are pockets beside each drilled hole where the balls have rested. Looks like it's just a softer wood.... spruce?

I'd like to see a photo with the strings and bridge pins in place.