Guitar strings constantly pull up and forward with a force of approximately 250 lbs., ultimately causing the top on your guitar to warp. JLD Guitar Research and Development, Inc. has patented a simple way to remedy bowed tops. The JLD Bridge System installs easily through the soundhole in minutes and requires no modification to the instrument.

The above shows the effects of string tension on a typical guitar. There is a pronounced bow behind the bridge and a dip in front of it. The saddle has been filed down to keep the action playable as the top has come up. Because the bridge pin holes are almost even with the top of the saddle, the strings don't exert much downward force on the top. This guitar is hard to play and has a weak, thin tone.

Above is the same guitar with a JLD Bridge System being installed. The bridge pins have been replaced with a set of pins similar to the one shown at left. The JLD Bridge System has been inserted through the soundhole and is held in place by one of the new bridge pins which has been threaded into the top of the Bridge System. A small locknut keeps the additional pins in place. Strings now pass through holes in the sides of the pins instead of being inserted into the bridge pin holes.

Here, the JLD Bridge System has been adjusted to counteract the pull of the strings and the warpage of the top. The top is permanently flat and a playable action has been restored. The strings exert proper downward pressure on the saddle - enabling them to transmit more vibration to the instrument. The Bridge System is also acting as a soundpost - transferring string vibration to the body woods directly from the bridge. The guitar is completely unmodified and is not only easy to play, it will now have more volume and sustain and a richer tone than it ever has before.

JLD Guitar Research & Development PO Box 5764 Roswell, NM 1-888-696-1998 1-505-622-3694 - Don Kendall email: spot@spotgrafix.com