Bridge Reset

The bridge is where the strings anchor to the body, and as such, a perfect joint between the bridge and the soundboard is extremely important.

This issue is not strictly reserved for old guitars, though it's common on them. Modern manufacturing practices leave a small perimeter of finish around the bridge location, which stands the bridge off the soundboard by a miniscule amount. It's tiny, but it's enough to prevent a good, strong, long-lasting wood-to-wood joint.

A bridge on a very dry guitar may start to lift as well, as the body shifts and moves in dry discomfort.

What I'm trying to say is, this is a common repair, and it's often not the fault of the owner. 

You may need a bridge reset if...

• action has been creeping higher and higher but you don't know why

• the guitar has been left in a hot environment 

• the guitar has dried out

• a piece of paper can slide between the bridge and soundboard