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-   -   Neck relief ir sand the saddle? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=467397)

Chalky 04-21-2017 05:55 AM

Neck relief ir sand the saddle?
 
Hello

I have a Line 6 Variax 300 nylon string guitar. After years of not playing it I now need to use it for a gig and find that the string height is a whopping 4mm at the twelfth fret. It needed some neck relief adjustment but I can't persuade myself that adjusting neck relief will lower the strings that much ... do I need to sand the saddle? Grateful for any advice here..

thanks and regards

hesson11 04-21-2017 07:51 AM

Actually, many concert guitarists (and others) consider 4mm just about standard! That's not me.

While the primary purpose of adjusting the truss rod (which I assume your guitar has) is not to change the 12th-fret action, as you may know, it does have that effect. Since that is less invasive than sanding the saddle, and since it's a reversible process, I would certainly start with that and see how much it affects the action (assuming this will result in an acceptable amount of relief). It may just be enough.
-Bob

charles Tauber 04-21-2017 09:09 AM

In general, one sets the neck relief for the minimum necessary, then adjusts the nut and saddle heights to obtain the desired string height. Measure the vertical height from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of each string. Subtract from that measurement the string height you desire. Double that value and that is how much needs to be removed from the saddle. Measure the amount of saddle projecting from the bridge and ensure that there will be sufficient saddle still projecting from the bridge to afford sufficient break angle of the strings over the saddle. If not, other remedies are required.

If the guitar has been sitting, and now has a high action, check that the bridge is not detaching, the neck is not detaching and that the top in the lower bout, in general, is not excessively bellied.

Chalky 04-21-2017 11:43 AM

Thanks to Bob and Charles, its is much as I thought, I will sand the saddle and see where that gets me...


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