Making my first SADDLE from a blank: Can you advise?
 

Recently I bought a used dreadnaught. The action is high and uncomfortable to play when strung with Light Gauge Phosphor Bronze. I intend to make a new saddle from a Graph Tech TUSQ blank (PQ-9125-00) and retain the original bone saddle for future reference.

The NUT SLOTS seem to be correct. Existing string height above Fret 1:
Low-E .030"
high-e .018"

The NECK RELIEF seems to be correct at .008" at Fret 6 - capo at Fret 1 and fretted at Fret 13

ACTION at Fret 12 is tall. Existing string height above Fret 12:
Low-E .124"
high-e .113"


I play fingerstyle. I dig in a bit and sometimes strum rather forcefully with backs of fingernails/thumbnail - and those thumbnail upstrokes can really activate the high strings (g b e). My understanding is that Low-Medium string height is probably right for my playing style. As I understand it, Low-Medium action means:
Low-E at Fret 12: 6/64" (.094")
high-e at Fret 12: 4/64" (.063")

Unless you say otherwise, I intend to lower the saddle for Low-Medium action as described above. If I'm wrong about the meaning of Low-Medium, or about its suitability for my particular approach to playing, please CORRECT ME NOW, before I start in on this saddle blank.

I have other questions too, but will hold off until this particular issue is settled.

Thanks

From your own description of your playing style, I would go higher on the treble strings. At least 0.075".
Bass strings should be OK at 0.094".
You can always start high and lower the saddle incrementally (0.015" at a time) after trying the guitar. Once you cut it too low, you have to start over.

5/64 for the high e is probably more appropriate. 4/64 is fairly low.

That is pretty much my standard setup for most of the non-bluegrass players. Most people find it very agreeable. But your frets must be in real good shape otherwise you will get buzzes here and there.

so you checked these dimensions, but what about your neck angle?

I play fingerstyle, have a light touch, and maintain very low action. I think 4/64" and 6/64" at the 12th is about right, but I might even go a bit lower. Like has been said, better to start higher, but I don't think your measurements are out of range for a fingerstyle player.

Fingerstyle can mean a lot of things though. From hard picking with fake nails to soft picking with the flesh of your fingers. I am somewhere in between. I measure 5.5/64" (i know that's not a proper fraction) and just under 4/64".

My nut action is also lower than yours though. around .022" (Low E) to .012" (High E). Again, you can always go down, but not up as easily.

Thanks, John. Your comments are in line with those of Charles Tauber, so I'll shoot for 5/64" (.078") on the treble side - and might reduce string height further if I feel the need.

Thanks, Charles. Your comments are in line with John Arnold's, so I'll shoot for 5/64" (.078") on the treble side - and reduce string height more 'if she still feel tight'.

Recently I bought a FretRocker tool from TechnoFret in Scotland (low price, quick delivery to US, good quality). The only problem is, now I see how many frets are slightly high/low :eek: and it makes me think I should probably spring for a fret leveling, too...or perhaps the tools to do it myself (yeah Murray, this might be my next order).

Ignorance is bliss...:D

Arie ==

Thanks for inquiring, but I left the neck angle information out because I don't think it matters with regard to how high I set the action / string height. No matter whether the neck is leaning forward or back, as long as there's enough saddle visible above the bridge slot I should be able to adjust the saddle height to accomplish a given string height at Fret 12 (or so I believe...:D)

FWIW: With the guitar lying on its back, I rest a 24" straightedge atop the frets and slide it toward the bridge until it touches. The bottom edge of the straightedge touches the corner of the bridge, right where its side and top surfaces meet. So it appears the neck is leaning neither forward nor back; it looks to be just right.

Thanks, Bryan. My playing is probably "in the middle" like yours with regard to attack, but I do cover a wide dynamic range in some instances so I probably need to accommodate "hard picking" just to be safe.

I'll try for 6/64" bass and 5/64" treble and see how it plays. If absolutely no fret buzz and no apparent loss of volume, I might try taking it a little lower - in line with your current action.

How much saddle change for the intended fret 12 action change?
 

Thanks for the advice and opinions thus far.


Current Low-E string height above Fret 12: .124"

Intended Low-E string height above Fret 12: .094"

Amount by which Low-E string will be lowered: .124" - .094" = .030"

QUESTION
Do I reduce the saddle height by double the intended change in string height at Fret 12?
In other words, to lower the string by .030" at Fret 12, do I lower the saddle by .060"?
.030" x 2 = .060"

I think I found that formula online a while back, but can't seem to find the reference now...(of course)

I wouldn't count on that as a rule. I would take off less than that (maybe .045") and test fit it. It SHOULD be .060" like you said, but if you've got a bellied bridge, for instance, the saddle leans forward a little and the geometry you are counting on will be wrong. Close...but wrong.

Yes. Theory and practice are the same, at least for this.

Similar triangles, wherein the length of one is half the other, making the height of one half the other.

Low Action = Low Saddle + Low Break Angle
 

The guitar in question has a two-piece saddle: Part A for the four wound strings (E, A, D, G) and Part B for the two unwound strings (b, e).

I completed the larger Part-A saddle last night. I've achieved the string height I want (more or less...its my first saddle), but the string break angles are awfully low. In fact, it appears the strings are laying directly on the edge that forms the transition between the lower bridge portion (at bridge pins) and the upper bridge portion (with saddle slot).

Before anyone starts chanting, "NECK RESET, NECK RESET, NECK RESET" consider the following:

1. I have two of these guitars, both built in mid 2005. Both exhibit the same geometry so I'm pretty sure this is the design as intended. When I rest a long straightedge atop the frets and slide it toward the bridge, the bottom of the straightedge meets the bridge right at the edge/corner where the flat top of the bridge meets the flat edge of the bridge. Both guitars were purchased USED. One has been played a lot. The other is like new. The existing action on both guitars is high, and since both exhibit the same relationship among bridge, saddle and frets, I assume both will require this very low saddle in order to achieve low-medium action.

2. The cost of a neck reset is out of the question.

So I'm counting on you guys to help me work around this situation. I think these guitars wil turn out well in terms of playability, and hopefully in terms of tone once I get the action(s) set for fingerstyle using GraphTech saddles and 'the right' strings.

Fingers CROSSED. :D