Can this Sigma ever play again?

[Jusca]

I was rummaging through the garage and found my mom's 1980s Sigma GCS-3 (Korean made). The guitar holds sentimental value to her so spending a pretty penny on the guitar wouldn't be a problem although I know its market value is worth diddly squat. It definitely needs a nut, bridgepins, tuning machines, and a saddle. I'm new to guitar repairs but I'd give it a try as it seems like a fun project that's not too complex (correct me if I'm wrong).


I'm wondering how do I find a preslotted nut & a saddle that will fit since I don't have any information about the dimensions of the previous nut & saddle?

[stanron]

Hi Jusca. I thought someone would have answered by now but as no one has here's my thoughts. The first thing I'd check on a stripped guitar is whether or not it needs a neck reset. This is a simple check to do. You need a straight edge long enough to go from the fretboard to the bridge. 18" long should enough. Lay it on the frets and see where it meets the bridge. If the surface touching the frets is 1/8" or more below the top of the bridge it needs a reset. If it is just 1/8" it might be OK. If it needs a reset the action will be too high for most players so you may wish to reconsider about the restoration.

As to buying a ready made nut, nuts and saddles need to be made to fit. The best route would be to buy blanks and fit them yourself. there is lots of information on how to do this on a site called Frets.com.

If you feel confident with tools and DIY stuff you can do the saddle, nut and tuners but if not take it to a repairer and get a quote. If it needs a neck reset then that is a job for a professional.

[dorable]

As far as finding a nut and saddle to fit. I'd hazard a guess that the martin-style pre-slotted nut/pre-shaped saddle available at stewmac.com should fit, since Sigmas were made to be imitation/cheap martins. I might be wrong though.

[steveyam]

Look, you're not going to be able to buy 'off the peg' nuts and saddles that will 'drop in' and be perfect in every way. To be a good fit the said components will need to be 'fettled' to fit and perform. Bite the bullet and get a good tech to fit those parts. Frankly - and with respect - it's one thing kinda knowing what needs doing, and someone actually doing it.

[clintj]

Also agreed. Even a pre-slotted nut will need adjustment for action height, and a saddle will likely need to be compensated to that particular guitar. A good tech should also inspect it to make sure that there are no structural problems such as loose braces from sitting in a non climate controlled space. I have found tuning machines for older Asian guitars online before, though. Needed a couple for a 60's Japanese hollow body electric once. Bridge pins will need to be sized to the holes as well, there are multiple sizes out there. Aside from that, should be fairly simple for a well stocked repairman to get you up and running.

[Jusca]

Thanks everyone for the information and advice. I've gained a little knowledge about guitar parts and their inner workings. I probably won't put it into practice this time around but it's all good to know nevertheless. I will take it in and get the tech's opinion.