Saddle Sanding Question

[Mortimor]

This weekend I sanded a new Tusq saddle to replace the original plastic saddle in my Yamaha FG800. Sanding for width and thickness went well and the new saddle fits in the saddle slot quite snugly. Low E action at the 12th fret is also good at 6/64". However, I ended up with a high E action at the 12th fret of 5/64" when I was shooting for 4/64".

Is it difficult to lower only one side of the saddle by sanding the bottom? Is there much danger of fret buzz if I happen to lower the bass side of the saddle a bit more?

I'm tempted to leave things alone as the playability has already improved quite a bit. 12 fret action started at 8/64" on the low E and 6/64" on the high E using the original plastic saddle.

[ChrisN]

Check out this recent thread on the topic -http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=482035&highlight=tool

[Mortimor]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Check out this recent thread on the topic -http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=482035&highlight=tool

Thanks for pointing this out. It would definitely work.

Unfortunately, I am living in China at the moment and have only very basic tools. Although it might be cheap to hire someone to make one for me...

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Mortimor

Thanks for pointing this out. It would definitely work.

Unfortunately, I am living in China at the moment and have only very basic tools. Although it might be cheap to hire someone to make one for me...

I can't believe no one in China's knocked off Stewmac's tool yet.

[Mortimor]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

I can't believe no one in China's knocked off Stewmac's tool yet.

This one looks to be pretty close. Of course there are a whole host of cheap ones.

[redir]

I must have done this literally hundreds of time and I've been using the same piece of MDF with 4 sheets of 80 grit paper glued to it for years. Of course the paper gets changed once in a while since I also use it for various other sanding applications, but the board I've had for well over a decade.

Just mark it with a fine Sharpie or some other marker from one side to your desired measurement down to zero on the other side or just shy of the other side to have room for error. Apply appropriate pressure and flip the piece around 180 degrees so as not to favor one side and keep checking. You can check flatness with a 6in steel ruler and you can check that it is 90deg angle by eye.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Mortimor

This one looks to be pretty close. Of course there are a whole host of cheap ones.

I had no idea. Thanks

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

I can't believe no one in China's knocked off Stewmac's tool yet.

My guess is that Stewmac's tool is actually manufactured in China, along with at least 90% of their other tools (and 90% may well be a gross under-estimate).

Notwithstanding, I liked the description which came up when clicking the "translate" button

"Beauty guitar maintenance tools. Because of the thickness, the material and the precision of the components of the reason, the use of operation and polished after the completion of the piano pillow code effect is not stewmac products comparable! And more cost-effective".

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

I can't believe no one in China's knocked off Stewmac's tool yet.

I think stewmac are just onselling it, the tool design was available many years ago direct from the original luthier. It appears to still, vee the photos, to have the same stampings.

Originally Posted by Mortimor

Is it difficult to lower only one side of the saddle by sanding the bottom? Is there much danger of fret buzz if I happen to lower the bass side of the saddle a bit more?.

No pretty easy actually, apply some sandpaper to a flat surface, mirrors and glass are pretty flat, apply marker to the bottom of the saddle, push the saddle across the sandpaper with the leading edge being the side you want lowered, the action of pushing it will wear that side down more prominently.



Steve

[John Arnold]

Since you already havs a good fit in the slot, I would cut it off the top of the saddle. You need to remove 1/32" off the saddle at the first string, and progressively less on the others. Assuming the radius is correct, about 1/64" should be removed in the center between the third and fourth strings.

[Ned Milburn]

Flat board (as redir states MDF works well. A coffee table top should be fine too)
Sandpaper face up.
SMALL wood block with 90 degree edges
Mark (as redir stated) the 1/32" (as John suggested) on the treble side.
color the BOTTOM of the saddle on the bass side.
Start sanding, and ONLY get rid of the pencil on the bass side bottom on your last finishing stroke.

John's suggestion (taking off material from the top) is the best method to match F.board radius, but it involves some more challenges.

Easiest since you have it close is the method I outline above.

Easy peasey lemon squeezey. (as my kids and other neighbourhood urchins say these days.)

Good luck.

[Mortimor]

Thanks to everyone for their great advice. I will sand the saddle this weekend and post an update.

[Mortimor]

I sanded the saddle today and everything went very well. The 12th fret action on the high E came down 1/64" to 4/64" and the 12th fret action on the low E didn't come down much at all. My guitar now plays better than ever before, and I have yet to encounter any buzzing. Now if I could only do something about that first fret action...

After completing the sanding and taking measurements using the same strings I started with, I put on a new set of DR Sunbeams because my old strings were months old and had been through a lot during the sanding process. I am really liking the Sunbeams so far. I hope they continue to sound good after the break in period.

Thanks again to everybody for the great advice!

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Mortimor

Now if I could only do something about that first fret action...

What is stopping you doing something about that first fret action ?

[Mortimor]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

What is stopping you doing something about that first fret action ?

Lack of tools and lack of skill. I know my limitations.

Yamaha specifies a first fret action of .022" +/- .002" and states that this should be considered to be on the high side.

I measured first fret action using feeler gauges and found the following values:

Low E: .025"
A : .028"
D: .026"
G: .023"
B: .025"
High E: .022"

While most strings are out of spec, I really only notice difficulty with the A and B strings.