Another neck angle question.

[Wooly]

I know it's bad news for a straight edge to land below the top of a bridge but on my new guitar it lands about 1/16 above. Is this a good thing or does it matter?

It's kept in a room with around 50% humidity.

No problem at all, as long as your saddle is not overly tall for the desired action.

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

No problem at all, as long as your saddle is not overly tall for the desired action.

My guitar tech took a little too much of the bottom of the original saddle so I took it out and put a Tusq saddle in place of it. I didn't sand anything off the bottom of the new one. It's better but still on the verge of buzzing on the higher frets closer to the neck. Action measures 5/64 on the low E and 1/16 on the high E at the 12th fret. Top of fret to bottom of string.

[Tom West]

Wooly: What is the distance from the guitar top to the low E string at the bridge ?? Also what is your relief ?? Your guitar may be a bit overset given the figures you have quoted.
Tom

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by Tom West

Wooly: What is the distance from the guitar top to the low E string at the bridge ?? Also what is your relief ?? Your guitar may be a bit overset given the figures you have quoted.
Tom

Distance from the bottom of the low E to the top of the guitar at the bridge is 31/64. Just under 1/2 in. My neck relief is at .006

I believe you are right about being over set. Came from the factory that way.

[peter.coombe]

1/16 inch straight edge above the bridge is about right. 31/64 is 12.3mm, and that is definitely not too much so the neck is not over set. The action at the 12th fret is a bit on the low side so the fret work and relief will need to be spot on or you will get buzzing, particularly on the low E string. 1mm extra height in the saddle will fix it. It is far better to have a saddle a little too high on a new guitar than too low since it is likely you will need to lower the saddle later down the track. With time it may fix itself if you leave it as it is.

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by peter.coombe

It is far better to have a saddle a little too high on a new guitar than too low since it is likely you will need to lower the saddle later down the track. With time it may fix itself if you leave it as it is.

That's kind of what I was thinking / hoping for.

[Tom West]

Wooly: Wonder what is the thickness of the bridge.......??
Tom

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by Tom West

Wooly: Wonder what is the thickness of the bridge.......??
Tom

Bridge thickness measures 9/32 between the D and G string.

[Howard Klepper]

If the measurements are correct, the neck angle is great; the bridge is about 1/16" too thin. If the saddle is not tilting you can live with that, although it sounds as if your action is borderline low.

Did you buy new? What brand?

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

If the measurements are correct, the neck angle is great; the bridge is about 1/16" too thin. If the saddle is not tilting you can live with that, although it sounds as if your action is borderline low.

Did you buy new? What brand?

I bought it new. Picked it up last week. It's an Alvarez AP70SB.

It's by no means a high end guitar but one still wants it to be right. I have a couple 9mm saddles on order so hopefully they will be tall enough to raise the action a little. I really don't want to shim if I don' t have to.

[dhalbert]

Originally Posted by Wooly

I really don't want to shim if I don' t have to.

I have an AP70 with the opposite problem. Saddle has to be a bit too low. I sloped the back of the bridge to get a better break angle. The action height changes significantly between summer and winter humidity. I use a .020" shim made from polystyrene sheet plastic in the winter; it has no effect on the tone.

Mine also needed significant nut slot lowering to get a good action at the nut.

[redir]

Originally Posted by peter.coombe

1/16 inch straight edge above the bridge is about right. 31/64 is 12.3mm, and that is definitely not too much so the neck is not over set. The action at the 12th fret is a bit on the low side so the fret work and relief will need to be spot on or you will get buzzing, particularly on the low E string. 1mm extra height in the saddle will fix it. It is far better to have a saddle a little too high on a new guitar than too low since it is likely you will need to lower the saddle later down the track. With time it may fix itself if you leave it as it is.

My thoughts exactly. In fact I always aim high when I build a guitar and set the neck angle for that reason. Down the road the first adjustment you want to make is the simplest one, remove a bit of material under the saddle to get the action right.

I think 1/8th inch saddle height is about perfect and any thing over 5/32 is starting to push it.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by Wooly

My guitar tech took a little too much of the bottom of the original saddle so I took it out and put a Tusq saddle in place of it. I didn't sand anything off the bottom of the new one. It's better but still on the verge of buzzing on the higher frets closer to the neck. Action measures 5/64 on the low E and 1/16 on the high E at the 12th fret. Top of fret to bottom of string.

Due to standard construction techniques, many guitars often develop a small hump at the frets where the neck joins the body.

If all else is okay, a bit of light fret-work near the "hump" may be exactly what is needed to rectify your buzzing.

Does the buzzing increase as you approach the join?? Then, once you reach and pass the join, does the buzzing disappear??

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by Ned Milburn

Does the buzzing increase as you approach the join?? Then, once you reach and pass the join, does the buzzing disappear??

Yes, this is a 12 fret parlor guitar and the buzzing starts at the 8th fret on past the 12th fret. It's most noticeable on the high E and B string. It's not buzzing bad but just on the verge.

I'm going to play it the way it is for a few weeks and see if it "settles down". If it doesn't, I'm going to take to another tech I know and see if maybe some fret work or a proper set up this time is in order.