Set Up / Action adj. question

[Marley]

This could possibly be a good learning experience for some people on here.

The situation:
The action is a little high on my Taylor guitar. I bring it into your shop to have it adjusted.

(as the luthier) What are you going to do to my NT neck guitar? What's the first thing your going to do/check?

(as the customer) What questions should I ask. What red flags should I look out for etc...

[ntotoro]

If it's an NT guitar, your luthier will have a couple different options. He'll probably check the nut slots, action, relief, fret life and saddle. If there's too much relief, he'll probably work on that first.

If that's acceptable and the action is still not to your liking, it'll be the saddle, the neck angle or a combination of both. Are you the original owner? If so, a neck reset will be done free-of-charge as warranty work, most likely. He may take this course of action of there isn't much saddle to work with and taking away material will get the strings too close to the soundhole or a combination of things.

Nick

[Marley]

Thanks Nick. Just some more questions, as I'm asking questions-I don't have the answers.

Would you not first place you fingers on the 1st and 14th frest and measure the height at the 6th fret? Start there?

and check the moisture level of the guitar & case just to make sure you don't go and make changes when the guitar is full of moisture and swollen? or dry.

then check the neck to make sure it is straight with whatever measurements a luthier uses?

and take a look at the saddle and see that it is perfectly straight up and down and not pulling forward at all-even the slightest bit?

and after all of that and maybe a few other checks to decide what to do?

Do you think it is odd to bring your guitar in for high action and be told "we'll just do a neck reset since it is covered by Taylor" ? without checking anything else, asking any type of playing style questions or really any questions?

Would a neck reset really be the absolute first and only thing a good luthier would do?

By the way I heard today that Taylor will now be asking their warranty guys to check moisture levels because they are going to no cover neck resets under warranty if the proper humidy levels have not been kept.

AGAIN, I'm just asking these questions in hopes of getting the correct answers and procedures on how a situation like this should play out.

[ntotoro]

Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing before bringing it to him. One, you might make matters worse inadvertently. Two, that's what a luthier gets paid to do...

Seriously, though, you're used to playing your guitar as-is. Bring it to him and tell him what you don't like about it. Then he'll look it over and say "Oh, I notice that x, y and z aren't quite 'optimal,' so let's start from that point."

The only reason I suggest a neck reset as part of a setup is because you have an NT guitar. It's a very easy job for a luthier to remove an NT neck and shim it. It wouldn't be the first thing a luthier would consider (even with an NT) neck, but it's an option if there isn't enough saddle material or he just doesn't feel comfortable removing more to get your action lower.

Honestly, though, a really good luthier would be able to answer all your questions just by asking you what you don't like about the way your guitar plays. I see Jim Warwick here in NoVa. The first time I showed him one of my guitars, he had 3-4 "problems" in-mind already before I even mentioned anything about playability.

Nick

[Marley]

I was asking those things from the perspective of a luthier. Not myself putting my fingers on the strings and measuring but the luthier doing that, then measuring, then checking etc..etc..etc..

I guess to cut straight to the chase. If you brought your Taylor into a luthier b/c your action was high and the first and only thing they said is that they will do a neck reset, would grab your guitar back and run for zee hills?

I know the definition of a luthier but to me there are two types of luthiers.
1- A person who makes and repairs stringed instruments
2- A person who repairs stringed instruments.

#1 makes me more comfortable

[ntotoro]

Ah, gotcha'.

If all he wanted to do was a neck reset, yeah, I'd say "thanks, but no thanks" and head out.

Now if the angle is definitely off, then it'll be done. The NT neck gives so many options, though, as far as setup. A decent luthier will check the action, relief, nut slot depth and all sort of things before doing any actual work. Fortunately, Jim Warwick is a #1 (using your descriptions), so I have no worries. He even gets my Taylor warranty work, not just setups. Saves me money in shipping and I know my guitar will be in fantastic hands.

Nick

[fchas]

I thought I read on this forum that with the Taylor NT necks, they do change the shims (or reset neck) instead of shaving the the saddle and such now. I thought someone even reported that thats what taylor recommends....did I just dream I read that? If thats the case, why would you run if a Taylor tech suggests that? of course im sure if it just needed a truss rod adjustment thats what a tech would do. frank

[ntotoro]

If Taylor recommends that ahead of shaving the saddle, then that's what has to be done, especially since it'll likely affect the warranty.

The case of the recent setup on my 655ce, the saddle was completely untouched and the neck was reset, all under warranty. I had to pay $60 to fix a few "proud" frets, but that was it.

Nick

[Ichthus]

Originally Posted by fchas

I thought I read on this forum that with the Taylor NT necks, they do change the shims (or reset neck) instead of shaving the the saddle and such now. I thought someone even reported that thats what taylor recommends....did I just dream I read that? If thats the case, why would you run if a Taylor tech suggests that? of course im sure if it just needed a truss rod adjustment thats what a tech would do. frank

I may have said that. When I had my GA3 set up, the Taylor qualified luthier told me they usually adjust the neck with shims rather than sanding down the saddle.

When I took my 414ce to a different Taylor qualified luthier for a set up, he said it is a combination of both resetting the neck as well as adjusting the saddle. So...I don't know who is correct...

By the way, the first set up cost me twice as much as the latter...go figure.

[220volt]

You always avoid sanding down the saddle if all possible. R Taylor never does that. They always reset the neck angle. That way strings break angle across the saddle will always stay the same which is really important to the tone. Tim Luranc at R Taylor reset the neck on my R Taylor to get the action ultra low without loss of tone or buzzing whatsoever. Love it.
Exception to this is humid months. Action on my My R Taylor right now is little higher than when I first got it few months ago. That's because humidity is higher. There's no escaping that. In this case I use another saddle that is tad lower than the original one (not much though) and all is well again. But that is the only exception.