yamaha 12 string bridge

[12stringaddict]

I have recently bought a rare 1983 yamaha fg-612s 12 string guitar. The truss rod is maxed out and the only way to lower the action is to remove the bridge and sand the bottom of it and re-glue it. I already have it tuned down half a step and don't like the sound when it's tuned down a whole step. What I want to know is, would taking the bridge off change the tone/sound of the guitar? I love the sound of it right now and would hate to lose that. Any advice helps. Thanks.

[mr. beaumont]

No saddle left to sand down? Or not enough to make a difference?

[12stringaddict]

There's enough there. Everything is still as is from the factory. Just tear and wear from the years. Beautiful sound. The tech said he would have to sand a little bit off.

[bisco1]

Typically, the bridge is shaved from the TOP, not the bottom. The amount that would have to be shaved is twice the distance from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom the the string that you would like to lower, i.e.; if you want to lower the action .030" you would have to shave the bridge .060". If the current bridge is on the thick side, say .375" tall, you could shave the bridge safely .040" or so. Also, you need to make sure the saddle slot is now deep enough so the saddle is not prone to leaning. Usually the best solution to high action is a neck reset, which might be difficult on older Yamahas. There are Yamaha experts on this forum that could advise you on this. Bill

[John Arnold]

Shaving the bottom often makes the wings too thin.

[12stringaddict]

The guitar is starting to belly, that's why the action is high, and I'm wondering if doing this bridge repair would change the sound at all. I like the sound of the guitar right now and am afraid of losing the beautiful sound of this guitar. I played a guitar in a store that had this same bridge repair done and it sounded awful. I play with a capo quite often but with the capo off, the action is 4mm at the 12 fret

[phavriluk]

Bridge shaving, in and of itself, has zero effect on string height, which is controlled by the saddle. If the height of the saddle doesn't change, neither does the string height, and consequently the height of the strings off the frets.

Shaving a bridge in order to allow a lowered saddle is a different matter.

[12stringaddict]

The saddle is as low as possible. If the saddle was lowered anymore the strings wouldn't sound anymore.

[John Arnold]

Shaving the bridge from the top is preferable, especially since there is some bellying of the top. Thinning the wings will allow more flexing of the bridge, which could increase the belly.
If anything, reducing bridge mass will brighten up the tone a little. You also could get more punch/volume, though sustain may be less. All these effects are subtle, and not likely to make or break a guitar's desirability.
That said, proper regluing of the bridge should not change the sound at all.
If there is any saddle exposed at all after lowering it, an alternative to shaving the bridge is to cut ramps (slots) in the bridge under the strings to restore some string break angle.

[12stringaddict]

yeah, I'm really worried about losing the quality of the sound, I have a really picky ear when it comes to guitars and sound. This guitar has the biggest bridge pins I've ever seen.

[Brucebubs]

Might be time to look at a 'Bridge Doctor'?

They make a 12-string guitar version.

[12stringaddict]

All I'm really worried about is the sound changing and me not liking the guitar anymore. I had a previous 12 string upgraded to a bone saddle and I don't like it as much any more. Like I said, I'm really picky when it comes to the sound of a guitar, I just don't want to get the repair done and have the guitar sound horrible after. It's a very unique sound that this guitar makes, not like other Yamaha 12 strings. It's very low and warm sounding and I don't want it to sound bright and jangly after the repair. If the repair is done, I want it to sound exactly the same or as close as possible to the same. I could find a way to post an audio clip of this guitar if anyone wanted.

[ssstewart]

as the S denotes in the fg 612s this is a solid topped 12 string (very nice) but more prone to belly up than a laminate top ( although the solid top sounds much better imo than the lam) due to the solid top is can be affected by humidity a lot more than a lam top. solid topped 12 strings will belly more easily due to temporary dryness than a lam will. yes, the extra tension forces on any 12 string will cause belly up on guitars but moreso on solid topped gits, especially when 40 years old and if subjected to humidity changes. besides the fixes already stated with shaving etc, an old trick for solid topped 12 strings is to loosen the strings off and rehumidify the guitar and place a weight ( not too much, but enough to put pressure on the belly point) and then either completely cover the guitar so the humidity doesnt readily escape or if you can still case the guitar with the extra weight on top do that. leave it like that for at least 4-5 days to up to a week and a half ( check on it every couple days to evaluate the progress) i have done this and had great results with the top returning to its almost original form. yes all guitars regardless of being 6 or 12 string can eventually belly a bit and some belly is actually not a bad thing imo. if this proves successful i would strongly advise at tuning down full step and using capo as well as ensuring guitar is kept at safe humidity levels when not being played. solid tops can be pressured into close to original state, unlike laminate tops which are not influenced by pressure or rehumidifying. remembering some belly is not a bad thing and is natural as it ages. my thoughts anyway or worthy of discussing further with your local guitar guru.

[John Arnold]

A dry top will have less belly, not more.

[12stringaddict]

thank you ssstewart for your reply. I appreciate your time to answer my question and will take your advice.