#16
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Use calipers to check your progress. You can also mark the saddle with the calipers to provide a mark of how much to sand off.
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#17
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Plan on installing new strings if you make several goes of it. All that tightening/loosening/retightening weakens the strings.
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As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#18
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It's gratifying to me how an under $20 tool facilitates precise work and compensates for my aging eyes. |
#19
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#20
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https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Action...s%2C373&sr=8-5
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Acoustics: Martin D35 Martin OM-16GT Gibson J-45 Standard Breedlove Pursuit Concerto CE Takamine F400S 12-string Yamaha FG800 Citation CIT8000 "The Survivor" Electrics: Fender Standard Stratocaster (2004) |
#21
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See about 3:50 to 4:10 in the video Neck relief is different and adjusted usually with the truss rod. Believe Chris is correct them
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2004 Martin J-41 Special Sitka/EIR 2002 Huss and Dalton TDR 45 Sitka/Honduran Rosewood 2014 Huss and Dalton TDR 45 Bearclaw Adi/Brazilian Rosewood 2019 Ryan Nightingale Bearclaw Sitka/EIR |
#22
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He says he goes with about 0.004" relief, but he does not say how that is measured. A usual way to measure it is to fret the first and 14th fret and measure the clearance around the 7th fret.
Later he says relief of 5 - 10 1/1000ths at the 12th fret, but again, does not say how to do this - whether to fret the first and 14th fret, or just what. These could be made more clear. Last edited by Mirosh; 12-02-2022 at 09:52 PM. Reason: correct decimal point |
#23
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__________________
Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom Martin D-18/UltraTonic Adamas I 2087GT-8 Ovation Custom Legend LX Guild F-212XL STD Huss & Dalton TD-R Taylor 717e Taylor 618e Taylor 614ce Larrivee D-50M/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi Larrivee D-40R Sunburst Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom RainSong BI-DR1000N2 Emerald X20 Yamaha FGX5 Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2 |
#24
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I'm glad Youtube wasn't around when I set up my first acoustic.
I had been setting up all the electric guitars in my band for years. When I acoustic electrics came out. At first, I thought it was, what it was. And they didn't get played on stage verry much. I bought a J-185ec for stage work. Loved the Fishman Aura Pro electronics. If I played it for an hour, my hand would be shot. Action was very disappointing to say the least. I had a cheaper acoustic at the time. So I decided to make the cheaper one my Guinea pig. And knowing how to do electrics. I got my nut files and went to work. Cutting slots in the saddle. The same way you would cut a nut. Only I did all slots with the .056" file. String by string, just like an electric. I filed till I got the measurement I wanted. I never needed to know the radius of the fretboard. Filing string by string and cutting .002" higher for each larger string. .042, .044, .046, .048, .050, and .052 (Using contact core strings) You won't be able to get a regular string this low, without a neck reset. Next, I removed the saddle. Put in a vise and filed off the top, till I got down to the slots. Reinstalling the saddle "(in reverse)" so the B string relief is on the A string leaning forward. I began the intonation process. Using my strobe tuner, I tuned, fretting the 12th and filing back a touch till it was intonated. When I was finished, I had a guitar that played very near as easy as my electrics. And incidentally, this guitar is intonated better than all my other acoustics. Since then, I will always start with a bone blank. Have 4 Martin's, 2 Gibson's and a Guild set up this way. Can play any of them for hours on end. Seeing as how I can only get them this low with contact core strings. I can't see why all these guys on Youtube are scared they will get them too low, and they may buzz. Really? Maybe they're cutting the nut too low. Got those numbers down to a science too. |
#25
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Thanks for the advice everyone!
I want to take about more off the low side than the hi side. That does feel like it makes the whole thing a little more complex. Any tips for handling that transition smoothly? Last edited by Hotspur; 12-03-2022 at 08:53 PM. |
#26
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Take it off the top of the saddle where the string crosses, carefully.
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#27
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As an addendum to my previous post. And also touching on rmp's post, yes.
It is true, when I get my acoustics set so low where I like to play. It does lower the volume as well. It won't change the resonance. They still ring like a bell. But you may not want them as low as me if, Say , you are playing acoustically in a Blue Grass circle. All my guitars are electric as well. I can get all the volume I need, plugging into a PA. That said, they are plenty loud enough, to play with no electronics just guitar and vocal, for a small group of people. Did it just the other day. Played for a group of about ten people. Grabbed a chair, sat down, tuned and played for about an hour. It was fine. Just remember Volume and tone are two different things. |
#28
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See first image for an example: (note, the right side is the bass side as pictured) https://www.sweetwater.com/c1239--Gu...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
__________________
As my username suggests, huge fan of Yamaha products. Own many acoustic-electric models from 2009-present and a couple electric. Lots of PA too. |
#29
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I can't see that anyone has yet suggested buying a new saddle and working on that?
Keep the original saddle for reference so you have some comparison for your calipers. It makes the whole job so much easier and more accurate. As has been said, definitely set up the relief and nut prior to shaping the saddle.
__________________
I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs. I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band. |
#30
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That's an absolutely fantastic suggestion! Thank you!
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