Neck Reset on my Taylor 214ce-g

[rabbuhl]

In short, I was looking at buying a Fender PM-TE. I tried it and then Taylor GS e-Mini Walnut. The GS Mini sounded and played great. Thus, I started thinking of owning a GS Mini either in addition to or in place of my 214ce.

Next, I brought my 214ce into the store. Playing them side-by-side for a while I realized the problem with my 214ce was the action was too high. Taylor recently replaced the body on the guitar. I asked for comfortable action and when I picked up the guitar the repair guy went on and on about it being a "standard" set up. For me the action was just too high and it took the fun out of playing the guitar.

I took the 214ce to the shop on Friday. The guitar tech said he did a neck reset on it and adjusted the truss rod. I got it back on Friday afternoon. I did not measure the action beforehand but afterwards the 214ce seem to be more comfortable to play.

What is your experience with Taylor neck resets?

Fyi, I've played a few guitars over the last year. When it plays like butter I wanted to get rid of my 214ce and get it instead. That was true with an Eastman and the Gs mini walnut.

[Oldguy64]

With a Taylor a neck “reset” is part of the setup.
The neck is unbolted and the neck shimmed to change the angle slightly to suit the player.
It can make a hard to play instrument play “like buttah” in about 45 minutes.

[phavriluk]

Taylor guitars ARE NOT to be maintained according to 'common' techniques. The NT neck installation and alignment procedures need to be done by a Taylor-approved repair station. I think OP hasn't mentioned whether he understood the uniqueness of a Taylor before allowing someone to work on his guitar. Resetting a Taylor neck takes less time than changing strings when done by authorized repair facilities.

[Tycobb73]

I just started a 3 page thread on this a week ago. I look at taylors as bolt on neck guitars like a strat. There is a bolt or screw in the fingerboard higher up after the neck but the fingerboard is still glued to the neck. I saw on Taylor's YouTube Bob Taylor say a neck reset is how you adjust action. The saddle stays where it is, how it is. One guy on my thread kept on insisting my Taylor certified tech was wrong until i mentioned what i saw Bob Taylor say. My tech used the biggest shims he had but it plays great.

[rabbuhl]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

Taylor guitars ARE NOT to be maintained according to 'common' techniques. The NT neck installation and alignment procedures need to be done by a Taylor-approved repair station. I think OP hasn't mentioned whether he understood the uniqueness of a Taylor before allowing someone to work on his guitar. Resetting a Taylor neck takes less time than changing strings when done by authorized repair facilities.

The 214ce has never played like buttah. The string height at the 12 fret has always been too high.i thought when I took it to the Taylor repair in Amsterdam to have the body replaced they would make it better. Fyi, the local shop which did the neck reset is an authorized Taylor repair center.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Tycobb73

I just started a 3 page thread on this a week ago. I look at taylors as bolt on neck guitars like a strat. There is a bolt or screw in the fingerboard higher up after the neck but the fingerboard is still glued to the neck. I saw on Taylor's YouTube Bob Taylor say a neck reset is how you adjust action. The saddle stays where it is, how it is. One guy on my thread kept on insisting my Taylor certified tech was wrong until i mentioned what i saw Bob Taylor say. My tech used the biggest shims he had but it plays great.

That might have been me - it still seems like its a turning the lamp instead of the light bulb kind of thing, but I'll get over it

[vindibona1]

The Taylor NT neck, as others have stated was designed to be shimmed to adjust action with their unique shim system. The action on my 614ce was higher than I liked and by local (Taylor authorized) technician reset the neck to lower the action and it has played great ever since. There is one drawback to this method (in most cases): Cost. $100 is what I was charged.

But in reality, to lower the action 1 or 2 64th" you can also lower the saddle height. If one chose to lower (or raise) the saddle height I would strongly recommend buying a replacement saddle which should cost (in the US) no more than $15 (even for bone). Then it is a matter of being able to sand the saddle to the proper height and thickness.

[rabbuhl]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

The Taylor NT neck, as others have stated was designed to be shimmed to adjust action with their unique shim system. The action on my 614ce was higher than I liked and by local (Taylor authorized) technician reset the neck to lower the action and it has played great ever since. There is one drawback to this method (in most cases): Cost. $100 is what I was charged.

But in reality, to lower the action 1 or 2 64th" you can also lower the saddle height. If one chose to lower (or raise) the saddle height I would strongly recommend buying a replacement saddle which should cost (in the US) no more than $15 (even for bone). Then it is a matter of being able to sand the saddle to the proper height and thickness.

When I brought the guitar in the tech told me he could fix it. He also said the repair could be done at the Taylor Repair facility in Amsterdam for free. Since the Taylor Repair facility in Amsterdam had the guitar two times and did not correct the action I decided to go ahead with him. In his shop there was a used Eastman which he did a set up and man did it play good. So, it cost me 50 EUR. All he did was the neck reset and truss rod adjustment. He did not change the strings since he said there we still good.

[Earl49]

If the neck angle is good (correct shims) and the relief is right (truss rod) then the remaining part of the equation for easy play is nut slot depth. The stock nuts from the factory are usually a little high to achieve an average action. Improving that for maximum ease of playing means slowly and carefully filing the nut slots a little deeper. I always suggest starting with a new nut and keeping the original untouched. Then it is an easy "part swap" to go back to your starting point if needed.

A great set up is a bit of an art.

[rabbuhl]

Originally Posted by Earl49

If the neck angle is good (correct shims) and the relief is right (truss rod) then the remaining part of the equation for easy play is nut slot depth. The stock nuts from the factory are usually a little high to achieve an average action. Improving that for maximum ease of playing means slowly and carefully filing the nut slots a little deeper. I always suggest starting with a new nut and keeping the original untouched. Then it is an easy "part swap" to go back to your starting point if needed.

A great set up is a bit of an art.

So I can lower the action with a nut or replacement saddle?

[Tycobb73]

Originally Posted by TBman

That might have been me - it still seems like its a turning the lamp instead of the light bulb kind of thing, but I'll get over it

Yeah i thinki some were a little hard on you once you understood. To use the lamp analogy, i think it's like unscrewing and puttin parts from the factoryin the body of the lamp then screwing it back together vs shaving down the light bulb and having to shave off the exact amount. I'll take the bolts anytime, but I'm just getting into acoustics so I'm not burdened by tradition.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Tycobb73

Yeah i think some were a little hard on you once you understood. To use the lamp analogy, i think it's like unscrewing and puttin parts from the factory in the body of the lamp then screwing it back together vs shaving down the light bulb and having to shave off the exact amount. I'll take the bolts anytime, but I'm just getting into acoustics so I'm not burdened by tradition.

Yeah, I think you'd have to be used to the traditional way for it to mean anything. As long as your guitar plays fine, it doesn't matter.

[nikpearson]

As others have said the way to adjust the action on a Taylor with an NT neck is to adjust the neck angle with Taylor-supplied shims.

The action at the 12th fret isn’t really affected by the nut slots - that is by such a small an amount as to be imperceptible. However, if the nut slots aren’t right then the guitar will be harder to play on the lower frets. Re-cutting nut slots requires a set of specialist files and feeler gauges to do the job well.

A number of people on the forum have questioned why you wouldn’t simply lower the saddle to correct action as is done with most acoustic guitars. The answer to that is that this method is a necessary fudge on most guitars because adjusting the neck angle requires major surgery. There is an optimal height for the strings to sit above the soundboard, 12-14mm depending on who you ask, which achieves the best sound. Taylor’s neck design makes it easy to maintain this ideal string height.

To date I have built instruments using traditional methods but am looking to use a similar neck/body joint in future builds for the reasons stated above.

[Blueser100]

I'm confused as to why the body of the guitar was replaced??

[John Arnold]

I have reset a few of these Taylor NT necks, and it is not rocket surgery. Making shims is basic to the craft (I am not Taylor authorized). That said, the best tech in the world is shooting in the dark if exact information about the desired action is lacking. Communication is key. What one player considers 'high action' is not gospel.