Low action - strings touch wood!

[Strat80hm]

I m setting up my nylon string for a lower action
- flamenco style, with a hint of fret buzzing.
- I set the neck almost straight (slightly concave).

However i encounter 2 situations:
at bridge, strings are touching the wood before passing over the bridge-saddle.

Volume is not very even accross the strings (low tend to sound louder)

any comment?

[BradHall]

What wood are the strings touching? Your description seems unlikely. Can you post a picture?

[H165]

The front of the bridge slot is higher than the top of the saddle.

If there's room, you can shave the front, but it's not recommended. A neck reset is required to get the saddle action high enough to drive the top properly.

[runamuck]

I'd recommend you take it to a guitar tech rather than trying to fix things yourself.

[LSemmens]

I had a similar situation on a 12 string some years back, as it was only a cheapie, I was not afraid to attack it. I did shave the front of the bridge down using sandpaper until the saddle came into play again. It worked fine, I am uncertain of the longevity of my mods, though as I ended up giving the guitar to a young man who needed an instrument. If your guitar is a cheapie, have a go, if it's a good (i.e. one you cannot afford to lose) instrument, then professional help is mandatory! You HAVE been warned.

[Strat80hm]

Thanks for input!

Yes, string touching the bridge wood - sorry if i was not clear - here s a pic.


In the end i slightly chiseled the wood just around the strings - no more contact, it s straight from the nut to the saddle!

I m still struggling with volume evenness though - so i m playing with the angle at which the string touches the saddle - i got good result but there always 1 string that s louder of softer.. I m dreaming of a Yamaha ART system with it s 2 separate volumes (high strings/low strings)

The guitar is a Cordoba Fusion - is this considered cheap?

[Strat80hm]

I m totally custom shaping this guitar to my playing-style - i suppose the way it works is that i should get a bunch of bone saddles to try different shapes and heights before i found the perfect one for me right?

[murrmac123]

I've seen notched saddles before, but that one takes the biscuit ...

[Strat80hm]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

I've seen notched saddles before, but that one takes the biscuit ...

Haha thanks!

Yup, why not - it s just one attempt-in-progress, i test my versions live every day or so. I ll remove some of the extra-bone eventually, though it might stay like that as it surprisingly feels good to play..


I m aware of words of caution, although mine still have a good angle i think..
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi.../saddle02.html

[BradHall]

Murrmac is right. What does the nut look like? Are those steel strings on a nylon string guitar? The ends are tied like one. The saddle is at the end of the line in the set up process. Google a few sites and see what works. I would toss that saddle and start from the nut end. If you must adjust individual strings after the set up is right, you can file a minute amount off the top of the saddle. Learn about fretboard radius, fret height, truss rod adjustments.

[Strat80hm]

Originally Posted by BradHall

Murrmac is right. What does the nut look like? Are those steel strings on a nylon string guitar? The ends are tied like one. The saddle is at the end of the line in the set up process. Google a few sites and see what works. I would toss that saddle and start from the nut end. If you must adjust individual strings after the set up is right, you can file a minute amount off the top of the saddle. Learn about fretboard radius, fret height, truss rod adjustments.

Hey Brad - the nut is standard from factory
Guitar is nylon string - i made some string attachment for a steeper angle - more pressure = more volume on piezo - on string B and G.

Action is fantastic now (2.6mm low E - 1.9 high E) - sound clean, no buzzing.

I love that saddle in progress - will probably even it out down the road.

Strings dont touch the wood anymore - which was the point of my thread initially, thanks all!

[BradHall]

Your second picture answered most of my questions. I don't get the more pressure on the piezo part though. Seems like the higher the break angle the more the pressure. Wouldn't you have the opposite effect by lowering it? Very unusual. Good luck in your quest.

[Strat80hm]

Originally Posted by BradHall

Your second picture answered most of my questions. I don't get the more pressure on the piezo part though. Seems like the higher the break angle the more the pressure. Wouldn't you have the opposite effect by lowering it? Very unusual. Good luck in your quest.

Thanks for your support!

You are right, by lowering the saddle, the break angle (thus the pressure) got reduced equally on all strings.

And as said in my original post, i needed an increased volume on higher strings (thus increased angle)

By making string-attachments like those, the path is straight from the string-hole (in bridge block) to the saddle.
On low strings i use the standard knot - without the string-attachment: the string-path is not straight any longer (less break-angle) as a result of the pull of the string-knot it self.

When you look at the first picture, you can see what i m talking about:
- despite the lowered saddle, the angle is steeper on higher strings than on on lower ones.
- the difference is visually subtle yet quite obvious to the ears!

Hope i m making sense

[D. Churchland]

Wow. That's quite an interesting way to lower the playing action.

You need to have a new saddle made.

[Strat80hm]

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

Wow. That's quite an interesting way to lower the playing action.

You need to have a new saddle made.

Thanks

I m making several saddles - but this one works fine too