Question for those who do their own setups

[Rmz76]

Since the details got buried in the other thread and it's subject is the focus on my experience with an on-line retailer, I thought it would be appropriate to start a separate thread to leave all that behind and just focus on the question regarding work to fix this. Based on what you can tell from these photos, how much work do you think it would be to correct this guitar?







Does the neck look warped to you? The action measurement at 12th fret low E is 0.136, factory spec is 0.125. In the other thread it has been said that's a reasonable amount of change for transit (this was shipped from Indiana to Texas) Does everything else in these pictures look like a reasonable amount of deviation from factory spec that would occur from transit or would your best guess be that someone altered the guitar. This is a guitar sold to be as "new". Serial # says it was built in Nov 2015. If you were buying would this be acceptable condition to you coming from an on-line merchant as "new" condition

[fhubert]

OK first off this is just my opinion after 20 years of doing my own set ups.

The neck looks straight. One thing I've noticed is that the saddle is too high on the base end.
A local and respected guitar tech/Luthier once told me that the saddle should be even with the radius of the neck on high and low E!

What I would do with that is shave the saddle on the low end and leave the high end alone.


Shave the bottom o the saddle using sandpaper.

[LeightonBankes]

I've set up all of my own guitars from day 1 ( ca. 1990) for my taste it has a little more relief than I prefer, no prob, lossen the strings and turn the truss rod 1/8-1/4 turn and check your action at the 12th fret again, in spec? perfect! It looks fine to me and wouldn't blink an eyelid at buying it based on what the pics show. After the truss rod tightening, you may want to sand the saddle, depending on the action at that point

[Long Jon]

Originally Posted by fhubert

OK first off this is just my opinion after 20 years of doing my own set ups.

The neck looks straight. One thing I've noticed is that the saddle is too high on the base end.
A local and respected guitar tech/Luthier once told me that the saddle should be even with the radius of the neck on high and low E!

What I would do with that is shave the saddle on the low end and leave the high end alone.


Shave the bottom o the saddle using sandpaper.

I'm sorry, but that is terrible advice IMO. It's brand new. Don't shave anything. Send it back.

[LeightonBankes]

Originally Posted by fhubert

A local and respected guitar tech/Luthier once told me that the saddle should be even with the radius of the neck on high and low E!

I'm not sure what this means. The saddle should have the same radius as the fretboard, yes, but the saddle was even with the radius, that sounds like you would have high action on the high strings or low action on the low strings. Bigger strings should be higher and smaller ones lower is how I do it and everyone I know

[LeightonBankes]

thge current set-up is fine for someone who uses a heavy pick and likes to strum really hard. A guitar can't be set to everyone's liking because everyone likes something different. I use a lighter pick and strum not-so-hard, so I would go a little lower, but I know guys who have paid to have their guitar set-up just like yours and love it

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by LeightonBankes

thge current set-up is fine for someone who uses a heavy pick and likes to strum really hard. A guitar can't be set to everyone's liking because everyone likes something different. I use a lighter pick and strum not-so-hard, so I would go a little lower, but I know guys who have paid to have their guitar set-up just like yours and love it

That's good to know. I should add to this discussion that the intonation is good. I should have thought of that before asking about the neck being warped. Based on your comment I'm wondering if the retailer set it up this way. They also ship this same model (GS Mini) with a Nashville tuning configuration which I've read requires a bit more forward bow than standard tuning. That makes me wonder if perhaps they adjust all GS Mini's to this spec to accommodate Standard and Nashville tuning. Would that even make sense?

[Long Jon]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

That's good to know. I should add to this discussion that the intonation is good. I should have thought of that before asking about the neck being warped. Based on your comment I'm wondering if the retailer set it up this way. They also ship this same model (GS Mini) with a Nashville tuning configuration which I've read requires a bit more forward bow than standard tuning. That makes me wonder if perhaps they adjust all GS Mini's to this spec to accommodate Standard and Nashville tuning. Would that even make sense?

I think that "Johnny Alien" very likely hit the nail on the head in your other thread, seriously, you've got too many threads going on now to monitor all the responses, and can't see the woods for the trees.

Pleeeaase ... Just send the accursed thing back and be done.

[Truckjohn]

Guitars are typically not set up from the factory to meet an individual player's preference. The assumption from the manufacturer is that the owner will have the guitar set up to their personal preference.

It's much easier to sand nuts and saddles a little shorter than it is to add height if the action is too low. If they err - it's always on the tall side so that you have a little material to remove rather than leaving things too short and requiring early replacememt.

Additionally - humidity changes will change the action height. It effects both the dome on the top and the relief in the neck.

Take the guitar to a setup person and have them go through it.
From the pic - I am seeing a simple trussrod adjustment to lower neck relief. It may need the nut and saddle adjusted after that or not.

As to the people crying to send it straight back - you are a fool to listen to them before a good setup guy looks at it. There is no reason to reject a guitar over a simple trussrod adjustment or a saddle/nut slightly too high.

Thanks

[SFCRetired]

How high is that in fractions using 32 or 64? any idea?

The neck needs adjusted and the saddle looks weird to me. I would put a new saddle on it.

[Dwight]

Put a capo on the first fret and press down the low e string at the 14th fret. How far is the low E string off the 7th fret? If it's far, You need a truss rod adjustment, if it's close the truss rod is fine.

Once that's taken care of you can take it to a Taylor repair center and have them reset the neck to lower the action. That's how it's done on Taylor Guitars.

[LeightonBankes]

Originally Posted by Long Jon

Just send the accursed thing back and be done.

who does that? Really. The guy would probably pay someone local to set it up than take the loss on the sale AND have to pay return shipping. This is akin to taking your car back to the dealer because the seat isn't adjusted right. 0.010" is the thickness of 3 sheets of paper. They probably give themselves that much tolerance (0.125" +-.010)

[Dwight]

Originally Posted by Truckjohn

Guitars are typically not set up from the factory to meet an individual player's preference.

Taylors are set up with low easy action.

Taylor doesn't sand down saddles, they reset the neck.

[Tom West]

What can one say??? Pictures are different from having the guitar in hand. There may or may not be a twist in the neck. First set up your relief. Yours looks much too high. For me, .004" to .006" works. Next check your string height at the nut. Fret at the second fret and the string should just clear the first fret. A BIT higher on the bass side OK. The saddle should have close to the same radius as your finger board. Your height at the 12th fret on the bass string is WAY too high for me. At least .036" which means .072" at the saddle. For the treble side .080" at the 12th fret works for me. Now when you look down the fretboard the bass side of the bridge should look higher then the treble.Others may like different figures. With these figures I like to see about .500" between the guitar top and the bottom of the 6th string at the bridge. If you are not in this ballpark you may have another problem. Google set-ups and have a look, lots of great info.

[LeightonBankes]

Originally Posted by SFCRetired

How high is that in fractions using 32 or 64? any idea?

The neck needs adjusted and the saddle looks weird to me. I would put a new saddle on it.

.125 is 1/8" .135 would be a smidge less than 9/64 (.006" less, 2 sheets of paper roughly)