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Old 08-12-2019, 01:35 PM
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UncleJesse UncleJesse is offline
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Default How to learning how to work on my acoustics?

The last two techs I've used have both lowered the action too far and want to shim the saddle to bring it back up, which I wasn't wanting to do. So I was looking to maybe purchased a cheap used Yamaha under $100 and do things like adjusting the action and replacing saddles and nuts. I'd probably give away the guitar after I was done. Are there any particular tips or recommendations you'd have for me? A good place to start?
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Old 08-12-2019, 07:30 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UncleJesse View Post
The last two techs I've used have both lowered the action too far and want to shim the saddle to bring it back up, which I wasn't wanting to do. So I was looking to maybe purchased a cheap used Yamaha under $100 and do things like adjusting the action and replacing saddles and nuts. I'd probably give away the guitar after I was done. Are there any particular tips or recommendations you'd have for me? A good place to start?
The trick to repairing is attention to detail, anybody can pick up a tool and call themselves a luthier or guitar tech, they can even open a business and offer their services with no checks in place.

For you to start, just go to the local tip and buy a scrapped guitar, then look it over and work out what it needs for repair and start doing said repair, ask questions etc, reading all the books in the world or watching online tutorials is great for information but not worth a slick when doing repairs, that is all about hands on experience and repetition of said jobs.

Steve
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Old 08-13-2019, 12:53 PM
redir redir is offline
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There are lots of books out there and a lot of free information online. Suppliers like Stewart MacDonald and LMI have lots of tips and tricks type information on their websites.

Speaking for myself, and probably a lot of others who started at the time I did in the dark ages before the Internet, we would often buy junker guitars at yard sales, take them apart, refret and retop them and so on. So yeah it's good to learn by doing but take advantage of the information that is out there too.
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:47 PM
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UncleJesse UncleJesse is offline
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Any specific tools I should go for? I was thinking of an 18" straight edge, string action measuring card, feeler gauges, and a radius gauge. I need something to sand saddles but I think I can do with sandpaper and some sort of flat surface.
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