Bridge shaving

[Nor'easter]

Saddle looks backwards

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by Nor'easter

Saddle looks backwards

True, but neither end of the saddle should be flush with the bridge. Needs a neck re-set. If it's true they want to charge you $300 for a new saddle (in addition to the set and frets), you could buy one from Bob Colosi for $35. Have the tech adjust that one. No reason a saddle should cost $300--that would cover most of the neck reset!

[Hurricane Bob]

The saddle is not in backwards, the depth is too high in the bridge slot on the bass side. How about taking some material out of the slot?

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Hurricane Bob

The saddle on the bass side is flush to the bridge, the treble side looks good.
The bridge is huge and has a lot of room to sand. Its a locally built guitar I have owned and gigged with since 1997 called a LACH. Bought new for $450.00,...

Based upon the information you have provided, you have three potential options:

1. neck reset
2. shave the bridge
3. slot the pin holes

You haven't really provided enough information to be able to recommend one over the others.

That said, with what you have now, you want to lower the bass E by 4/32 - 3/32" = 1/32". That means you need to remove 2/32" (1/16") from the saddle on the bass E side. Ideally, you would like to have 1/16" of saddle projecting above the top of the saddle to give you an adequate break angle. That would be removing 1/8" of bridge height.

You may be able to get away with less than 1/16" of saddle projection by slotting/ramping the bass pin holes.

That said, you can make an informed choice on what it will take to reach your desired string height by shaving the bridge. The choice is then up to you: neck reset, bridge shave with/without pin hole ramping.

Regardless of what you do or decide, your cost of ownership since 1997, 19 years, is about $450/19 = $24 per year, not accounting for time value of money, etc. In short, it doesn't owe you anything. If you decide to sink another $450 or so into it in repair work and it gets you another 20 years, it's still pretty inexpensive annually. If shaving the bridge "ruins" it, you were well served by it for nearly 20 years. If shaving the bridge gets you another 5, 10 or more years of playability out of it, that works too. Your choice. Sometimes, shaving the bridge is the best option.

[sharkydude50]

Hi Hurricane!

I have the exact same guitar you have (it's actually a D-35 clone, not a D-28 one- note the 3 piece back it has) and also shaved down the bridge (in lieu of a neck reset). I did not do a reset because of the cost and also because these Sigma neck's are glued in with Epoxy, which is almost impossible to cleanly & easily take apart during a reset.

One word of caution about using this method to help lower action- taking down the bridge makes the saddle slot more shallow than before. My existing saddle (at the same height) now tipped forward in the slot because there wasn't enough bridge material to properly support it in a perpendicular orientation. I had to now shave off some of the saddle bottom to get 1) a saddle that would "stand up straight" and 2) get a decent string break angle over the saddle.

Do not attempt to "carve out" the saddle slot in the bridge (as you mentioned earlier). The chances that you are going to get an even, perfectly flat slot base is slim to none. If it isn't dead flat in the slot base (or on the saddle bottom, for that matter) you will not be getting decent energy transfer from the string vibrations to the bridge plate (due to the space/gap between the saddle bottom and the slot). Your guitars tone will suffer noticeably if there isn't really great contact between the saddle bottom and the bridge slot.

BTW- I also ramped my bridge at each string to help with the break angle over the "new" shorter saddle.

[Hurricane Bob]

This is not a Sigma its a Lach made by the luthierer John Lach. I noticed that the bridge slot for the saddle is angled, way higher on the bass side. Is this normal? Not sure if its flat and even. Not going to mess with that yet, but will sand the bridge more tonight, thanks for all the advice on this fellas-

[JerryM]

Your messing up!! first no break angle over the saddle, second saddle backwards, third not taking to a luthier for neck set. Now you will need to have a new bridge glued in as well as a saddle and neck set.

[Larry Pattis]

What is evident here is that most people don't understand what they are looking at...and why.

[Mr LV19E]

Originally Posted by Hurricane Bob

Started sanding the top of the bridge of my HD-28 copy to finally address high action of 5/32 inch at the 12th fret. First I sanded the saddle down as far as possible, truss rod is not adjustable. I just noticed that the bridge itself is a lot higher on the bass side than the treble side. Is this normal? Should I even it out sanding? The action now at the bass side is 4/32 shooting for 3/32 inch. pics coming---Happy Easter

When you say the bridge is much higher on the base side are you talking about the bridge thickness or the top of the guitar itself? If the top is raised along with the bridge on the bass side you might have a loose brace.

In your picture the bridge looks thicker on the bass side. Is that because you sanded just the treble side?

[devellis]

It's not that unusual for bridges to be thicker (and thus taller) on the bass side, compared to the treble.

[Hot Vibrato]

Originally Posted by Waxer

I say sand that bridge until it is even thickness. Than use a dremel tool and put in some string ramps in the bridge pin holes to increase the string angle to the saddle. What's the risk? If it it fails and you get a neck reset they can remove the bridge and replace it same time.

The risk is the expense. A replacement bridge hand crafted and installed by a skilled luthier is around $300. So, by shaving the bridge down, the OP has turned a $500 job into an $800 job. It probably needs a refret by now too, so add $400 or so, which makes it a $1200 job, whereas it would have only been $900 if he had left the bridge alone.

Originally Posted by Hurricane Bob

I noticed that the bridge slot for the saddle is angled, way higher on the bass side. Is this normal?

This question has been answered already on this thread. Yes - it's normal.

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

What is evident here is that most people don't understand what they are looking at...and why.

What do you mean by this?

What I'm looking at is a guitar that's due for a neck reset. I'm not familiar with Lach's work, but that looks like a nice guitar that probably deserves to be fixed properly. The OP ignored the advice of several members here (including myself) who advised against shaving the bridge down. Now the guitar needs a neck reset and a new bridge. Bridge shaving is for cheap Yamahas and Sigmas.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Hot Vibrato

Bridge shaving is for cheap Yamahas and Sigmas.

And for anyone who has a thick bridge and doesn't want to spend $500 to have a guitar made playable.

What's your definition of "cheap"? The guitar in question was purchased, new, for $450. Sounds like its owner has decided he doesn't want to spend "$900" to make it playable if he can do so by sanding down the bridge for free. Can't really argue with that too much. It is his guitar, his money and his decision. And, he'll probably be successful with his chosen path.

[mahoriver]

Do not

Originally Posted by sharkydude50

Do not attempt to "carve out" the saddle slot in the bridge (as you mentioned earlier). The chances that you are going to get an even, perfectly flat slot base is slim to none. If it isn't dead flat in the slot base (or on the saddle bottom, for that matter) you will not be getting decent energy transfer from the string vibrations to the bridge plate (due to the space/gap between the saddle bottom and the slot). Your guitars tone will suffer noticeably if there isn't really great contact between the saddle bottom and the bridge slot.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...neckangle.html
Unfortunately, this guitar shows a clear need for neck angle work.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

What is evident here is that most people don't understand what they are looking at...and why.

My exact thoughts as well, which is why I would never take any advice for setup or repairs from 99% of online sources.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Mr LV19E

When you say the bridge is much higher on the base side are you talking about the bridge thickness or the top of the guitar itself? If the top is raised along with the bridge on the bass side you might have a loose brace.

My thoughts exactly. I have seen this quite a bit with older Gibson guitars.