Height of Saddle above Bridge on Taylor GS mini

PeteyPower16 · #1 08-09-2020, 06:08 PM

Hi all,

There is almost no relief in my Taylor GS mini guitar’s neck, and yet the action is fairly high compared to factory specs (5/64 on low E and 3-4/64” on high e from the top of fret 12 to the bottom of the string). My action is 2-3/64” higher than expected.

The neck angle is correct, so I wondered if this could be a saddle that is either too high or not sitting down firmly in the bridge? This is a factory saddle that has not been adjusted since the guitar was purchased.

I have measured the “saddle above bridge” heights to the bottom of each string (listed below). I was curious how these compare to others? It would be most helpful to hear from folks whose saddle is a Taylor factory saddle.

Bridge height above soundboard body (centered between D and G strings on the sound hole side): 19/64” or 0.297 inches / 7.54mm

String heights above bridge (top of bridge to bottom of string):

E: 9/64” or 0.141 inches / 3.58mm

A: 11/64” or 0.172 inches / 4.37mm

D: 10/64” or 0.156 inches / 3.97mm

G: 10/64” or 0.156 inches / 3.97mm

B: 9/64” or 0.141 inches / 3.58mm

e: 5/64” or 0.078 inches / 1.98 mm

Thank you for any insight/comparisons you may be able to provide!

YamahaGuy · #2 08-09-2020, 06:14 PM

A mod will likely move this to the build and repair section; same for your one about the nut. Not a Taylor owner, so sorry about not listening to your things about not posting if...
It sounds like your GS Mini is in need of a good setup. If you end up sanding down your saddle bottom, again, be sure to keep it square as possible. You're probably going to break a string or two in the trial and error of the work, so plan on having an extra set of strings on hand. Guitars are adjustable instruments and so we (can) adjust them.

PeteyPower16 · #3 08-09-2020, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

A mod will likely move this to the build and repair section; same for your one about the nut. Not a Taylor owner, so sorry about not listening to your things about not posting if...

It sounds like your GS Mini is in need of a good setup. If you end up sanding down your saddle bottom, again, be sure to keep it square as possible. You're probably going to break a string or two in the trial and error of the work, so plan on having an extra set of strings on hand. Guitars are adjustable instruments and so we (can) adjust them.

Thanks for the helpful info! No worries about posting—what I meant is that it would only be helpful to compare to other factory saddles on a Taylor guitar since the standard setup should be close to the same. I appreciate the info!

mtdmind · #4 08-09-2020, 07:07 PM

Neck angle is good...have you checked the bridge to see if it is lifting?

PeteyPower16 · #5 08-09-2020, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtdmind

Neck angle is good...have you checked the bridge to see if it is lifting?

The bridge is fully glued to the body on all sides with no space, no stretched glue, and no separation. If the bridge is fully fixed to the top, could it still be lifting? How would I tell? Should the bridge top be at a specific angle when compared to the top of the guitar?

The guitar’s top is naturally bowed (I believe this is as it should be: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=588159).

I believe that the neck angle is correct because the top of the front of the bridge lines up perfectly with the fretboard. When I place a straightedge on the fretboard across to the bridge while strings are in standard tuning, the straightedge is just at the top of the bridge where the saddle goes into the bridge.

Despite all this, the action is higher than Taylor specs at the 12th fret, even if I have a capo on the first fret to take the nut out of the equation. The only other variable would be the bridge (if thicker/taller than spec) or the saddle (if taller than spec). I was under the impression that these (bridge and saddle) were constructed with high precision and should not be adjusted on Taylor Guitars, which is why I have posted here with the heights of both.

rmp · #6 08-10-2020, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteyPower16

The bridge is fully glued to the body on all sides with no space, no stretched glue, and no separation. If the bridge is fully fixed to the top, could it still be lifting? How would I tell? Should the bridge top be at a specific angle when compared to the top of the guitar?

The guitar’s top is naturally bowed (I believe this is as it should be: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=588159).

I believe that the neck angle is correct because the top of the front of the bridge lines up perfectly with the fretboard. When I place a straightedge on the fretboard across to the bridge while strings are in standard tuning, the straightedge is just at the top of the bridge where the saddle goes into the bridge.

Despite all this, the action is higher than Taylor specs at the 12th fret, even if I have a capo on the first fret to take the nut out of the equation. The only other variable would be the bridge (if thicker/taller than spec) or the saddle (if taller than spec). I was under the impression that these (bridge and saddle) were constructed with high precision and should not be adjusted on Taylor Guitars, which is why I have posted here with the heights of both.

The action on Taylors are set with shims on the heel joint.

Taylor has a three bolt system that attaches the neck to the body, they are not glued at the heel.

varmonter · #7 08-10-2020, 08:17 AM

So I'm no luthier..but I beleive the straight edge
Across the neck to the top of the bridge is the correct angle. Since you purchased it new..
Has the action changed?? Or would
you just like it lower?? Sanding the bottom
Of the saddle will work to some extent.
Guitars move through the seasons.
My Taylor's pretty good. But I have a summer
and winter saddle for my martin.