The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 01-07-2013, 09:59 PM
mandymh mandymh is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 3
Default Tips for lowering the action on my guitar?

I have a great sounding Yamaha that used to belong to my brother when he was trying to learn guitar. It's actually one of the nicer models I've seen and I'd like to keep it around for a while. Unfortunately, the action is terrible and the bridge is way to high for comfort. I've looked up how to file it down online, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips as this is my first time trying this.

Thanks!
Amanda
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-07-2013, 10:21 PM
clintj clintj is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
Posts: 4,267
Default

Welcome! Check out the frets.com pages for what to check for setup if you haven't seen them already. The saddle is only a part of the equation. Nut height, neck angle, and neck relief also can affect action height. I make sure everything else is right first before touching the saddle. Sanding the saddle is pretty easy, just get something really flat, set some sandpaper on it, and draw the bottom of the saddle across a few times. Check that the bottom is square when you are done and reinstall. Just take it in small steps, and remember it's harder to replace saddle than remove it. Best of luck!
__________________
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." -Zig Ziglar

Acoustics
2013 Guild F30 Standard
2012 Yamaha LL16
2007 Seagull S12
1991 Yairi DY 50

Electrics
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Fender Am. Standard Telecaster
Gibson ES-335
Gibson Firebird
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-07-2013, 10:27 PM
dhalbert dhalbert is offline
Dan - Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Eastern MA
Posts: 1,668
Default

See here for a similar thread started today as well.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:12 AM
StringFive StringFive is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,673
Default

Sand down the saddle. Easy. But don't sand too much, and keep it level and flat.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:15 AM
Huckleberry Huckleberry is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,465
Default

Read the Frets.com pages.

Tape the sandpaper down to a hard, flat surface (I use a granite worktop).

Work slowly, and make sure the bottom of the saddle is absolutely square and flat, both along and across the saddle.

Take of less than you think you need to. It's easy to go back and take a hair off later or another time, it's a pain if you take it too low and need to shim it back up again or make a new saddle.
__________________
Huckleberry
-----------

Baranik Meridian "Aurora" fan-fret - Celebes ebony / Colorado blue spruce
Tom Sands Model L fan-fret - Macassar ebony / European spruce
Hamblin GC - Macassar ebony / Italian spruce
Kronbauer SMB - Macassar ebony / Engelmann spruce
Baranik JX - Indian rosewood / German spruce
Sheppard GA - African blackwood / Bosnian spruce
Collings OM1
CA Cargo Raw | Ele
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:27 AM
roadbiker roadbiker is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Atlanta Area
Posts: 1,119
Default

I'm surprised that nobody suggested a truss rod adjustment. The action on my Taylor 814 was too low for me to the point that I had slight buzzing on certain string up around the 12th fret and is also made me prone to rolling the high E string off the edge of the fretboard. I made a very slight adjustment of the truss rod and it eliminated both "problems."

Jim
__________________
1980 Guild D50 (Westerly), Antique Sunburst
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt AJ500RE
2010 Taylor GS Mini
2011 Taylor 814ce
2015 Taylor 356ce (12 string)
1975 Carlo Robelli SG Custom (Sam Ash model)
Fishman Loudbox Mini
VOX AGA70
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:27 AM
jdinco jdinco is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,398
Default

I think you would be best served finding a good luthier in your area and let them guide you or do the adjustments. If you value the guitar and want to use it for a long while, I would not attempt the repairs on this guitar as your first lesson. Just sayin'.....
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:33 AM
guitargabor's Avatar
guitargabor guitargabor is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 1,650
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by roadbiker View Post
I'm surprised that nobody suggested a truss rod adjustment. The action on my Taylor 814 was too low for me to the point that I had slight buzzing on certain string up around the 12th fret and is also made me prone to rolling the high E string off the edge of the fretboard. I made a very slight adjustment of the truss rod and it eliminated both "problems."

Jim
Try a small correction with the truss rod.Just as others have stated guitar action is dependent on saddle height,nut slotting height and neck relief.Truss rod adjustment is only part of the equation.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:34 AM
kydave kydave is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: A Louisville transplant in Silicon Valley
Posts: 12,500
Default

Touching the saddle is the last thing you'd do in a sequence of events to set up that guitar.

Flatten out the relief with the truss rod adjustment.

Get the nut slots cut to the proper depth (see Nut Action at Frets.com!).

Then & only then, take meat off the bottom of the saddle.

And before you do any of this, find out if the neck needs resetting, because if it does, you'll never get things right without doing that.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:44 AM
dbintegrity dbintegrity is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LI NY / Coastal NC
Posts: 948
Default

Like many people here suggested, there are numerous reasons as to why your action is high. I would first make sure neck angle and relief was correct before adjusting the saddle. It is possible that there are a few things going on.
first with the strings tuned to pitch, sight down the barrel of the neck looking down the fingerboard and see if the neck appears straight, or if it has a noticeable amount of relief.if it has too much relief, adjust it until it is straight, then with the strings tuned down, get a straight edge about 24" long and lay it on the fingerboard going toward the bridge. it should meet just a the top of the bridge (not saddle) if it hits the middle of the bridge or lower it may be a neck set candidate. If all of those things check out OK adjust the saddle by either removing shims under the saddle if there are any or sanding down the bottom of it until the saddle sits lower in the slot...make sure it is sanded level and flat.... if all of this seems too complicated take it to your local shop.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:53 AM
MrBJones MrBJones is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Plano TX (near Dallas)
Posts: 1,481
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jdinco View Post
I think you would be best served finding a good luthier in your area and let them guide you or do the adjustments. If you value the guitar and want to use it for a long while, I would not attempt the repairs on this guitar as your first lesson. Just sayin'.....
+1 That's what I did with my old Yamaha. Cost $60. Besides sanding the saddle and adjusting the truss rod, it included cleaning/oiling fingerboard, dressing the frets, etc.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-08-2013, 10:09 AM
slide496 slide496 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 621
Default

Maybe consider buying another saddle and nut and shape those, substitiute them for the original? Preserve the original nut and saddle in case the new ones doesn't work out.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-08-2013, 11:56 AM
DCannon DCannon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,380
Default

Hi Amanda. If you've never done this type of work, I support the suggestions of taking it to a qualified, trusted repair tech so you'll know exactly what's going on. At this point you have no idea what variables are causing the high action, and since you like the guitar and it sounds good, it'd be worth getting it checked out by a pro, which shouldn't cost anything to have it looked at. He/she can then give you an estimate to get it into good playing condition. Unless it needs a neck reset (let's hope not!), a basic set-up using the same saddle/nut, including fret leveling/dressing shouldn't cost a whole lot. Our local authorized Martin tech who is very highly regarded and one of the best I've ever seen, charges $30-$40, depending if he has to re-cut the nut slots and/or saddle work.

Good luck!
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-08-2013, 05:26 PM
BluesBelly BluesBelly is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Land of 10,000 Lakes
Posts: 1,622
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kydave View Post
Touching the saddle is the last thing you'd do in a sequence of events to set up that guitar.

Flatten out the relief with the truss rod adjustment.

Get the nut slots cut to the proper depth (see Nut Action at Frets.com!).

Then & only then, take meat off the bottom of the saddle.

And before you do any of this, find out if the neck needs resetting, because if it does, you'll never get things right without doing that.
I agree with Dave,
There is a logical order in which to proceed and Dave hit the nail,

Adjust neck for proper relief

Set up the nut so the slots are at the correct depth

Then adjust the saddle

Blues
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-08-2013, 05:35 PM
delaorden9 delaorden9 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Salvador, Bahia, Brasil
Posts: 2,174
Default

Agree with the majority; as it is mandatory to adjust first of all the neck relief I would send it to a pro.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Tags
action, bridge, lowing action, tips, yamaha

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:48 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=