Question for McPherson Sable Owners

skewzme · #1 03-22-2023, 08:19 AM

Just picked up a Sable on Ebay. Just south of $2500 including tax and shipping. Showroom condition, except for some minor buckle rash on the back. Never played one, but after all the great reviews I had to get my hands on one of these "super guitars." For reference, I'm used to playing high end Taylors and Tacoma Chiefs. Love the sound and overall feel, but I find the strings are a bit higher than I like, especially on the upper end of the fretboard. I like lower action on my Taylors, and typically set them up so the string height is as consistent as I can get it from one end of the fretboard to the other. I swapped out the strings on it with a new set of Elixir .11's, took the saddle off and found the one in there was marked "low" on the bottom edge I put in another carbon saddle I had on hand, and lowered it almost to the height of the bridge itself. Can't really go any lower. It's much more to my taste now, but the overall string height is still not as consistent as I can get on my Taylors. I guess I've pushed it to it's limits, with respect to string height and consistency. Any advice or insights on that? I was going to sell one of my Taylors to pay for it, but I'm not convinced yet I'll keep it, specifically for this reason. Other than that one issue, the guitar feels and sounds very nice. It's got more bottom end than my 414 and 614 and a little louder, but not significantly so.

KevinH · #2 03-22-2023, 08:44 AM

Congrats on the new Sable. I'm not a Sable owner, but curious - is the neck set correctly, the nut slots at the right depth? How about relief?

skewzme · #3 03-22-2023, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinH

Congrats on the new Sable. I'm not a Sable owner, but curious - is the neck set correctly, the nut slots at the right depth? How about relief?

There is no neck set or adjustment on a Sable. The carbon fiber is supposedly 100% stable and impervious to movement. The only adjustments, as far as I know, is the saddle and nut height. I set up my Taylors to have very consistent height from one end of the neck to the other, and truss rod adjustments are critical to make that happen. While nearly everyone praises these guitars , it looks to me like that consistency may not be attainable since the neck is basically set in stone when it's built. Don't get me wrong..... This thing sounds amazing, and it plays good, I'd just like to fine tune it more if possible.
Thanks

KevinH · #4 03-22-2023, 01:48 PM

Yes, I didn't mean to suggest it was adjustable. Just wondering if the neck angle was set correctly at the factory. If it wasn't that could explain why your action is too high even though (it sounds like) you've sanded the saddle about as much as you can.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skewzme

There is no neck set or adjustment on a Sable. The carbon fiber is supposedly 100% stable and impervious to movement. The only adjustments, as far as I know, is the saddle and nut height. I set up my Taylors to have very consistent height from one end of the neck to the other, and truss rod adjustments are critical to make that happen. While nearly everyone praises these guitars , it looks to me like that consistency may not be attainable since the neck is basically set in stone when it's built. Don't get me wrong..... This thing sounds amazing, and it plays good, I'd just like to fine tune it more if possible.
Thanks

jdinco · #5 03-22-2023, 05:02 PM

I like really low action on my guitars, my Sable is very low, there's no way I could get my Taylor that low. Did you remove the rubber gasket thing under the saddle? Best not to if you plug in, it's there to balance the electronics. May check how the nut is cut ??? Really can't think of anything else. Good Luck.

skewzme · #6 03-23-2023, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinH

Yes, I didn't mean to suggest it was adjustable. Just wondering if the neck angle was set correctly at the factory. If it wasn't that could explain why your action is too high even though (it sounds like) you've sanded the saddle about as much as you can.

Gotcha.
With my shaved saddle it now suits me.
the neck doesn't need a reset... I just prefer super low action on my acoustics.
Thanks for the feedback

Doubleneck · #7 03-23-2023, 04:54 PM

The advantage of carbon guitars is they are totally stable but that can be a disadvantage as well. I like you have a preference to tweak my neck to the lowest action possible. I have had many carbon guitars and I doubt I would buy one without a truss rod unless I played it first. I just think that these adjustments are so fine I just don’t think engineering can duplicate it perfectly every time or maybe you end up with a compromise? For me the best action I have is on my Rainsong JM1000 and is the reason I kept it and sold all but one other carbon.

skewzme · #8 03-23-2023, 06:41 PM

Thanks for your feedback. After some conversation with McPherson, I'm sending it back to them for a neck reset to accommodate a player like me. They were very accommodating.

Doubleneck · #9 03-24-2023, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skewzme

Thanks for your feedback. After some conversation with McPherson, I'm sending it back to them for a neck reset to accommodate a player like me. They were very accommodating.

That is awesome never knew a carbon could be reset. A real plus for a Sable. I remember Rainsong has a bolted on neck. My Emerald is set in stone. Let us know how it turns out.

jdinco · #10 03-24-2023, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skewzme

Thanks for your feedback. After some conversation with McPherson, I'm sending it back to them for a neck reset to accommodate a player like me. They were very accommodating.

Wow, that's impressive ! Do they think it needs a reset or is it a custom adjustment just for you?

skewzme · #11 03-24-2023, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdinco

Wow, that's impressive ! Do they think it needs a reset or is it a custom adjustment just for you?

Unknown until they inspect it.
I'll report back once they get it and give me some feedback

skewzme · #12 03-31-2023, 04:02 AM

Update for those following this thread...
Got a call from my McPherson rep. The neck did require a reset. It's completed and the guitar will arrive next Tuesday.
My rep didn't offer any explanation as to what might have caused the neck to be out of alignment. The guitar is in near perfect condition, so signs of it being dropped or bumped in any way. I guess these guitars are not exactly bullet proof as most people claim. I also didn't know the necks could be reset. Looking forward to getting my Sable back all set to factory specs as it should be.
They ship from the factory with .13's, but in my case they set it up with .12's because I told them I played figherstyle and with a light touch.
Sold my showroom condition Taylor 414 Special Edition to pay for this one.
Hope I made a good decision.
Thanks

jdinco · #13 03-31-2023, 07:59 AM

Wow, interesting and surprising. I can't imagine a neck shifting or moving, so it was missed by QC I assume. Bottom line is I'm glad they made it right for you !

Captain Jim · #14 03-31-2023, 08:57 AM

That is responsive customer service. I have - to this point - not heard of a carbon fiber guitar needing a neck reset. I would have to think it left the factory that way. You didn't mention whether McPherson was charging for the reset, since you are the second owner, but it is still impressive that they were able to do that.

I look forward to hearing how the guitar feels and sounds to you when you get it back.

skewzme · #15 03-31-2023, 04:18 PM

Keep in mind the guitar was very playable beforehand. It just seemed to me this quality of an instrument should have more room at the saddle to work with... and I guess I was correct. As mentioned earlier, I play with a light touch.
Someone asked about cost, which I don't mind sharing. $40 shipping each way, plus $170 bucks for the reset. I'm ok with that, given I'm not the original owner.
They handled it quickly, which I'm grateful for. The guitar was most likely manufactured in late 2019 from what i gather, based on the serial number.
Appreciate all the feedback, and I"ll report back again once it touches my hands. EDIT.... I did ask my rep if he could ask the tech who worked on it what might have caused the neck to shift a little. He said extreme heat could have caused it, but he'd ask the tech and get back to me.