Long read - Pretty Frustrated with 5 star "go to" shop -

[BoSoxBiker]

Originally Posted by EZYPIKINS

I too got my own tools and after some deliberation went to work. Nuts and saddles are cheap enough. The tools can be a bit pricy. But when you think of what they will save down the road. Worth it. After some trial and error. You will arrive with the perfect setup for you. You'll learn what you like and how to get it there. You'll never have to try and explain what you want to someone else. I take the nut and saddle down together. A little at the nut a little at the bridge. When you get what you want at the 12th, check the nut with your tuner. If you're note at the first fret is sharp. It needs to go down. Filing the bridge is another story. My method differs from allot of others. I measure at 12 with a feeler gauge. I'll keep my numbers to myself, as others don't seem to agree with me. I use the biggest nut file in my kit on all strings. I cut slots like the nut. Checking with tuner often. When I get the height I want. I check intonation. Usually a tad sharp at this point. Tip the file up and start slowly filing the saddle back till it intonates. Then remove the saddle and put in my nut & saddle vise. Then file off the top of the saddle till the slots are just a minor indentation. A little fine sand paper and you're good. This way you're sure the radius is matched. I like my strings to have .002" difference 6-.093 5-.091 4-.089 and so on.
PS. My numbers are much lower than this.

Interesting. I've never seen slotted saddle. I always assumed they were flat for a reason and never gave it any more thought. Do you a pic posted anywhere?

As far as string height at the 12th, and not sharing numbers, I hear you. Mine are not as low as what some folks do, but they are low. I can get aggressive at times and like ensure minimal buzz at the worst for my heaviest handed moments. I generally keep my strings just above the "plays like buttah!" standard.

[BoSoxBiker]

Goodry, please forgive me if I missed this earlier in the thread. I did read the whole thread. Did you mention anywhere what your nut slots are (or the action measured on the 1st fret? Others mentioned this, but I didn't see a clear answer. It's of very high importance on overall playability of the guitar. If there are any slots that are too high, I would not touch the saddle until this was looked at and corrected as needed.

There is a cursory check that is done, but it's not exact. It's more of a quick and dirty way to see if any nut slots are too low. Hopefully your tech did at least that before sanding your saddle down enough to make your 12th fret string height = 5/64ths.

Once you have feeler gauges, you can measure the string height at the 1st fret. I would suggest doing this and posting this here. At the very least, assuming all is in good shape, you will have increased confidence when setting the saddle height that you will be doing the right thing and that a downstream adjustment will not mess it up. In that same vein, I would not touch the saddle until you have the neck relief set and measured with the feeler gauges. They all work together and affect each other, as you are undoubtedly understanding more and more.

[keith.rogers]

Unless you're deeply in love with that 812ce, and the fact you just looked around says, "not so much," to me, I'd take it back. Try the 712ce. I think it's mostly a bling thing between the two, unless it's an older 7xx model with cedar top, and it may not have V-class bracing. If it doesn't fly, keep looking.

The "stuck-at-home" life for many seems to have helped some GCs, but, personally, (and yes, a topic for another discussion) I think you have to risk-balance that 180 day return option a bit. If you can't decide in 30 days, it's probably not "the one."

[goodry]

He asked the same thing and we came to the conclusion that I'll just send him the existing saddle.

Originally Posted by PatriotsBiker

Do you have a Micrometer? There are some that are not horrible in price. With this, you will be able to measure the thickness of the saddle you have. He will make one that is slightly thicker.You'll sand it down yourself little by little until it fits snug as a bug. You'll get an instruction sheet with Colosi's saddles that tell you all about it. It also helps for measuring overall height of the saddle when sanding it down.

This is just my opinion, but I would not do a saddle without one. The less guess work I have, the better.

[goodry]

Keith,

I think you may have responded to the wrong thread.

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

Unless you're deeply in love with that 812ce, and the fact you just looked around says, "not so much," to me, I'd take it back. Try the 712ce. I think it's mostly a bling thing between the two, unless it's an older 7xx model with cedar top, and it may not have V-class bracing. If it doesn't fly, keep looking.

The "stuck-at-home" life for many seems to have helped some GCs, but, personally, (and yes, a topic for another discussion) I think you have to risk-balance that 180 day return option a bit. If you can't decide in 30 days, it's probably not "the one."

[phavriluk]

A digital caliper costs fifteen bucks all over the place. Nice to get one that measures metric decimal english and fractional english. They measure jaw distance and depth at the other end with a strip that moves with the jaw. A go-to shop tool.

And saddles made in inches are almost all 3/32" or 1/8" thick; if a saddle fits tight, sand it thinner. You're not going to alter the guitar to fit a replaceable small part.

[rampix]

Glad to read you’re going ahead with your own setup goodry. Once you’ve made phone contact with Bob he will clear up the details, he’s been quite helpful for me. Knowing what guitar you have and sharing a few dimensions he’ll provide you with a saddle that doesn’t require too much work vs a saddle blank.

I’d still recommend getting a saddle shim kit from him at the same time. It’s real easy to go a bit too far and a shame to trash it and start over...especially on your first one. They’re not expensive and I couldn’t detect a tonal difference with a shim. Could save some $ and time. Heck, I sold a J45 with a shimmed saddle that I forgot was in there, my buyer said it was the best J45 he’d ever heard.

Please let us know how it all works out for you, we guitar nerds love this kind of post.

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by docwatsonfan

darn, busted by the shim police

some might find this interesting, copied and pasted from frets dot com

Making a New Saddle
© Frank Ford, 8/24/00; Photos by FF, 6/17/00

Raising the action at the saddle is really just the reverse of lowering it, but it requires a bit more judgment and effort. If the saddle only needs to be a little bit higher, it may be reasonable to lay a small shim underneath to raise it.

Even though a shim is not integral with the saddle or even made of the same material, it is unlikely to have an adverse effect on tone. (In my opinion, of course.)

Not busting you nor am I the "shim police".
The smiley emoji may not pass the test for some folks on here, who will take the "cardboard shim" literally and try it.
Crazier things HAVE happened here.

[tadol]

Originally Posted by jimmy bookout

To everyone suggesting "cardboard" shims, please STOP. That is a HORRIBLE solution to a low saddle.
Bob Colosi offers a "shim kit" using ebony pieces that are glued to the bottom of the saddle and then you sand it down to get the action desired.
THIS is a REAL solution (short of having a new saddle cut).

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/SaddleShim.asp

I don’t believe anyone has suggested cardboard shims as a “solution” - but as a very quick and easy way to raise a saddle for testing or evaluation, you can have your answer and take the measures you want for a new saddle, and probably be able to get a new saddle made while waiting for a shim kit to arrive -

I would classify foam rubber, play-dough, plastic wood, or epoxy putty as “horrible” solutions - I really don’t think cardboard falls into that category -

[mawmow]

Fully agree with Brucebubs.

Now, I got a not so bad experience with a well reknowned local music store.
When I finished working on my guitar, I just got back, sat with the seller I know
the most, who fortunately is a professional guitar player that already had sold
me some guitars and gear in the past and explained the bad surprises I had
with a used guitar allegedly fully inspected by their techs...

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by tadol

I would classify foam rubber, play-dough, plastic wood, or epoxy putty as “horrible” solutions - -

And worst of all is anchovy paste - don't ask me how I know!