#16
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Saddle looks backwards
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#17
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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!
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#18
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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?
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___________________________________________ 1933 Gibson L-00 2007 Taylor 110 2013 Taylor GS Mini 2018 Eastman E10M 1977 Sigma DR-9 2012 Republic Miniolian 2016 Recording King ROS-G9M |
#19
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Quote:
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. |
#20
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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.
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Sharky-Blessed '26 La Pacific banjolele '76 Martin Sigma DR-9 BIG GAP in GAS '87 Guild D25-12 w/ K&K PWM- acquired in '07 '12 Voyage Air VAMD-02 '16 Alvarez MFA70- new to the herd 1/4/17 Ultrasound AG50DS4 Now playing in honor of The Bandito of Bling, TBondo & Dickensdad |
#21
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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-
__________________
___________________________________________ 1933 Gibson L-00 2007 Taylor 110 2013 Taylor GS Mini 2018 Eastman E10M 1977 Sigma DR-9 2012 Republic Miniolian 2016 Recording King ROS-G9M |
#22
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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.
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#23
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What is evident here is that most people don't understand what they are looking at...and why.
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Larry Pattis on Spotify and Pandora LarryPattis.com American Guitar Masters 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists Steel-string guitars by Rebecca Urlacher and Simon Fay Classical guitars by Anders Sterner |
#24
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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? |
#25
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It's not that unusual for bridges to be thicker (and thus taller) on the bass side, compared to the treble.
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Bob DeVellis |
#26
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Quote:
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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. Last edited by Hot Vibrato; 03-29-2016 at 08:40 AM. |
#27
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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. |
#28
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Do not
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Unfortunately, this guitar shows a clear need for neck angle work. |
#29
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My exact thoughts as well, which is why I would never take any advice for setup or repairs from 99% of online sources.
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We can share the woman, we can share the wine... _____________________ Suggestions 1:1 Slackers 1:51-52 FSM |
#30
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My thoughts exactly. I have seen this quite a bit with older Gibson guitars.
__________________
We can share the woman, we can share the wine... _____________________ Suggestions 1:1 Slackers 1:51-52 FSM |