Also, when sanding down the saddle I always sand it against a small piece of word to keep the saddle at a vertical 90 degree angle to keep the bottom of the saddle flat. I’ve since change the strings (same gauge) and they’re buzzing something awful, (height of only, 0.8mm on low E and about 0.6mm at 12th fret. You don’t want to risk doing permanent damage to your instrument. So glad I found this. Small amounts of sanding though, are ok. A $200 native made tropical wood guitar, I could only get the 12th fret low E action to 2.75mm. It has all of the tools you’ll need for this job and more. It’s about personal feel. You say you can build up the bridge, would it be wiser to replace the bridge entirely? I play a Breedlove (US Made) Premier Concert acoustic. They can be necessary for securing components that don’t get glued in place. The only thing I would caution people on (and you already have) is to eyeball the bottom of the saddle frequently while sanding it to ensure it is remaining as close to 90 degrees as possible. If the height is greater than this, proceed with the adjustment! It may have changed because of string tension. Thanks for sharing your story and I’m glad to hear that the process went smoothly for you and your Seagull Entourage. As you prepare to lower an acoustic guitar’s action, the things you will need are. Filing down the nut slots is bad advice. Even with a sound hole humidifier, it requires a truss rod tweak winter and summmer. Replacement saddles are pretty cheap and widely available, but it’s still better not to waste them! Learn More Sign Up. How does one determine what 2.28 milimeters is? Caution…this should only be done after you get good with action adjusting! Intonation is the accuracy of your tuning across the full fingerboard range. I’ve had to lower the action on some of my guitars many times and it’s really quite an easy process. A while ago new guitars were supplied with the wrench, just in case. Please investigate further and more in depth the use of a truss rod and you’ll be surprised by the level of playbility that is possible to reach balancing the truss rod, nut slots and height of the saddle. I don’t see a way to get the seagull this low . Your guitar will remain strung up with the factory strings. If you plan to just slacken the strings, make sure you have enough available string wrapped around the nut so that it won’t come flying off. Lighter strings can buzz if pluckted too hard. I’ve briefly mentioned that some guitars arrive from the factory with excessive height of action, but what exactly causes your guitar to have a high action? Sam Cook. Caught it in time and now the action is truly improved. Read More >> How Do You Clean An Acoustic Guitar? I have also sanded the bottom of the bone saddle. Patience is key here, as you don’t want to accidentally chip off a part of the saddle. One a hard, very flat surface, use the mid grit sandpaper you have to slowly sand down the saddle. It’s a good idea to measure the current height of your action before making any adjustments. You should be as conservative as possible here. You can always sand away more later; the alternative is either a shim or a new saddle! I’ve watched countless video’s and seems everyone has a different idea on how to adjust action. The best guitar I ever played was a relatively cheap Yamaha; unfortunately not mine – man the action was sublime on that one. Type in classical gas , Show you what he can do. It boils down to personal preference, but in my opinion, taking it off the bottom is easier, plus the exposed finish remains unspoiled. I suppose you are right if a guitar stays in a controlled environment all the time, but a working/traveling musician will need truss adjustments pretty frequently to maintain their desired action/feel. Sometimes the saddle pops out and sometimes you need the pliers to pry it loose. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Despite the fact there is information around the web telling readers to adjust their truss rod to raise or lower action, a truss rod is not for adjusting action. I’d like to take a moment to say that I’m not a tech who thinks that super-low action is a desirable state for most guitars. Hi, great guide thanks, Good enough, without messing up the guitar sustain completely, by lowering the bridge too much. Love it, Von! A mistake will mean you’ve got to replace the part. As pointed out above, the strings themselves put enormous tension on the neck, which can cause bowing, and eventually high action. I compare it to a Epiphone EL-00 Pro I got in 2015 and it plays easy 3/32″ low E 12th fret and 2/32″ High E and the nut pressed at the 3rd fret just clears the first fret by a hair. I still love my trusty Fender FT2 clip on! Thanks for the helpful article. My saddle started developing a bevel because I was being hasty (it doesn’t take much). The consequence of this is that you need to exert more effort just to play notes and chords, and especially for beginners, this can cause a lot of problems. You have to have the right neck curvature and string tension once that is achieved you will have a nice soft string tension and it takes many tries to get it right and even then the weather will effect it this tutorial is good for string height , but if you have a bowed neck inward or outward it will cause problems, learn how to adjust the neck find your guitars specs for that be patient. If there is a string buzz that means you filed down too much. In addition to issues and characteristics of the guitar from the factory, there is also some environmental/wear and tear factors that can influence the action of an acoustic guitar. Hi there folks. Alternatively, you may want to upgrade to something like a Tusq nut or saddle instead of fixing the standard one from your guitar. Before shaving off anything from your saddle, try removing the shims (if any). If you do go ahead and use this guide to make your own adjustments to your guitar, just remember to take it slow. The saddle is the guitar piece on the bridge of your guitar that initially raises the strings off the top of the guitar face. It used to be when I first started playing guitar a couple decades ago that adjusting the truss rod was a smart move. That’s the price for “sustainable ” wood materials. Before you start, make sure that you have a clear workspace with enough room to maneuver while keeping your guitar stable and your tools handy. Once you’re happy (in theory) with the adjustments you’ve made, go ahead and restring the guitar. Your email address will not be published. I’ve found that if saddle is over sanded, a shim can be easily cut from a beer or coke can. If I know that I’ll at least try to use strings that will tend to compensate. I would not be so against the use of the truss rod, it is there for a reason and it is a great invention! When I bought my acoustic, I took it to a shop to get it set up. OK, before we dive into adjusting your action, it’s time to gather your tools. Recently bought a new Seagull Entourage CW Qi. Before adjusting the saddle height, it is prudent to check for any high frets using a straight edge. The ideal action is 2.0mm on the high E string, and 2.8mm on the low E string. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Five years later, Christian Frederick Martin moved his business and family to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, where Martin's been located ever since. This is because acoustic strings are typically a heavier gauge and need more space to vibrate. The factory settings could be off by a mile. do you file off the same amount all the way across the saddle? Read More >> How Do You Restring An Acoustic Guitar? Play some open chords, play some barre chords, and try out some scales across the fretboard. Personally, I always love to take this opportunity to go ahead and change my strings. File on. You only need to adjust the saddle to lower the action on an acoustic guitar - no bridge adjustment is necessary. To get pro action out of a relatively inexpensive guitar, it is often necessary to level and recrown a few frets. The beamline is designed to provide the stabilized and brilliant micro-beam to collect high-quality data … This is what Tommy Emmanuel does. Both will lower the action, but you should know that adjusting the nut is a complex job, best left to professionals. The difference is, premium guitars have intentionally high actions to allow more room for player preference. Maton (Australia brand incredible guitars) make all his guitars for him to spec but he will always adjust it when he gets it. When I originally got the guitar set up, I decided to leave the action as is because I didn't want to chance the loss of tone. The slightest adjustment in the correct direction can make a HUGE difference. The reason many factory guitars have a high action is because they don’t put a lot of effort into levelling and crowning the frets. This is the top suspension point for the strings. He takes it to just a string buzz the slightly takes the flatness out until it doesn’t buzz. My Mexican Martin neck clearance at the 8th fret swings wildly with humidity. ... A 5mm wrench is necessary for Martin Guitars. Make sure to keep your bridge pins in a secure place while you’re working on the guitar without strings. A more playable guitar gets played more, the more you play, the better you get, and the better you get, the more you enjoy playing. 5 Easy Steps to Lower an Acoustic Guitar’s Action. Thankfully they’re not that expensive! 30 minutes and my new Fender acoustic is transformed from a disappointing purchase to a very playable guitar. SciTech Connect. I don’t want to shave of anymore incase fret buzz gets worse but want to get it down to the magical 2.3mm. Just a 1/8 tighten at a time, and never ever force it. Josh – Great walk through. The height of the strings at the 12th fret is stated in this article. A new protein micro-crystallography beamline BL32XU at SPring-8 is under construction and scheduled to start operation in 2010. Look for updates and reviews about all the latest guitar gear from Simon as he shares his knowledge and expertise with you. File The Nut Slots. Is this where I adjust the trust rod. A picture of the truss rod hole in my Martin D-18. Top 5 Best Budget Cymbal Packs (2020 Review), Top 5 Best Electronic Cymbals (2020 Review). But there it is. A shim set is cheap. For acoustic guitars, the default action is typically 7⁄64 in (0.28 cm) on the bass side and 5⁄64 in (0.20 cm) on the treble side. Thanks, Ray Page 1 in the introduction thread 2005 Martin HD-28V 2003 Taylor 455ce 2005 Martin M3M 1999 Seagull S6 My boat If you haven’t tried Elixir Nanoweb guitar strings, you’re missing out – grab a set and let me know what you think in the comments! Thanks. (9 Step Guide). The order is important because adjusting the truss rod will affect the action at both the nut and the saddle. The only comment I have is that on good guitars there’s no way to install the saddle backwards, it won’t fit. What Can Cause An Excessive Height In Guitar Action? Truss rod adjustments are nothing to be afraid of and the DO need to be done on all guitars at one time or another. Martin — a name virtually synonymous with the acoustic guitar — took root in the United States in 1833 with a little shop in lower Manhattan. If need be you can repeat the whole process if you think you can afford to take more off the saddle. I don’t get why people are so scared of touching the truss rod, it’s there for a reason. I never really checked the top when I got it since it played fine then. Truss adjustment is a necessary part of basic instrument maintenance — at least in areas with wide seasonal weather changes. Always adjust the action at the nut first though, if it … What Can Cause An Increase In Guitar Action? That way, if you run into issues you can return to the guitar you had easily by replacing the old saddle. I love it. A quick, small truss adjustment can solve nearly any playabilty problem and it’s reversible. Good guitars don’t need any truss rod adjustments. It will come out, though, so don’t be afraid that you’ll break anything. what not to do when you lower an acoustic guitar’s action.Don’t mess with the truss rodIt used to be when I first started playing guitar a couple decades ago that adjusting the truss rod was a smart move or 5.54/64ths of an inch for that matter? Home » Instruments » Guitars » Acoustic Guitars » How To Lower The Action On An Acoustic Guitar? I always START with the truss rod and then check bridge and nut height. All I know now since I sort of backed off playing for a few years it feels stiff and 1/64 is not that much. And, if you also … You’ll need to get your strings out of the way in order to access the bridge saddle and nut. Check it with a straight edge steel ruler, could be low on the top edge. This is not a quick job, so if you’re going to take it on, be prepared to spend some time adjusting, then checking, and even adjusting again until you get it right. So many guitar players have a fear of the Truss Rod. The relief never changed yet now the action 12 fret has risen 1/64 higher and it was always to high at the nut. Great advice about the truss rod. On the seagull the top where the finger board hits the sound hole has sunk in a bit mostly on the bass side. You want to make sure that the neck is as straight as possible (although many acoustics are designed with a small amount of relief by design). After checking the string height with a gauge THEN sand the bottom of the nut. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. What do you do if there is a pick up underneath the saddle and the saddle is intertwined with the pick up? As guitars age, the action generally rises. Replacing a nut is a lot more involved than replacing a saddle, so the consequences of getting it wrong are definitely amplified (pun definitely intended). ... Martin supports engagement with nonprofit music, arts, education, and environmental action organizations. Fortunately, it’s a pretty straight forward fix. As I pointed out earlier, exercise extreme caution if this is the route you’re taking. I am just building a j200 style acoustic and set my 12th fret clearances at 2.5mm for E A 2.0 D G 1.5 B E This gives it a nice easy playable action. Before adjusting the action at the bridge, you will need to identify your guitar’s bridge and saddle. Measuring the Action on an Acoustic Guitar; If the gaps at the nut end seem fine to you but you still suspect that your guitar’s action needs lowering then you may need to adjust the action at the saddle. Great guide. Less is more here, so make small adjustments and check results. Most of the guitar brands on my list are well known for high quality guitars. been playing 40 years and have owned many guitars and the truss rod and saddle are major factors to string tension and height. The final factory caused source of high action is an incorrectly set truss rod. The lower the action (e.g. I still love my trusty Fender FT2 clip on! If you’re at all uncomfortable or apprehensive about doing this work to your guitar, stop and take it to a guitar tech or luthier. If there is too much neck relief, the action will be high. It’s a 10-minute job, and just as simple as you described. He’d sought after over the world do can afford to do that. Do string to fret measurements also apply to an acoustic bass? Adjusting the nut height, however, requires an incredibly steady hand, as even the tiniest change has a huge impact on the overall playability. How To Lower The Action On An Acoustic Guitar? Hey Josh. As I mentioned above, don’t forget to install the saddle in the same position it was when you removed it. It has happened most often with beginner guitars whose action is just a bit too high for comfort. Guys will mess with a $30,000 dollar car but freak out with a simple $300 dollar guitar. You can’t check action properly until your guitar is in tune, so this step is really important. From surfing the web (and comparing it to my Alvarez), I knew the action was just a skosh too high. Measure again to see how you did and play it up and down the fretboard to make sure there are no additional buzzes. Acoustic guitars just have a few pieces. If you don’t, run … I live in Central Florida, so there’s no way you’d catch me taking my acoustic from my air-conditioned house and using it outdoors during the summer, especially during the day time! This will give you a rough idea of how much you need to take off the saddle or nut. I disagree. Place your saddle in a carpenters vise with the bottom facing up. Got a question? Honestly I’m not entirely sure since I don’t deal with acoustic basses. Taylor 114E. The majority of guitar players don’t do much beyond changing their own strings, so sanding down important components can seem daunting. He counts Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and B.B. The radius is set at 16 inches to match many Martin fretboards and improve playability. Be well, bro! The next step is to either loosen or remove the strings. The action at the nut is almost always near-perfect. That's why most of the time, adjusting action means lowering action. Like any natural wooden product, an acoustic guitar will feel the effects of changes in humidity and temperature. Titanium Core Acoustic Guitar Strings. Action issues aren’t just limited to cheap guitars, in fact, some high-end guitars are well known to ship from the factory with high action (Martin in particular). This acoustic guitar bone saddle will fit many Martin guitars as a replacement or upgrade. The guitar has plenty of volume and tone so, I'm thinking I'll be Ok. On the nut, you’ll find 6 grooves for the strings to rest on as they make their way up to the headstock. Bought a Seagull Entourage last weekend and fell totally in LOVE with it. Don’t be afraid to do a good set up on an old guitar and the new guitars. My advice is to be conservative. All Acoustic’s change over time due to humidity and just string tension over the years. And finally, is it a really extreme effect. Finally, it’s useful to have shims handy. They dude was pretty straight with me and quoted a price of $15-$20 to work on the bridge. Simon is originally from the UK, and has been playing for over 20 years. If you do it right, I promise you that your acoustic guitar will feel like a whole new guitar! Even if you keep the humidity close to spec best you can things change. Josh, There is a happy medium sometimes, we must live with. Fortunately, there are a few telltale signs that it’s higher than it should be. Anything deeper than half the thickness of the string will cause the string to get pinched in the nut if a string bend is done during playing. Thanks to Ukulele Music for the shout out! I agree. You’ll find similar videos posted by the Taylor Guitar company as well. In my latest YMI guide, you will learn the following: If you're looking for tips on doing your own guitar setup, you're in the right place. Hey Tom, I think it depends on how much you need to raise it. And having another to replace the one you will permanently change is more than a good idea. I’ve played cheaper guitars that didn’t buzz Like this. Does the height of the saddle (or, more precisely, the distance of the strings from the sound hole) affect tone? Keep in mind,however, that fret buzz does not necessarily mean that the action is too low–it can possibly mean that the frets are not properly levelled. When your action is too low, it may be easier to press the strings down, but lots of tonal nuance, frequency range, and volume can be lost. When a guitar’s action is too high, the strings are physically too far away from the fretboard. I would talk with a guitar tech to find out for sure. On my guitar a Admira Malaga classic guitar your method is not enough to bring down the action. It’s easy to be over-prescriptive when it comes to things like the perfect height for guitar action. I know that jazz players prefer a lower action, and it makes sense – they move fast and reach far. Get updates on our latest releases and sales. Overly high action can also cause your guitar’s intonation to be off, too. If I recover to the point where I can play steel stringed guitars again, I will have to lower the action to microns and completely adjust the way I strum. I have used the truss rod to lower action a bit, on several acoustics, with decent success, and no fret buzz. Ve had to lower action, though, so experiment to find out for sure the edge of fine! Buzz gets worse but want to shave of anymore incase fret buzz frets... Work it loose intonation problems rod needs to be afraid to do.! Is it a try first fret could build it up and down the action on the E... 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