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FT-160 12 string


gta05

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I bought an Epiphone FT-160 from EBAY. The condition is pretty nice, except the string are too high and the bridge saddle is at the lowest position even lower... The rest of the guitar is really in good shape! If i bring it to a luthier, is it thing that are possible to fix well? I will post photo's has soon has i can.

 

THANKS

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Check the neck block. It may be loose, allowing the neck to tip forward, thereby puting the action sky high. This is a common problem with these Norlin built Epiphones. Here is how I fixed my FT145SB (6 string)

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/37812-repairing-a-norlin-era-ft-guitar-with-broken-neck/

 

I repaired my for next to nothing. Not sure what a luthier would charge for this fix.

 

 

Check that the bridge area is not bellying up. There should be a slight bulge, but nothing huge.

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The saddle is indeed quite low. There is virtually no break angle at the saddle.

img0380ml.jpg

 

The neck block appears to be secure, no deformation of the sound hole. There doesn't seem to be much gap between the fretboard extension and the top

img0381of.jpg

 

WOW [blink] that neck sure is riding low! You should see 1/8 to 3/16" of the neck below the fretboard. The bottom of the fretboard is nearly flush with the top. Still, the neck block appears to be secure.

img0382cd.jpg

 

It is in deed a beautiful guitar.

 

I have never seen a neck seated this deeply into the pocket of the neck block. But, the neck appears to be quite parallel to the top.

The following image shows a neck tilted forward due to a loose neck block. You can also see that the fretboard should be a bit above the sound board.

LooseNeckFT145Lincolnwood.jpg

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that if you remove the neck you may see that the bottom of the neck has been milled off, that or it is a manufacturing anomaly. Why someone would intentionally lower the neck is beyond me, unless it was a misguided attempt to lower action, which, given the geometry, it did just the opposite.

 

Here is a hypothesis: Given the obviously shortened saddle. I suspect a previous owner did this to compensate for high action. When he ran out of saddle, he went to work on the neck, not understanding that raising the neck was the way to go.

 

If you were to shim the bottom of the neck, where it fits into the pocket you could effectively raise the neck, thereby lowering action. Start with a couple thickness of credit card like material and see where that takes it.

 

This may work for a while The bridge does appear to be getting quite a belly behind it. This one will eventually need the top repaired. Either the top braces have broken loose, easy fix. Or, the top braces and/or bridge plate (under side of sound board under the bridge) is broken, hard fix, but not impossible. Probably too expensive to have someone else do it.

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I have a solution for you. i have a mint ft145 and itlooked simmilar to your high action. If you have any or little guitar repair experiance you can still do it. Take the neck off, removing the screw cover plate on the back that says "made in japan" then the neck screws. Place a 1.25" x width of neck pocket peice of a buisness card back into the neck pocket all the way back twords the bridge. Re-install the neck screws and japan cover plate, and adjust the bridge as needed. I bought mine for $128.00 on C.L. and did the neck shim, and it is now my #1 acoustic.

Cheers.

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Oh sorry here,s i pic.

ft145003.jpg

 

Thanks motowntom, i don't want a card holder... [laugh] Your guitar is really nice [thumbup]

Can't believe that there is buisness card behind it. Buy the way i bought mine from EBAY for $125.

I don't mind to put another $100 or $200 to have it fix. Mine is a 12 string. Can't believe that put

some buisness card will fix that???

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G trust me, it dosn,t take but 15 minn. to try it and you can always remove the shim, just pull the neck off, and looking down cut the card and shape it to fit the back of the neck pocket. It might save you time and $$$. Mine now has the best action of my three acoustics and one of them cost 9 times the $$$.

Cheers.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I have a solution for you. i have a mint ft145 and itlooked simmilar to your high action. If you have any or little guitar repair experiance you can still do it. Take the neck off, removing the screw cover plate on the back that says "made in japan" then the neck screws. Place a 1.25" x width of neck pocket peice of a buisness card back into the neck pocket all the way back twords the bridge. Re-install the neck screws and japan cover plate, and adjust the bridge as needed. I bought mine for $128.00 on C.L. and did the neck shim, and it is now my #1 acoustic.

Cheers.

 

+1 Did my the sane to my FT-135 I bought in 75, it had been unplayable now it's great.[thumbup]

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