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Taking Advantage of Being Home


Dave F

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I had planned on seeing Tommy Emmanuel last night but it got canceled.

Another event we had planned on got canceled so I spent some time with the guitars this weekend.

I've been trying to downsize and have sold a few. I have quite a few that I haven't spent much time with and intend on working with them before/if I release them. When I buy a brand new guitar I usually refrain from  adjustments for a year or so to let the guitar acclimate and settle down. The 2014 '32 L00 RI was one of these guitars. A 2014 model that I haven't touched since getting. First thing I notice was the strings. Past due. A very nice L00. Made close to the specs of the Legend. I've never held a Legend but from the specs it looks like the only difference is it does not have the VOS finish. It's nice and shiney. Has the fabric side strips, chunky neck and redline case.

L00

 

L00

 

First I adjusted the truss rod. It had quite a bit relief. After that I checked the nut slots that were spot on. The action was too low  and  buzzing, it needed a new saddle.

I've had plans to make a jig to help with making saddles so since I had the time and parts I made it. Routed out a pocket so clamping the saddle would be below the router and circle cutter arm.

L00

 

First cut a couple with a straight router then I switched to this radius cutter.

L00

After a trial fit I measured the string height at the 12th, and figured out how much to remove from the bottom of the saddle. This little gadget is great. It finishes the saddle 1.000" from the back of the holder so you just adjust the screws to hang out what you want to remove.  

L00

 

Put some new nickel bronze strings on and it sounds great. Action is perfect for me. String break is good. I still have to trim the ends of the saddle to match the ends of the bridge,

L00

 

 

L00

 

L00

 

Edited by Dave F
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You sure those strings in photo 1 weren't brought up from the Titanic? Humidity was obviously well maintained during dormancy. It's always a struggle to not just start playing, when I should be getting to the chore of changing strings or more involved tasks, but in the case of your L-00, an exception would most likely be made.

Nice little luth tool you've made for holding the saddle. If trying to get the radius without that method, if one was to put the straight edge down the fretboard to the new saddle, making pencil marks at the saddle contact points, would a changing fretboard radius from nut to fretboard extension result in an incorrect line scribed on the new saddle?

 

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47 minutes ago, 62burst said:

You sure those strings in photo 1 weren't brought up from the Titanic? Humidity was obviously well maintained during dormancy. It's always a struggle to not just start playing, when I should be getting to the chore of changing strings or more involved tasks, but in the case of your L-00, an exception would most likely be made.

Nice little luth tool you've made for holding the saddle. If trying to get the radius without that method, if one was to put the straight edge down the fretboard to the new saddle, making pencil marks at the saddle contact points, would a changing fretboard radius from nut to fretboard extension result in an incorrect line scribed on the new saddle?

 

For my preference the rule of thumb is  .000-.005" neck relief, nut slot adjustment for the 1st fret string height is high E at .012" with each string increasing .002"  (.012-.014-.016-.018-.020-.022). If you look at the handwritten numbers on the warranty/inspection pamphlet that comes with the guitar, they usually write 22 - 12 regardless of what the actuals are. The 12th fret measurements are usually in 64ths nomenclature. I usually target the high E around .040" and increase each string .004" (.040-.044-.048-.052-.056-.060). I don't get too picky. Most of my friends prefer .055-.075." The Bluegrassers prefer .060-.090 (.005 per string) a little more on the bass strings. SInce the radius of the frets are usually 12" I target a tad higher (12.125-12.250) for the saddle.  The Martins are 16" radius and I adjust for that and also adjust for a BG setup. This usually produces what I want. Since the 12th fret is the midway point for the scale length, measuring the height at the 12th and removing double the amount I want to lower and removing that from the saddle allows me to hit the target 1st time, every time. No going back and forth. If I have a saddle that's too low, I just measure it and increase the new one.

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