Purple_String Posted October 2, 2008 Posted October 2, 2008 I have had an Epi Hummingbird and an EJ-160 for a while. The Hummingbird made in China was shipped with great set up. I only need to sand down the saddle for a very limited amount. The EJ-160, which is also made in China, had much higher action. I sanded somewhat the saddle and still not completely satisfied, but I'm tire of this process. Maybe wait for next string change. Perhaps I need to file a little bit at the nut for the EJ-160 too at top 2 strings. I have seen so many reviews stating that a change of bone nut will add greater tone to the instrument. However, I found that nuts are not that easily found! Nor a nut specificly designe to replace for one instrument. Do you any folks know where can I order bone nuts for my Epis? I don't care if it is on internet. One note though, Ej-160 has a wider nut width than Hummingbird. Thanks for advance! PS: It's strange to me that, since both were described to have a scale of 25.5", according to my measurements, my Hummingbird has only 25". From a glance, you can tell EJ-160 is quite "taller" than Hummingbird. Not to mention the neck on Ej-160 is set to body at 15th fret rather than regularly at 14th.
1stmasterbilt Posted October 2, 2008 Posted October 2, 2008 Did you try http://www.guitarsaddles.com/
Purple_String Posted October 3, 2008 Author Posted October 3, 2008 Thanks a lot. It seems like it's better that I send my guitars to a local luthier for nut replacement. And I will consider a bone saddle as well now.
TommyK Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 ...PS: It's strange to me that' date=' since both were described to have a scale of 25.5", according to my measurements, my Hummingbird has only 25". ...[/quote'] One would think measuring a guit tar's scale length to be academic. But... It depends upon who is measuring. Some measure from nut to saddle, something I'd do. Some measure nut to 12th fret, then double that measurement... or is it saddle to 12th??? Too, it seems Gibson and therefore Epiphone models change in scale length from time to time without much notice. There are long and short necked Hummingbirds out there. Dont' know why, but it does happen. Then it's a matter of keeping the advertised lengths current with what's in production. This is compounded by the fact there is some new / old stock out there... 'old' as in last week's delivery.
Hooligan Posted October 3, 2008 Posted October 3, 2008 Did you try http://www.guitarsaddles.com/ and no where else.......
Purple_String Posted October 4, 2008 Author Posted October 4, 2008 One would think measuring a guit tar's scale length to be academic. But... It depends upon who is measuring. Some measure from nut to saddle' date=' something I'd do. Some measure nut to 12th fret, then double that measurement... or is it saddle to 12th??? [/quote'] Well, I thought the definition of "scale" measures the string length from nut to saddle, which portion is actually vibrating and produces sound of the string. Anyway, it doesn't matter that much. My Hummingbird still sound incredible. It feels just a little awkward switching from one guitar to another some time
Hooligan Posted October 4, 2008 Posted October 4, 2008 Here is a shot of the bone nut I had installed on my breedlove....................... I am blessed with a truely exceptional luthier. and heres the saddle also in bone.
Matt the Cat Posted October 4, 2008 Posted October 4, 2008 Hi I took my epi h'bird to my local shop. The action was way high and I wanted bone nut and saddle. They supplied, shaped and fitted both and also fitted some EZ pegs (brass bridge pins). The action is now perfect and the guitar sounds and feels amazing. Soooo worth doing! Get it done, you wont regret it!! Matt
Purple_String Posted October 4, 2008 Author Posted October 4, 2008 Hi I took my epi h'bird to my local shop. The action was way high and I wanted bone nut and saddle. They supplied' date=' shaped and fitted both and also fitted some EZ pegs (brass bridge pins). The action is now perfect and the guitar sounds and feels amazing. Soooo worth doing! Get it done, you wont regret it!! Matt[/quote'] Matt, how much did it cost you to machine and install a nut for labor? I'm quite on a budget right now. Perhaps I'll do saddles for now and save the nut work later. I got a friend who bought a Hummingbird two months after I got mine. His was made in Indonesia. I compared side by side. His got creme end pin, while mine, made in China, is chrome; also, his action at nut was way high! I once took mine to a local shop, the luthier said my action was fine. I saw an Epi Hummingbird made in Korea in 90s hanging on his wall, which had a very ugly finish by the way. I sanded saddle a little bit anyway and put a set of Elxier custom light (11-15-22-32-42-52) strings on, and it plays beyond comfortable.
Matt the Cat Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 Matt' date=' how much did it cost you to machine and install a nut for labor? I'm quite on a budget right now. Perhaps I'll do saddles for now and save the nut work later. .[/quote'] I paid about £80 which I guess is about 150USD? That included the materials used and a new set of strings. Oh, and they also installed an under saddle pickup that I supplied, so for all the work involved I didn't think it was too bad, and the result is amazing!!! Hope this helps. Matt
Purple_String Posted October 8, 2008 Author Posted October 8, 2008 Thanks, Matt. It's not nonexpensive. But considering the nut work, I will save up a little to do it too.
YerDugliness Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 The saddle replacement is something you can do for yourself. Bob Colosi will ask you to take some rather precise measurements from your current saddle and will make his replacement a bit larger, then you will need to use some sandpaper to fit the new saddle to the slot in your bridge. It's not difficult, but it is a job where precision pays off well, so if you are unsure that you can do it, a good tech or luthier can do the job. The nut, well, that's a different story. The nut not only has to be fitted to the neck, it has to have some relief added and then the slots for the strings need to be cut. The lutheir SHOULD ask you what brand and gauge of strings you will be using, most luthiers will slot the nut to fit one gauge higher. That way you will have a three gauge range for your guitar (your "spec" gauge, plus one gauge higher and one gauge lower), as most of us like to experiment with strings to find the ones that feel and sound best to us. The files required to slot the nut are very expensive, so much so that the labor to fit/slot the nut will seem like a real bargain! As for cost, it cost me about $40 to have the luthier fit my ivory saddle to the bridge slot and do a good setup. Later, I took a guitar to the luthier along with a bone nut blank, he charged me $40 to make/fit a bone saddle and fit/slot the nut to the guitar. Had I asked him to make the nut, I suspect it might have added $20, so in the U.S. a luthier might well charge in the $100 range to craft both the nut and the saddle and do a good setup, which would include adjusting the action to your preference. I did provide the strings of my choice..... Dugly
Purple_String Posted October 8, 2008 Author Posted October 8, 2008 Thanks, Dugly. I had email contact with Bob Colosi already. I will send him my saddles for duplicates. I had experience fitting saddles. I just am not sure about nut work right now. From your experience, it seems fitting/slotting-nut labor alone costs appx $50 USD. Well, according to another topic, the nut effect is the least of the three common mods. I will leave nuts alone for a while.
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