DR500M

[ozigor]

I recently bought a DR500M and I was wondering if it is possible to lower the action on the guitar.

Is it possible to take the bridge out and file a few mm's off the bottom ?

[ozigor]

I guess I'm actually talking about filing of the bottom of the saddle, not the bridge.

Excuse the ignorance!!

[Dagwood]

File? Try some sandpaper on flat surface. Remember less is more.. once you take it away you can't put it back. so Shave off a lil at time. It's tedious but worth it.

[ozigor]

Does the saddle just pull straight out??

[Rockanrolla]

Yes, might be a little tight, You can use some small pliers put a cloth over the saddle first to avoid damage, should come out easily.

[ozigor]

Thanks guys,

I will do this at the next set up, probably next week end.

I will let you know how it goes.

[peeper]

Are you sure the saddle height is causing the higher action? It could be any number of things, just shaving the saddle without understanding the underlying issue may not fix anything at all. Could be humidity, neck, the set angle of the neck. Not just the saddle.

[dhanners623]

Are you sure the saddle height is causing the higher action? It could be any number of things' date=' just shaving the saddle without understanding the underlying issue may not fix anything at all. Could be humidity, neck, the set angle of the neck. Not just the saddle.[/quote']

 

You beat me to it. I was going to chime in that action is a function of several different factors, and saddle heighth is just one of them. This is one of those instances where unless you know what you're doing, it is best to take it to a competent repair person. Seriously.

[ozigor]

Thanks for the advice.

The guitar is only six months old. The neck looks straight straight.

Do you have any idea how high the action should be according to factory settings?

It's not that the action seems to have changed since I bought it. It just seems a little high.

[peeper]

How is the neck angle? How deeply is the neck set? Proper fret fall off? Is the nut cut to proper depth? All these factors and more change the optimal saddle height. You must look at the whole and judge the balance of the parts, you can't just measure in one spot and expect to be able to make an informed adjustment. Factory specs can only begin to work on a perfect instrument. We live in a world where everything is flawed. If things were perfect no one would have a job to do, especially me.

 

Your options are to either learn the skill set needed to perform your own work. Which begins with a complete understanding of the instrument from playing to construction, before making a single adjustment yourself. This can take years.

Or you could pay a professional a small amount to get your guitar exactly like you want it, so you have a playable instrument in the mean time should you decide to pursue lutherie as a career or hobby.

[ozigor]

Well obviously you know a lot about guitars and certainly much more than I do.

I guess that when I saw your quote "tweak your guitars" I got all excited.

I'm certainly not trying to do a luthier out of a living I just thought I may be able to improve my instrument by a simple adjustment

The reason I joined this forum was to get advice and learn more about something that I enjoy as a pastime and feel passionate about.

I feel a certain hostility in your text which makes me uncomfortable and I hope it's only my inaccurate interpretation.

Anyway thanks all the same for your advice and I will take it into account before tweaking my guitar.

[abbeyroadman]

Hi Ozigor -

 

I have owned a DR500M for about 3 years (purchased it new), it's a gem, and have never had a need for adjustments. The advice/comments shared by the last two members seem most sensible. The DR500M is a very good guitar, perhaps too good to experiment with or use for a "hands-on" learning exercise. Also, it has a special bone saddle that you will find hard to replace in the event that you damage it, or unnecessarily shave it.

 

As suggested, there are several "root causes" for high action - an experienced repair person should be able to find the exact cause, before you personally attempt a corrective measure. I applaud your desire and passion to learn more, but perhaps find a very inexpensive guitar to learn how to make adjustments.

 

Regards,

[Red 333]

Ozigor,

 

Masterbilts often (but not always) have shims under their saddles. You might try removing the saddle, and seeing if one is in the slot or stuck to the bottom of the saddle. Removing it would lower the saddle's height.

 

Red 333

[ozigor]

Hello Abbeyroadman,

I totally respect the advice given by musikron and dhanners, in fact from all the members so far, I just felt the delivery of one was a little condescending.

I feel way more comfortable with what I am going to do.

It will involve my hands on (thanks red 333 for the tip) and it will involve the intervention of a skilled craftsman .

The tip about starting on an inexpensive guitar is terrific. I think I might go to the guitar morgue tonight and steal a cadavre, I certainly love my MB guitar and would not want to damage it through any foolish acts.

Thank you for restoring my faith in the convivality of this forum.

[dhanners623]

I've heard there's a saying among guitar repairmen: A player who wants to do a DIY guitar repair/tweak should have enough money to do the fix, as well as enough money to pay a competent repairman to fix what the player screws up.

 

There are plenty of fixes/tweaks that a player can do on his or her own. Being left-handed, I've gotten adept at removing pickguards and making and installing left-handed ones. I've gotten good at switching out tuners (as long as there is no drilling involved) and there are a few other things I can do. But when it comes to things like action, I'm quickly in over my head and I've just always felt it was best to pay someone who knows what they are doing.

 

That said, whenever I take my guitar in for fixes (and my local shop of choice is Hoffman Guitars in Minneapolis) I always talk to them about what is being done so I fully understand it. And I have to admit that much of the time, they're describing things that I would've never have thought about. The overriding impression I get from these conversations is that the guitar is an interconnection of pieces, and the "tweak" you make on one piece can affefct another piece. Some players feel comfortable making these tweaks themselves. I don't.

 

The other consideration is that it is good to find a repair person you trust. He or she can help you get the most out of your guitar. And, every now and then, I've had a repairman save me some money by talking me out of some crazy or expensive idea I had.

 

Red's insights are well taken and you may well find a shim in the saddle slot and that will take care of your problem. But somewhere along the line, it'll be good for you to make friends with a repairman. Every guitar needs work from time to time.

[dhanners623]

I really think we should dial it down. De-escalate. Maybe it was all a translation issue and communication is a two-way street that can have a lot of potholes. We're ill-served by throwing national slurs around.

[dhanners623]

I really think we should dial it down. De-escalate. Maybe it was all a translation issue and communication is a two-way street that can have a lot of potholes. We're ill-served by throwing national slurs around.

[ozigor]

Musikron,

I never used the asshole word.I apologise for my misinterpretation of your text.I guess that's the weakness of the written medium.No vocal intonation.

Dhanners

Thanks for your valuable advice. As you said I will try and find a trusted repairman. I live in a reasonably remote corner of the country so that could take a while.

[Red 333]

Musikron,

 

Respectfully, I think you should take it easier on Ozigor. You are generous with your knowledge. I know you could be as generous in spirit. It's very hard to for even the best writers to convey the right emotion or feeling behind their words. I have to write out plainly in this post that I mean no malice towards you, and am not writing in anger, to make sure you better understand the meaning behind these words. It's very easy for a reader to interpret a writer's feeling as something other than intended. Truthfully, in looking at your first post, I could see how someone could easily read a hostile tone into it, even if none were truly meant. Think how doubly easy it might be for someone who reads and writes English as a second language (and very well, too!).

 

I can't tell you how many times I've seen perfectly innocent comments in emails get blown out of all proportion, just because the reader inferred some connotation that wasn't meant, or "heard" the words in a voice or tone the author didn't intend to use.

 

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that perhaps you could have resonded to the OP by saying, "Gee, I didn't mean to sound hostile. I was truly just trying to give you the benefit of my considerable experience. I guess it didn't translate. I didn't mean any harm, and hope you'll still take my valuable advice under consideration. I'd like to be forum friends, and hope this misunderstanding won't get in the way of that."

 

Regards,

 

Red 333

[Red 333]

Musikron' date='

 

"Gee, I didn't mean to sound hostile. I was truly just trying to give you the benefit of my considerable experience. I guess it didn't translate. I didn't mean any harm, and hope you'll still take my valuable advice under consideration. I'd like to be forum friends, and hope this misunderstanding won't get n the way of that."

[/quote']

 

Looks like Ozigor replied that way to Musikron, while I was wrting my post. Good for you Ozigor!

 

Red 333

[dhanners623]

I can understand the issue with finding a good repairman when you live in a remote area. I used to live miles (and miles) from a metro area, and getting guitar work done was a major hassle. So good luck with that. Once you find a repairman, though, make him your new best friend....

 

Meanwhile, a website I would offer for insight into virtually every aspect of guitar construction, set-up, repair (and everything else) is Frank Ford's site, http://www.frets.com/. In fact, he has an whole entry on lowering the action at the saddle. (Just go to the Index and do a Ctrl F for "saddle" and you'll get about eight different articles on saddles.

 

Be forewarned, though, that if you're like me, Frets.com is a website that will eat up your time because it is so interesting that you can spend hours on it. Ford is pretty meticulous in documenting his work and sharing his knowledge. There's just a ton of stuff there.

[Rockanrolla]

I know what you mean, Ive been on that site untill the wee hours of the morning taking notes, Ive butchered and bastardised a cheap guitar into an electro-acoustic gem with these notes :-)

[Red 333]

Here's another great source:

 

Stewart MacDonald Free Info Topic Menu

 

Many aspects of guitar maintenance and set up are covered. The site is a handy place to get tools, supplies, and parts, too.

 

Even more complete, though, is this book:

 

Guitar Player Repair Guide 3rd Edition by Dan Erlewine

 

It has well-illustrated, step-by-step instruction for electric and acoustic set ups. It's well worth the money, and will help you understand the relationship between nut, saddle/bridge, and neck, and how to balance them together to achieve better tone and playability.

 

Red 333

[abbeyroadman]

Hi -

 

I do not believe Ozigor needs to apologize - the author of the hostile and condescending comments has made the same in previous posts. There is a pattern to his remarks, and frankly, I do not know why the Forum Administrator allows an individual with such verbal behavior to retain membership. I belong to other guitar manufacturer forums, and have never encountered remarks of that nature. Rather, the exchange between members is always respective and courteous irregardless of professional expertise, recognized or self-proclaimed. That was my expectation for joining the Epiphone Forum, and perhaps many others. It is a shame that a new or current member has to encounter and receive prejudicial remarks via a Gibson/Epiphone communication platform by simply asking a question or looking for advice.

 

Regards,

[ozigor]

Firstly let me say that all this information is amazing and I am certainly going to have my spare time well occupied. A big thank you to you all for that.

 

Secondly thank you for your comprehension and support concerning my entry into this forum. I certainly don't wish to create a difficult situation so I'm wiping the sponge as we say in France, starting a new slate I guess. Live and let live.

 

I will think well before adjusting the saddle.

Regards to all