Custom Intonation on SWD

[drathbun]

Well after playing my new Songwriter for a few days, I decided to take it in to the guitar tech at Long & McQuade (Calgary) where I bought it. I was going to do the setup myself, but I found an alarming intonation on the G string and thought I should leave the shaping of the saddle to a tech more experienced with shaping for intonation. Besides, I had a free setup anyway.

 

I had already adjusted the nut slots so they were perfect and set my relief right where I wanted it. So I asked the tech to give me 5/64 bass side and 3/64 treble side. I was also getting some "wolf" tones at the 12th fret and up on the low E, A and D strings, so he did a little fret redress for me there.

 

The result is... ONE AMAZING LOOKING, SOUNDING and PLAYING GUITAR!

 

Bob Colosi is making some custom bone with abalone inlay bridge pins and sending me a bone saddle. I'll try my hand at duplicating James' excellent work.

 

Here's the custom shaping James did on my saddle... nice work! :)

 

[albertjohn]

Drathbun. I'd be very interested to have a report once you have made your further improvements. I love my SWD as it is but would like to improve it where I can - within reason. There's a small and sometimes vocal, but seemingly growing, number of us with SWDs on this Forum. You're not a Monty Python fan are you?

 

Cheers

[guitarstrummer]

Glad it worked out for you, drathbun. I'm not sure I'd ever have that place do any work for me, though, after hearing about how they made a saddle for another forum member some time ago by using two layers of bone and one layer of wood material after they claimed they didn't have one piece of bone thick enough for a Gibson saddle replacement.

[drathbun]

Glad it worked out for you' date=' drathbun. I'm not sure I'd ever have that place do any work for me, though, after hearing about how they made a saddle for another forum member some time ago by using two layers of bone and one layer of wood material after they claimed they didn't have one piece of bone thick enough for a Gibson saddle replacement. [/quote']

 

There are Long & McQuade stores right across Canada (I think three in the Vancouver area). So you're going to run into a variety of skill levels with the guitar techs. I stopped taking my guitars to L&M (especially my Rickenbackers with their dual truss rods) after one of the techs totally screwed a Larrivee 12 string I had (and have since sold).

 

But since the SWD needed some very fine custom work done to the saddle and I had a free setup coming ANYWAY, I thought, if it works, great... if not, I've got a bone saddle coming from Bob Colosi and I could take it to my guitar tech teacher Miles Jones (the master).

 

I will still be doing all of my own setup work.

 

Doug

[drathbun]

Drathbun. I'd be very interested to have a report once you have made your further improvements. I love my SWD as it is but would like to improve it where I can - within reason. There's a small and sometimes vocal' date=' but seemingly growing, number of us with SWDs on this Forum. You're not a Monty Python fan are you?

 

Cheers[/quote']

 

I will report back with photos when the stuff from Bob arrives... because we are now the knights who say "ekky ekky ekky whoooop fatangggggg"!

 

Doug

[albertjohn]

 

I will report back with photos when the stuff from Bob arrives... because we are now the knights who say "ekky ekky ekky whoooop fatangggggg"!

 

Doug

 

Must be a SWD thing!

[albertjohn]

Drathbun. At the risk of hijacking your thread, can I seek some advice from a fellow Yamaha owner?

 

I'm seriously tempted to buy a new Yamaha LL 16 12 but have not played one. ( Iknow, I know. Breach of Golden Rule No1) Its a spruce top with r/w back and sides. Have you come across one of these at all?

[jefleppard]

BURMA!!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnObI25aN1k

[nid2007]

There's a small and sometimes vocal' date=' but seemingly growing, number of us with SWDs on this Forum. [/quote']

 

I know it's my favorite guitar.

[jefleppard]

 

I know it's my favorite guitar.

 

don't freak out but i want your vb!

[drathbun]

Drathbun. At the risk of hijacking your thread' date=' can I seek some advice from a fellow Yamaha owner?

 

I'm seriously tempted to buy a new Yamaha LL 16 12 but have not played one. ( Iknow, I know. Breach of Golden Rule No1) Its a spruce top with r/w back and sides. Have you come across one of these at all?[/quote']

 

I've not seen an LL16, especially not a 12 string of the model. I assume this guitar is going to be in the $1000 price range since the 6 string is going for $899 on musiciansfriend.

 

I know the guitar has solid englemann top and indian rosewood sides and back, but in this price range it should have a bone nut and saddle - not plastic. Also, in this price range, don't some Guild and Taylor 12 strings come into play?

 

Since, IMHO, Guild and Taylor make arguably the finest 12 string acoustics, I'd be looking for one of them rather than going for Yamaha. I am unaware of how Guild has faired in the acoustic department since their ingestion by Fender, but I know Taylors are consistently excellent guitars and the 12 strings are to die for.

 

I like to recommend Yamaha's in the FG 700 series as mid-level guitars. They are great VFM. But once you get into the $1000 range I don't think the VFM argument holds up.

 

Of course, I've not played or held an LL series yammie yet... so I reserve the right to change my mind!

[albertjohn]

 

I've not seen an LL16' date=' especially not a 12 string of the model. I assume this guitar is going to be in the $1000 price range since the 6 string is going for $899 on musiciansfriend.

 

I know the guitar has solid englemann top and indian rosewood sides and back, but in this price range it should have a bone nut and saddle - not plastic. Also, in this price range, don't some Guild and Taylor 12 strings come into play?

 

Since, IMHO, Guild and Taylor make arguably the finest 12 string acoustics, I'd be looking for one of them rather than going for Yamaha. I am unaware of how Guild has faired in the acoustic department since their ingestion by Fender, but I know Taylors are consistently excellent guitars and the 12 strings are to die for.

 

I like to recommend Yamaha's in the FG 700 series as mid-level guitars. They are great VFM. But once you get into the $1000 range I don't think the VFM argument holds up.

 

Of course, I've not played or held an LL series yammie yet... so I reserve the right to change my mind![/quote']

 

Thanks, very useful. The LL16 is being offered through a reputable internet dealer at around £470 with one of their new soft hard cases. Guilds and Taylors entry level models are almost double this so in UK I'm not quite in that range. The Yammie seems to be well regarded on other forums and I agree, it ought to have bone nut/saddle etc. I'd also want to put a pickup in whatever I get so may go for the APX or CPX which has lam nato back and sides but a pretty good pickup and preamp arrangement.

 

I do have an FG423 which I learned acoustic on for a few years and agree that range is fabulous value. I will check out the FG range before I buy in any event.

 

Thanks for your time on this. Very valuable.