low action on a SG - help

[GUIBH]

Hey guys,

 

I'd like to have a lower action on my sg, but I have never tried to adjust it. Is it easy? What should I do? I'd like the strings to be 1mm from the fretboard.

[neilpanda]

Gibby? or Epi?

down tune half a step (Eb) then adjust.

the height of the bridge can be adjusted by

turning the two slothead screws on either side of the tune-o-matic bridge;

clockwise to lower, counter-clockwise to raise.

this is for both epi and gibson

[strat-o-steve]

1 mm action.......you either have a very light touch, unreasonable expectations, or string buzz doesn't bother you lol. Seriously though, it is easy to lower your action like TehBeast said. I don't think I have ever had a guitar capable of handling 1mm action and playing cleanly. What style of music do you play?

[GUIBH]

Gibby? or Epi?

down tune half a step (Eb) then adjust.

the height of the bridge can be adjusted by

turning the two slothead screws on either side of the tune-o-matic bridge;

clockwise to lower, counter-clockwise to raise.

this is for both epi and gibson

 

 

Thanks man,

 

It's a gibson. I'll try it. I had a Les Paul and it's action was much lower than my SG's. I've asked my luthier to lower the action twice and it still far away from the LP.

[epidon]

Gibby? or Epi?

down tune half a step (Eb) then adjust.

the height of the bridge can be adjusted by

turning the two slothead screws on either side of the tune-o-matic bridge;

clockwise to lower, counter-clockwise to raise.

this is for both epi and gibson

action.doc

[epidon]

I don’t mean to disrupt anybody and I’m definitely not a machinist

But the tune-a-matic bridge action adjustment does not have a slot-

Head screw. You need a pair of needle-nose pliers to adjust the action.

The picture you included shows the screws. With the needle nose pliers

crank the screw clock-wise to lower the bridge and counter clock-wise

to raise it. Tension wise it’s easier to adjust the screws with the strings

somewhat loose.

[BigKahune]

I don’t mean to disrupt anybody and I’m definitely not a machinist But the tune-a-matic bridge action adjustment does not have a slot-Head screw. ... The picture you included shows the screws. ...

 

No it doesn't, you're looking at the stop, not the bridge. The picture is clearly labeled.

 

... You need a pair of needle-nose pliers to adjust the action. ...

 

I'm no muscle bound iron pumper, but I just use my fingers. B)

[Fringe Lunatic]

Import TOMs often have slotted adjusters, unlike Gibsons. Using pliers will probably mar the plating and mangle the metal - detune first.

[XPAULPITT]

Import TOMs often have slotted adjusters, unlike Gibsons. Using pliers will probably mar the plating and mangle the metal - detune first.

WOW! You really need someone to tell you how to do this? And 1mm action?

[BigKahune]

WOW! You really need someone to tell you how to do this? And 1mm action?

 

Do you find it hard to believe there are people that are novices and trying to learn how handle/maintain their guitars ?

 

Nothing wrong with asking for advice, that's why the forum is here.

[Fringe Lunatic]

WOW! You really need someone to tell you how to do this? And 1mm action?

While I understand your incredulity, the simple fact is, there are players who are inexperienced and/or not mechanically inclined, and those are the ones most likely to ask such questions. Many of them are literally afraid to do any adjustments, lest they somehow ruin their guitar. When it comes to setup questions, I try both to answer the question as best I can, and encourage them to learn about such things from books, etc., and by trial and error. If I don't feel I have the patience at any given time, I ignore the post, like I probably should have ignored yours.

[epidon]

No it doesn't, you're looking at the stop, not the bridge. The picture is clearly labeled.

 

 

 

I'm no muscle bound iron pumper, but I just use my fingers. B)

 

I am looking at the picture. I do see the stopbar tail piece with large SLOThead screws. I am not referring to the stopbar tail. You cannot adjust the BRIDGE with a Blade screwdriver according to the picture. You have to place a soft cloth under and around the adjusters with needle nose pliers when you turn them to adjust the action (if you're not a muscle bound iron pumper) so not to mar the surface of the guitar. The epiphone models are a little different. On their Tune-o-matic bridges the action adjustment uses 2 SLOThead screws -one on each end. The picture (which is clearly labeled) shows a typical Gibson tune-o-matic bridge. On The Epiphone stopbar tails the large slothead srews have clips attached holding the stopbar from sliding down the guitar when restringing. A better design from Gibsons' sister company.

[Fringe Lunatic]

On The Epiphone stopbar tails the large slothead srews have clips attached holding the stopbar from sliding down the guitar when restringing. A better design from Gibsons' sister company.

On my Epi, the clips are on the tailpiece itself. The "Locktone" bridge and tailpiece is relatively new to Epi, and is a nice feature. I saw a post once with the poster asking if they sounded better - laughed my a__ off.

[Magneezo]

Gibby? or Epi?

down tune half a step (Eb) then adjust.

the height of the bridge can be adjusted by

turning the two slothead screws on either side of the tune-o-matic bridge;

clockwise to lower, counter-clockwise to raise.

this is for both epi and gibson

Blupps.... <_<

[Fringe Lunatic]

You should also check the neck and compensate the angle to match what you're doing at the bridge. You may even have to raise the stop-bar piece a little high on the left or right if it starts to lay down on the E end

but it's not all about just adjusting the bridge. The neck has to be adjusted as well to match it or you may end up with some weird buzzing.

Adjust the neck? How?

 

Edit: I'm going to deduce that you're talking about adjusting the truss rod. If so, you are incorrect. The truss rod does not adjust neck angle. The sole purpose of the truss rod is to keep the neck from bowing due to the extreme tension of steel strings. It does allow for personalized adjustment to the amount of bowing (also called relief).

[BigKahune]

I am looking at the picture. I do see the stopbar tail piece with large SLOThead screws. I am not referring to the stopbar tail. You cannot adjust the BRIDGE with a Blade screwdriver according to the picture. ... I’m definitely not a machinist But the tune-a-matic bridge action adjustment does not have a slot-Head screw. You need a pair of needle-nose pliers to adjust the action. The picture you included shows the screws. With the needle nose pliers crank the screws clock-wise to lower the bridge and counter clock-wise to raise it. ...

 

Your problem is terminology -

 

Those "screws" you talk about to adjust the bridge - - - - - they're called . THUMBWHEELS. They've been called thumbwheels since the tune-o-matic came out in the 50s.

 

Don't feel too bad. Probably only a machinist would know - - - they're called thumbwheels because you turn them with your thumb and fore finger - - not needle nosed pliers.

 

I wouldn't advise anyone to put pliers on those thumbwheels - your talkin' risky behavior - marred thumbwheel and bridge plating, and guitar top dings and scratches. If you can't turn the thumbwheels with your thumb and finger, detune the strings a bit and then turn the thumbwheels with your thumb and finger.

[Magneezo]

Adjust the neck? How?

 

Edit: I'm going to deduce that you're talking about adjusting the truss rod. If so, you are incorrect. The truss rod does not adjust neck angle. The sole purpose of the truss rod is to keep the neck from bowing due to the extreme tension of steel strings. It does allow for personalized adjustment to the amount of bowing (also called relief).

You've got a point -:unsure:

I'm just unsure how my guitar gets that angle but I have super low action

nonetheles my tailpiece is higher on the left than the right and from the 5th fret up the strings sit a bit off to the right. It's tuned down, so I suppose it's part of that. I noticed it on my LP as well.

I'm no tech, I just assumed it was a neck adjustment - it's probably just the bridge/tailpiece.

I couldn't have it any lower without fretting out, and it never buzzes

so no complaints.

[Fringe Lunatic]

Magneezo, I wasn't trying to be critical - just trying to help dispell an all-too-common belief. The neck angle on a set-neck guitar is fixed/non-adjustable. Bolt-on necks sometimes have an angle adjuster, or can be adjusted with shims in the neck pocket. The bridge is what sets the action; the tailpiece has nothing to do with it. The height of the stop tail is a much-debated thing in these here forums.

 

From what I can tell from the pix, your G400 setup looks OK

[Magneezo]

Magneezo, I wasn't trying to be critical - just trying to help dispell an all-too-common belief. The neck angle on a set-neck guitar is fixed/non-adjustable. Bolt-on necks sometimes have an angle adjuster, or can be adjusted with shims in the neck pocket. The bridge is what sets the action; the tailpiece has nothing to do with it. The height of the stop tail is a much-debated thing in these here forums.

 

From what I can tell from the pix, your G400 setup looks OK

Cool,

but that ain't no G-400 .

I did, however, trade in a faded G-400 to help fund this one.

[BigKahune]

.

Nice lookin' STD.

[Fringe Lunatic]

Oops, sorry about that. Nice GIBSON SG!

[kydude]

Beautiful guitar there Magneezo, I have the same new Cherry standard also. The action on mine seems to suit me just fine, the strings though will be changed soon.

[SGtransblack]

Sorry to say but with zero experience in such a task it would be better for a tech to do it. But if you insist. You take your thumb of the

right hand and the index finger of the left and you turn the two big round flat screws clockwise to lower the bridge. you do both checking

for buzzing as you do it. Dont mess with the Stopbar unless for some reason its like supper high which i seriously doubt. Now the hard part

comes. INTONATION. you need really at least like a rack mount Korg tuner that swings with a decent graph. Then you play a note on the twelve

fret tuning say the E string then you play the string open and tune it by turning the screw on the bridge for each string. you will just need

to play with it until the tuning matches. There you go. Im doing it right now on one of my 61s thats why i replied to this. :)

[John Rutherford]

Not brain surgery indeed.

 

Don't faff about with the intonation if it's playing in tune all the way up and down the neck.

 

My rule of thumb is, obtain a fine, sturdy, shiny British 5p coin [ you Yankee Doodles can find a equivalent coin I daresay ]

it should slip snugly between top of the 12th fret and the underside of the bass E string, and on the treble side

the top E string should be a half to three-quarters up the coin's milled edge.

[bigtim]

I also make sure the neck is as straight as possible(by adjusting the truss rod) before I lower the action on my bridge. Some here may argue about this but I do not care. It is how I do it and it has worked for me for over 20 years. It does help you get lower action if the neck is as straight as possible before you start lowering the bridge. Also you mentioned you have asked your luthier to lower your action 2 times already and it is still no where close to the les paul's action your comparing it to. I would take it somewhere else and have a real set up done to it and ask them if you can watch them do it. Since your a beginner at setting up guitars you will learn some things and do not be afraid to ask alot of questions while they are working on your guitar. Tim