Break angle.

[andy73]

Hey all. Im after some opinions on my new J45.. Firstly, anyone find the LR baggs pickup that comes as standard seems to sap some tone and clarity due to the soft braided element that the saddle sits on?

Secondly, I had to lower my action which is simple enough, but the break angle seems a little too shallow to lower even more, and my low E sounds a bit dead and dull all the way up the neck from about the 2nd fret. I was thinking about shimming up the high E side a little to gain a bit more of a break angle, and lowering the low E side a bit more.

Currently using Gibson masterbuilt 12's on it to try.

 

[steverok]

I wouldn't know unless I removed the pick-up, which I am not willing to try. People speculate that USTs zap tone, but I have yet to hear any real evidence of that. I find the availability of the pick-up to be very useful, and my J-45 sounds great with it, unplugged. Also, my bass notes are punchy and resonant all along the neck. I am wondering if your bass notes lost some punch after lowering the saddle, or was it like that before you lowered it?

[andy73]

it was like that before i lowered it. the saddle sits in contact with the pickup fine, also my pickup is faulty anyway as the low E has about less than half the volume of all other strings when plugged in. But the pickups hopefully getting sorted anyway.

[guitarstrummer]

The break angle on mine is pretty close to yours, if not a bit lower. My low E sounds fine. I'm not sure that shimming is the answer. If you want to raise/lower the saddle ends, I'd start off with a new saddle and craft the bottom accordingly.

[andy73]

I just bought a new saddle actually which should be here in few days, so hopefully that should be ok.

[guitarstrummer]

I think that's your best bet. Let us know how it turns out.

[andy73]

thanks for the input, ill let you know how it turns out.

[RogueBrit]

Andy

 

I removed the pickup and all electrics - I wasn't going to use it and had the same worry. I replaced the saddle with a new bone one - as i did the nut. I have done setups for 40 years so have no problem with this. That said, I could not detect any difference in tone due to the USP.

 

When you buy a guitar, a factor in evaluating a particular one is the saddle height - that is assuming minimal neck relief (too much obviously increases saddle height for the same action height). You need a decent break angle, but it doesn't need to be excessive. Look at Frank Fords FRETS site, and Bryan Kimsey's site - Google 'em - lots of good info on both. One way to increase break angle is to slot and ramp the bridge - see the sites again. I do this as a matter of course on all new guitars. Gibson neck set angle usually provides ample saddle height on all the new models I have seen though.

 

Roger

[guitarstrummer]

Here are the links.

 

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/first.html

 

http://www.bryankimsey.com/

[andy73]

thanks for your input guys, but the J-45 is going to have to go back Looks like Ive had a bad J-45. shame I couldnt order 10 to try to get the right one, even though I work in a guitar shop, I dont have that much authority LOL DOH!!!! LOL.

Unfortunately there are no more J-45's within my works other 26 stores in the UK or at the distributors, so Im having a bit of an upgrade to the Sheryl Crow model, hopefully this one is better and without the dead spots :-k

 

Thanks again for your input people !!!!:D/

[steverok]

I was going to say something, but I didn't want to make you feel bad, in case you were stuck with it. It just sounds like this one may be a dud. I tried about six of them before choosing mine. Mine clearly had the deepest sound, with the best bass note sustain and punch, and good balance. Others were more thin or muddy on the bottom end. I don't swear by all J-45s, but I swear by my J-45.

[andy73]

LOL thanks steverok, ya could of said it though LOL. It helps working where I do that if I get a dud guitar, i have no probs in changing it. If only there was a shop with 10 of each guitar to try before settling on one thats right. DOH!!!!!

[steverok]

That is a privelage. I would be happy to visit all the GCs in my area and pick you the best J-45, but there simply would be too many logistics to contend with! Good luck, Steve-O.

[andy73]

Thanks to all for your replies etc. The J-45 I had is now history, and has been replaced with an awesome Sheryl Crow sig model. It suffers no break angle probs, and no dead notes, its such a great sounding guitar. In some ways Im glad the J-45 was a dud LOL, otherwise I would of never of had the Crow. "THERE IS A GOD!!! "

[LesLawrence]

Glad it worked out for you. I liked the Crow model in the store much better than the J-45s, Hummingbirds, and Songwriters I tried. Now that I have my own Crow, I just sent for some bone bridge pins and Vintage tuners to dress it up.

[bs]

I liked the Crow model in the store much better than the J-45s' date=' Hummingbirds, and Songwriters I tried.[/quote']

Other than cosmetics, what's the difference between a Crow and a Hummingbird?

[LesLawrence]

Physically they appear similar, but to my ear the Crows were distinctively different than any of the Hummingbirds I tried. The bass notes rang out crisper, the notes more distinct. The Hummingbird harmonics were such that the highs sounded "sweeter". Crow sounded more "country/western". These are terms that mean something to my ears but may be meaningless to others. I went looking to buy a Hummingbird (I think it is nicer looking), but kept coming back to the Crow because of the sound. I already have a sweet sounding but muted play from my Seagull.

[news36]

I agree Les, my Crow sounded different from the Hummingbirds I tried, you explained the difference well, I did hear that the Sheryl Crows are built in the custom shop, don't know if that makes much of a difference, love the sound though.