Ron.M -> RE: lowering action? (Sep. 11 2007 21:59:26)
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Ailsa, For a start...DON'T work on the original! You can buy huesos, bones, saddles from a music shop in plastic and sometimes bone if you are lucky. (Soundwise...I'm not sure if they really make all that difference.. to my ear anyway) Take your original along to get the right thickness and roughly the same height. Buy two or three...they are cheap. Working on it is a long job, as it will take shaving stuff off, re-fitting it, tuning up and testing....taking it out again and trying a little more, until it starts to buzz in places. By that time, you've gone too far, but at least you know what the guitar can take. OK, using that one as a template, get a new one and file to just above it. You can also use a sliver of wood, but you can't get that stuff here...when I was in Ramirez's shop in Madrid, you could get all that stuff, huesos, shim wood in various thicknesses etc...but here nobody knows what you are talking about unless it's a complete bridge for a Gibson Electric with a tremelo arm, or a piece of 6mm MDF.[:D] As I said, this is not a 10 min job! Expect to spend at least all afternoon! I'd say forget this sandpaper technique...the uneven pressure from your hand will produce all sorts of lumps and bumps, unless you've done it before a few times...and you'll end up sanding your fingernails down as a bonus. You will need to borrow a small vice and a fine to standard hand-file (from a friendly male, since women don't usually have those items readily to hand)[:D] File to the line in even, light strokes, holding the file firmly in the right hand and supporting the end with your left and keeping the action light and horizontal. Remember, file strokes are only ever forward, never back. Of course, the easiest way is to give the work to a pro Luthier....but he ain't gonna spend all day on it for £30 or so and you are always gonna wonder if it could be taken down just a shade further! That's the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Good Luck, cheers, Ron
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