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Posts: 28
Joined: Jun. 25 2013
From: Corea del sur
Sanding down the bridge? Saddle hold...
I want to shave down the saddle holding part and the nut. I don't know how to do it exactly so Any advice on this would be very appreciated. Thank you!
Kang
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Posts: 28
Joined: Jun. 25 2013
From: Corea del sur
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Escribano)
Thank you! I' been to bath 2 years ago. The place was gorgeous july 4-5 remember it clearly because it was the only rainy days during my stay in england.
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Judging from the foto, the problem with your bridge is that the strings rest on the wood before arriving at the bone. If this is so, you should remove wood from this part with a sharp wood chisel and sandpaper. When the strings have a clear passage from the tieblock to the bone, the guitar should sound better and then you can decide what else you want to do. But you must maintain an adequate string angle.
Posts: 28
Joined: Jun. 25 2013
From: Corea del sur
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Thank you very much for the detailed advice! I'm currently out of sandpapers I guess Ill have to use a file instead is this okay? Or else I'll have to get some sandpapers first.
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Garam,
Take the strings off the guitar and get a piece of card board and make a mask to cover the top while you work. Cut a bridge shaped hole in the card board and fit it over the bridge then carefully tape the mask to the top with some tape that is not too sticky. This will protect the top while you work.
Remove the saddle, and lower the hump of wood that the saddle fits down into. In your case you have plenty of saddle bedded into the bridge so remove enough material to expose 2mm to 3mm of bone saddle. That should give you enough to lower the saddle a bit, if not you may remove as much as 3mm. I'm just going by what I see and the pictures show a very stout, tall bridge. Measure how much saddle you have in total and the rule of thumb is you can remove material from the top of the bridge until the saddle has as much buried in the bridge as is exposed. So for example, if you have 6mm total saddle height you can allow 3mm to be exposed and then cut the saddle down until you make your action correct.
You may also have some forward bow in the neck and this could make it more difficult. Press the bass E at the first fret and 12th fret so it creates a straight line. Look under the the string to see how much relief if in the neck. There will be a slight curve to the neck profile which can be sighted relative to the flat of the taut string.
What to remove that material with? A small sharp hand plane is ideal, but if you don't have that a chisel and a flat stick with sand paper glued to it will do the job.
The idea is to expose enough saddle free of the bridge to make the adjustment of the action and then blend the sides of the saddle hump into the rest of the bridge.
If you have trouble you can call me, I'm just below you in Southern Japan. If you really get baffled you can send it here and I'll do it for you and put on the tap plate etc.
Just send an email or PM if you need help or a primer talk to do it.
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Personally I would get the finger board checked out first. It looks very twisted. If you had a refret you may get away with not having to change the bridge at all.
Posts: 28
Joined: Jun. 25 2013
From: Corea del sur
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
estebanana/ Thank you very much for the very detailed advice! Yesterday I was very busy so I am going to do it today.
SEden/ yup it look a little twisted on that photo but actually it's the nut that makes it look twisted. The nut is noticeably slanted so I'm going to sand it to make it even.
I got these 'sandsponges' instead of sandpapers. Have you guys ever used these things? I'm not sure these are appropriate because they don't say any specific grit numbers on the cover(Just 'rough','medium','fine').
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RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Garam, you might want to find a rough file or an edge tool like a chisel...you could remove the material with those sponges, but sanding sponges make the work uneven. Don't be hasty just go slow.
Posts: 28
Joined: Jun. 25 2013
From: Corea del sur
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Ha! The surgery was quite successful and now I've got 2.5mm at low E and 2mm at High E both at the 12th fret! The problem is I sanded down the nut too much so the high E and B strings touch the first fret which makes loud buzzing sound.
High E string got totally busted right now I didn't noticed the string is touching the fret at first so I tightened it like there's no tomorrow until it gives the proper sound
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Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
garam--you can find pre-slotted nuts in tusq or bone material at the bay for a pretty good price (about $10 or less). the spread from low to high e is variable from about 41.5 to 43.1mm for a 52mm wide nut. all that is really necessary with these nuts is to reduce the height which is pretty easy to do.
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Another newb question, I have a Yamaha, that I sanded down the bottom of the bridge, it was just plastic,,, and it did change the way the guitar felt and played, I only have a slight buzz. I also have a Cordoba c5 I got a month ago. Im not sure what to do with it, it has a truss rod, Im not sure how to take that into account on being able to get the proper action.
If a took it to a luthier and told him 3.5 at the 12th would that give enough info for a proper setup?. Steve
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to SLJ)
Here's some good advice:
DO NOT touch the truss rod if what you want is to lower the action. You'll end up thinking "ok, this is lower, straighter...great!". Later on you'll notice a buzz/dead note/something or even want to lower the action a bit further and... next thing you know you're swinging it back and forth, messing with the saddle at the same time, sanding frets, changing nuts..
The need to touch the truss rod MIGHT indeed lower the action but thats "collateral damage", not the main purpose.
You've sanded the saddle, the guitar is already buzzing and your action is still above 3,5mm? Iam I getting this wrong?
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Rui, I sanded the saddle on my Yamaha, I think its a bit higher than 3.5, but the buzz sounds good unless I capo up to 3 or higher. then I really have to watch being more delicate . the Cordoba that has the truss rod , I haven't touched. I came with Savrez crystal high tension strings,,, or so the tag on the guitar said. I have some pro arte normal, that I thought Id put on before trying to adjust action. The fellow who has done my instrument work has closed , been using him for 20+ yrs and everybody around here seems to understand steel string setup,,, but unfamiliar with flamenco setup. long winded answere there sorry. the Yamaha I have worked on sound more "flamenco" to my ears , the cordoba sounds more classical. thanks Steve
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
the stirring sticks at starbucks/au bon pain, etc. work well--just glue them onto the bottom of the nut, cut away the wood around the nut and sand away. you can sand to provide a gradient if needed (i.e., have the treble side higher and slope downwards towards the bass end.
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
sorry, yeah the Cordoba I bought on a whim, I haven't done anything with it. Ill check measurements tonight,
again newb question,, but when I measure the heighth at 12 , is it from fretboard to bottom of string , or top? Im guessing bottom , but Im not sure. the only lutherie Ive done is on a banjo
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to keith)
quote:
the stirring sticks at starbucks/au bon pain, etc. work well--just glue them onto the bottom of the nut, cut away the wood around the nut and sand away. you can sand to provide a gradient if needed (i.e., have the treble side higher and slope downwards towards the bass end.
Posts: 28
Joined: Jun. 25 2013
From: Corea del sur
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
Suddenly became a coffee shop thread thank you all for your advice! My guitar now feels great. Feels a lot more easier to play than before and it sounds great. I don't know if this sounds any close to 'flamenco-ish' but it does sound like that audio sample in Juan Martin's book
RE: Sanding down the bridge? Saddle ... (in reply to Garam)
quote:
Suddenly became a coffee shop thread thank you all for your advice! My guitar now feels great. Feels a lot more easier to play than before and it sounds great. I don't know if this sounds any close to 'flamenco-ish' but it does sound like that audio sample in Juan Martin's book
Printable Version
july 4-5 remember it clearly because it was the only rainy days during my stay in england. 
I didn't noticed the string is touching the fret at first so I tightened it like there's no tomorrow until it gives the proper sound 
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