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November 2002
Posts: 3
Location: York, UK | I have just purchased a UKII,which I have to say is a fantastic guitar. The only problem I have is that it has too much neck relief for my liking. I have removed the truss rod cover and there is a 1/4" nut. Am I right in thinking that I should be tightening the nut to straighten out the neck ? , because it took me so long to find an Ovation solidbody in the UK that I would hate to damage it. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Yes, tighten a quarter turn at a time with the strings up to pitch, leave it to settle between turns. |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | that is correct, clockwise to take the bow out of the neck. a drop of thin penetrating oil on the threads won't hurt as your guitar is ~23years old. with the strings tuned, i use a screwdriver handled nut driver for mine. the driver handle for replacable screwdriver bits works well too without a bit in place. it is thin walled usually and fits nicely between the strings. when you think the neck is straight(sight it or use a straightedge) put a capo on first fret and hold down the low e string near the body and tap the string in the middle. there should be tiny, like a thin business card or a very thin pick max clearance in the center, but it shouldn't be touching. do the same on the high e. a neck will often have a bit of twist in it and the high e might be touching. then before you put the truss rod cover back on play it and check all of the way up the neck on all strings for buzz. if it's clean and you're satisfied put on the tr cover. if several strings buzz you need to slowly back off the nut, checking for that sweet spot where the buzzing stops. if it is only one string that buzzez or a couple of adjacent strings it could be fret related. good luck. you have a really great sounding and playing guitar. which model do you have? there were a few different bridge styles and fret inlay differences. i play mine for most gigs unless i am playing acoustic. it never has failed to give me what i want. it is the star wars guitar in les a paul sport coat. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | hola, russelito!
long time no hablo!! |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Russ
That was one of the best descriptions of how to adjust a neck that I have seen. Are your sessions with your students turning you into a guitar guru? Sounds like you are going from just whipping it on as a player to thinking about it more deeply. Are you indulging in the Sotol replacement for tequila??
Bailey |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3
Location: York, UK | Thanks for the tips guys, I will give them a go and let you know the results.
By the way it is a white 1980 UKII with gold hardware and abalone inlays.
Cheers, Ian. |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | hey cliff. life seems to get pretty intense for me these days. i hope i can find the time to be more of a regular here this summer. i miss all of the humorous fact filled exchanges here amigo.
bailey, thanks for the compliment. i have to tell you that i was getting stagnant before i joined this site. this site has turned on so many lightbulbs for me there is probably light coming out of my ears. i think i used to be satisfied showing up for a gig and playing the same old stuff. the level of expertise here has me looking for new material, theory, technique, bench tips etc. guitar has really become my focus rather than my sideline. allot of this stuff we write here helps the writer think more about the process too. besides my collection of ovations has really grown since i joined. (what are they all going to think when i bring that homie hybrid here to join them)?
hey, what is sodol? |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | kramer, i have one just like yours too. if you ever get around to setting the intonation, there are a few tricks for this model. if you go to the top of this page and hit search, type in ukII and read some of the tips on how to tweak your guitar. i seem to break lots of strings at the saddles (6-8 hrs gig time) and in an unrelated thread i wrote a few tips on how to improve string life on my ukIIs. there is a bunch written here on ukIIs.
in the uk you are going to have a pretty unique guitar. i forgot what the production figures were, but they aren't all that easy to find. maybe the suits at ovation will realize what an incredible instrument this was and still is and reintroduce it. |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3
Location: York, UK | Success! I took your advice Mex and put a small amount of penetrating oil on the thread before adjusting a little at a time.I am very pleased to say that the neck is now nice and straight, and with some adjustment to the bridge, the action is now pretty low too. |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | bueno guy. what you saved on a setup will buy allot of strings, and if you are like me it is very satisfying to have done it yourself with success. all the best amigo. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Russel! Hope things are well with you brother, Seem to be reading your postings. All the best amigo. |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Great posting Russ
There was an article in the El Paso Times about a Mexican family that produces a liquor similar to tequela using the Sotol rather tan the Agave. It has been produced in Mexico for years, but is considered a poor mans drink. They. the family, are hoping to develop a following for Sotol based liquor similar to the Tequela craze that has depleted the Agave plants. I, of course, have never tried either, although Jose Cuervo Gold is almost as good as Kentucky bourbon.
Bailey ("Sitting in Las Cruces, pouring blended whisky down" Tom T Hall) |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | About the only time I'll buy a bottle of Cuervo is if I need to clean my lettering brushes!
For me it's Patron, Corazon, or Herradurra (in that order). |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | hey bill, it's good to have a little free time again. when ya going to come down and check out the local fairways? then gig with us every day during high (no pun intended) season. i have more than a few guitars you are most familiar with. did you get my email re the aluminum top project? if not i'll resend it. you're my aluminum axe guru, and probably have already done what i'm thinking of when you were at ovation.
bailey, is sotol also called lechugilla? looks more like aloe vera than maguey. they make raisilla from it down here and it is currently my copita of choice. like tequila it can vary greatly in quality, and is VERY POTENT. it is all bootleg stuff and from small family operations. it costs around $6 a liter. the band makes a road trip once a year to a small town near tequila, jalisco. the tequila we get (50 gal at a time) is very good and runs around $12 a gal in this quantity. it is like cazador, a local favorite.
cliff, you are a man of good taste. cuervo is the old milwaukee of tequilas. sauza has some good ones too like tres generacions. the bad stuff will give you a tequila concussion. i have some very unique "herbal" and "flavored" tequilas too. the almond is a local favorite and there is one that has a one shot limit. |
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UK II Truss rod adjustment