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Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 2
| Hi all,
This is my first post, as I only recently became the owner of an Ovation Elite LX1778. I'm ridiculously excited, but feel a little overwhelmed. This is my first REAL guitar (I learned how to play on my dad's Taylor 410A that I've just sort of had on loan from him for the last three years) and a lot of the technical stuff is still foreign to me.
My question (maybe the first of many on here) is whether it's normal to remove one of the shims to lower the action from the factory setting? I have light gauge strings on the guitar now, but it's still shredding my fingers.
Thanks for any advice on this, or just in general.
-Towers |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Welcome to the board. Great member number.
Also a great guitar that you bought. Feel free to lower the action, it's easy to do. First either loosen the strings or remove them. Then the easiest way from there is to take off the back cover of the guitar. When you look inside, you'll see a wire going to the saddle from the preamp. Gently push up on that wire just under the saddle. You'll see the saddle start to rise. You can then gently pull the whole saddle up and out. Remove one of the shims (I think there might be two under the saddle, a thin one and a thick one. I'd start with the thin one) and put the saddle back down in the bridge. Put strings back on, put the back cover plate back on, tune up and enjoy.
It's be something fun to do on Christmas Day. Have a good one! And don't forget the eggnog. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | Most of us do remove one or mo of the shims. Try it, if you don't like it, put it back in!
The calouses will come. Keep playing! |
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December 2005
Posts: 2
| Thanks guys. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Good advice, follow it. Welcome. |
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Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 167
Location: Waxahachie, Tx | Before you lower the action you might want to check to see how the setup is on the Guitar. In the owners manual that came with the guitar it explains what the guitar is set up at when it leaves the factory (nominal setting).
Da Manual |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Just to be clear on this process, you don't have to wait to pull apart the guitar before you pour yourself some eggnog...... |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Nice choices - both the guitar and in coming here!
Welcome! |
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March 2004
Posts: 120
Location: UK - Canterbury Kent | I also have a 1778-LX. It also shreded my fingers, until I removed all the shims. It plays much better.
Piers |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | Welcome to the world of Ovation...nothing else like em baby! :)
http://www.myspace.com/styllheartandsoul |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | Welcome, Towers! Just a little more helpful advice: instead of rum, try E&J brandy in your eggnog :D |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Learning to deal with shims is a basic and essential part of becoming an Ovation player. It is a lot easier than shaving a tusq bridge saddle, or the like.
Oh, by the way, welcome aboard! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Am I the only one who caught this? :
". . This is my first REAL guitar (I learned how to play on my dad's Taylor) . . ."
:D |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | Taylors are real too, real expensive.
You need to set your guitar up the way you want it. Install or remove shims to taste. Factory settings are generic. When you obtain an instrument, suit it to your needs and wants. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | When I first got my 1773 LX, my first thought was to lower the action. But I also knew that in doing that, I'd decrease the tone. I playing it for the last several weeks, I've decided that it's just fine where the factory set it. I like the way it sounds acoustically. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | With multiple guitars the way you play them also figures into this. Some of mine are nice low action and I (try) to play single line stuff on them. For full finger style I like the action higher, easier to play cleanly. The Bluegrass Dreads are sorta high for the volume and with mediums even though they kill my fingers quickly. Just like a carpenter, different tools for different jobs. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | I just changed the strings in the Balladeer last night to Adamas 1818s and really like the change. It had some pretty heavy strings from when I bought it. The action was pretty high, but for a shallow bowl it really boomed. I also took out a shim. It still sounds good, probably not quite as much volume, but plays much better and there is no string buzz with no shims. I'm afraid if I went to any lighter strings, I'd get a buzz. Next, I'm changing the Martin SPs on my Collector to the 1818s. |
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