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Joined:
April 2002
Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | Hey guys...
Does anyone have an effective way to remove saddle shims from a new Ovation without ruining the strings? This guitar has a brand new set of EXP strings, and I would like to get some use out of them, but the saddle is too high to enjoy playing. Any suggestions?
Joe |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | The real question may be: "How many wraps should I have on the tuner posts?". I have "cheated" by slacking down completely and working out the bridge but it has some level of risk. |
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Joined:
April 2002
Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | I've done that too, with some success, but like you said, there's a risk of damage. This is the only time that bridge pins would be an advantage. With bridge pins, you capo the neck to keep the strings in line, you loosen the strings, remove bridge pins and saddle. Then reverse the process, tighten the strings, all done!
Joe |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | I've done this many times, even on 12 string O's. Take a string winder and loosen the strings as much as possible. Then CAREFULLY lift up the saddle and remove the shims. |
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Joined:
April 2002
Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | Did they have a pickup? I ask because on the "high output" pickups, they're attached to the saddle, and the wire seems really thin. I'd rather lose the strings than the pickup!
Joe |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | None of my shims have ever been attached to the pickup. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Peoria, Illinois | I have removed shims 2 ways. First one was to loosen and remove strings from the tuning posts, gently slide them back to the bridge, but not remove them. Lift pick-up and slide out 1 or 2 shims. Then re-attach the stings and tune up. No damage to the stings.
Method 2 (I do this with my 12-sting) is to really loosten all the stings, but leave them attached to the tuners. Then using a finger pull up on all the strings right near the saddle/pickup and slide the treble side up. The shims can be removed and saddle/pickup placed back in position. Then tune up. I like this for the 12-string as it saves a lot of work.
Hope this helps. It surprised me how the shims are really BELOW the saddle/pickup structure (OPP), so unless you damage the wire running to this, chances of causing problems are minimal if you are careful. |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I'm sympathetic to not wanting to "lose" a new set of EXP strings, but I've never been able to loosen the strings sufficiently to work the bridge up enough to get the shims out without just REMOVING them and putting new ones on. If I know I'm going to remove or add a shim, I always use a regular set of D'Addarios and save the EXPs for after I've settled on the action.
Roger |
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Question - Removing bridge/saddle shims