|
|
Joined:
April 2013
Posts: 13
| Hi,
Anyone had any experience shimming the saddle on an Ovation guitar? I just got a Custom Legend, and the action was a little high. So, I removed some of the shims, but now I get buzz on the 1st E string, around the 18th fret! Won't sound the notes above that fret, notes are choked off? I managed to get the action lower by experimenting with the truss rod and the shims, but 1st E string is still a bummer! The shimming angle seems weird. I have to raise the saddle at the 1st E side and lower it at the 6th E side, bit like a door wedge. Is this normal?
Wes |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I've seen Ovations shimmed in different configurations...sometimes a shim is cut in half or thirds to fix a problem with fret buzz...if the neck is adjusted properly it may be an option...wouldn't hurt to give it a try...you can always reverse the process... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | I agree with MusicMishka. It seems that the older I get, the stranger the workarounds that I see. But to answer your question, NO - it is not normal on an Ovation. You can make a wedged shim if you have too. If piecing in shims to raise things on one side works, make a permanent one that assures a solid uniform transfer of pressure and vibration.
Give me a number... how low do you want the action?
Sometimes it is best to start from the beginning... take the strings off, give the neck an hour to relax... using a straight edge, assure it is straight and does not have a twist or a dip after the neck/body intersection... check the routing for the saddle.
Once you know what you have to work with, then plan your workarounds and understand their effects on everything else.
Your neck might feel close to an electric guitar, but unless you have an angled neck-set, real low action on an Ovation is only achieved by lowering the saddle, which decreases the break angle of the strings, thus decreasing their downward force on the top (and pickup)... and now you have a real easy playing, mediocre sounding guitar.
I tell folks to first get your guitar back to factory specs and then adjust from there.
Michael (playadamas), gave me a very valuable short lesson, proving to me the beautiful, crisp sound that gets lost when you try setting up an acoustic like your favorite strat or les paul. Most of my nylons, classicals, and steels are now set to factory spec (maybe a little lower) and more effort goes into maintaining proper fretting technique. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2013
Posts: 13
| Hi,
Well, like all my other Ovations, it came with 3 shims already under the saddle (light-brown thin, dark-brown thick, and white flexible wedge). I first took them all out to to drop the action, but I got fret buzz on the 1st string at the 17th fret. I've been experimenting for the last few days, and settled for the white flexible wedge shim, and some folded paper. I also had to adjust the neck a little towards the warp side, but it's not far off straight. Now the action on the 6th string is about 2 mm at the 12th fret. I'll settle for that guys!!! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | I make and use tapered shims all the time. I use ebony but you can use anything that you can sand down. I have the advantage of owning a wood shop so I can make pretty much anything you need. I would check the neck relief first before any shimming. A luthier should be able to make you a tapered shim to your specs. Not really a big deal as a I have seen this and done it quite often. |
|
| |
Saddle Shims
