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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 29
Location: Germany | Hello,
I'm a quite new - and happy(!) - owner of a 1998er Collector's.
The guitar is in a very good condition, but I would like to lower the action a little.
As the neck seems to be alright, I tried to remove the bridge-inlay (pickup? Sorry, I'm not sure about the English word) to see if there are chips below that I could remove.
But the bridge-inlay/pickup seems to stick and I don't want to cause any damage by using force.
To make it clear, I took a picture of the bridge:
Does anybody have an idea what I should do?
Many thanks in advance and best regards,
Juergen |
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Joined:
August 2004
Posts: 709
Location: Germany | Hi Jürgen,
what you call a "bridge inlay" is the pickup. Usually the pickup can easily be lifted when you loosen the strings. There should be a few (1 to 3) shims under the pickup. Remove 1 or 2 to lower the action.
If the pickup is stuck in the bridge slot carefully grip it with a pliers. Good luck!
Karl |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Welcome Juergen.
If your guitar has a round cover on the back, loosen the screw and go in through there.
At the ends of the saddle, there should be two pins coming through from the plastic ends of the saddle.
Push them up....
You may have to totally remove the strings...
Or you could use a tiny screwdriver to pry it up.
Or tiny needle-nose pliers.
But it should come-up, it just might be tight because it has been in there for eleven years. |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | What OMA said. I've done this twice, and they've both been stiff. It's easier to do from underneath. If you have to use pliers, try and grab the black bit. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 29
Location: Germany | Many thanks for your fast and competent replies!
Maybe it helps others if I describe how I finally succeeded:
As I didn't get a good grip on the pickup (thank you for the term, Charlie!) even with pliers, I followed Old Man Arthur's and TAFKAR's recommendation to try it from inside.
This is how it looked after I removed the back cover:
I really was relieved to see those two black pins...
With just a little pressure on them I was able to remove the pickup and found two shims that I removed to lower the action. If this is too much, it'll be easy to adjust.
So many thanks again for your valuable support and best regards,
Juergen |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | That is how it's done. Once you've done it, you realize how simple it is. I usually like one shim, but now you know how easy it is to put one back in if you get buzz on the low E string. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 29
Location: Germany | Hello,
the playability of the guitar is now much better. That's important for me as I don't have much strength in my hands due to a long disease (leukemia & stem cell transplant). So I'm very happy about that!
Looking again at the pictures above, I'm wondering about the two gray dots under the pins. Have there been extra (unnecessary) drills?
Not that you get me wrong: The sound is very good and I don't have any complaints (will certainly never sell the guitar), I'm just astonished...
Another question:
As I frequently play the guitar sitting, it sometimes tends to roll or slip away. For my Applause I have a black (anti-slip-(?)) pad stuck at the body. Does anyone know if there are also dark-red pads available, fitting the color of the 1998er Collectors? I don't want to spoil the Collector's optics..
Best regards,
Juergen |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I noticed the extra holes. I would guess they were drilled in the wrong spots and filled. As far as the non-slip pad, they make them to match the black back. Why not just get something to put on your leg? I still don't understand the "Ovations slip off my knee" thing. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
I still don't understand the "Ovations slip off my knee" thing. It's because of the back of the guitar. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Loan me one of your Martins or Collings next time you're up here, so I can see what the problem is. I don't put the back of the guitar on my knee and the deep bowls seem to have as much or more of a surface that sits on my leg as those flat back guitars. The flat backs have smooth surfaces instead of textured. The only one of mine I have a problem with is the shiney bowl. That tells me I'd have a problem with shiney sided flat back guitar. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 29
Location: Germany | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Why not just get something to put on your leg? I still don't understand the "Ovations slip off my knee" thing. Hi Mark,
you're right it's a good idea to put something on the leg (why do I always think about complicated solutions, when it's so simple?).
My other ("ordinary") guitars are really easier to hold, especially when I sit on bar stool and the leg is hanging down a little.
I suppose they have a better hold beause of the edge and thereby a higher pressure and grip on the leg.
Many thanks and all the best,
Juergen |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I just noticed last night that the contour bowl isn't flat on the side that sits on your leg. It's slanted so that the guitar tilts toward you at the top. This causes the top to press into my chest, which makes it less comfortable for me than the deep bowls.
It also occurred to me that smaller people than I am may not be able to get around the guitar without slanting their leg downward. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| I've never had a problem with them sliding around notwithstanding that the factory knee pad on my 74 fell off circa 1975.
I guess I've just had this guitar for so long that I've adapted to it. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
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Joined:
February 2008
Posts: 747
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1998er Collectors: Lowering action / bridge / pickup
