|
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Canada | I'm hoping some of you long-time owners have some opinions on this.
Does the action on Ovation acoustics generally have to be lowered with time and if so, is there a way to curtail this 'shrinking bridge' syndrome?
The reason I ask is I lowered mine recently (I think today I've reached the desired set-up - It's been a work in progress) and I noticed when I removed the saddle for sanding down that there was a shim under the bridge (about the thickness of a medium pick - 1mm). I removed that & I sanded off another 1mm or so and the action's comfortable but the saddle is sitting low so of course I'm wondering how much longer I can do this - I'd rather not have to keep grinding away at the saddle over the years!
Is it a rule that the action progressively lifts with time and we always have to adjust our guitars accordingly or does it just as often lower itself. What are the causes of each scenario and most importantly can they be curtailed or avoided altogether? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Lowering the saddle too much decreases the break angle of the strings, decreasing downward pressure thus decreasing the force that energizes the top.
Wood tops are a "living thing" and belly-up a little as time goes on due to string tension. If all the wood stays glued together, the belly reaches its max and thats it. When lowering the saddle and adjusting the neck relief does not yield the required results, resetting the neck puts it all right again. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Canada | Right, that's something to consider for sure which I hadn't thought of. I'm still good though. The saddle is sitting pretty low but the action is good and the sound is still primo to my ears. I won't go any lower but I bought a saddle blank in case I did (I'm fortunate to have an Ovation dealer just down the road). |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i try to take a shim out or give the trussrod a twist before i result to triming the saddle..jason |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Are you actually sanding the saddle??? I wouldna do dat. Just remove/add shims and adjust neck correspondingly. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I was about to say the same thing, Jeff. Scary. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Oster, does your O have an Ovation pickup, as opposed to an undersaddle piezo? If it does, did you sand the bottom of the saddle? If you did, does the pickup still work? The reason I ask, and the reason that most of us shuddered, is that all of the crystals and crap are part of the bottom of the saddle. That's why why it is scary for most of us to ever consider sanding the saddle like you might on a purely acoustic instrument. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Canada | Re: Sanding Saddle...
I can see why you'd be worried but, no, this is a purely acoustic Ovation. After reading the responses here, I re-installed my shim since I thought that maybe I had gone too low.
I think I'll give the truss rod a twist (a little too much relief) but before I do, I'm posting a picture of how it looks since I've never encountered this type before.
I imagine I'll need a nut driver for the job but before I attempt anything: Is this sort of truss rod approached the same way as any other (right to tight)?
There's still lacquer over it so I bet it has never been adjusted since manufacture in the '70s. This is a 12 String guitar I'm setting up - Would the neck take a little longer to react to a quarter turn? Like overnight or a few days?
Thanks for all your helpful responses - Great to have a site like this!
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Canada | Well I attempted a turn on the truss but I don't think it'll solve the action problem.
Anyway, I just returned the truss to its prior position. It 'tightens' up a little too quickly in either direction for me to feel comfortable tinkering. The neck from the 12th on down is straight. It dips at the body (where I'd never play anyway). The relief is about 3/32" but it feels higher.
I think I'll just live with the slightly higher action for the moment and then bring it in for a proper set-up later on down the road. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | that truss rod lookes to be pretty cranked down..the 4 of my o's that are trussrod models have a tall saddle,low action with a 1 1/4 total twist on the rod...jason |
|
| |
Adjusting Action & The Effects Of Time...
