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January 2004
Posts: 123
Location: Massachusetts | So I'm getting used to my 05 Collectors finally..still not perfect but it is fun to play.
I noticed it came with 2 shims. With both shims in the action at the 12th fret is pretty high and harder to play overall.
But if I pull out one shim the high E and B strings buzz all over the place. Doesn't seem to be a nut issue or a truss rod issue. Just seems like the E an d B saddle sit low in the bridge.
If I took a piece of milk carton and just put a piece under the E and B strings but kept one shim under all 6 strings will that work? Will that screw up the unplugged tone?
My Gibson professionally setup is actually easier to play action wise than the O. Though the B string is a little low on that one too. I got to get the O playing as easily as the G without buzz. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15652
Location: SoCal | If your Gibson, "professionally set up" plays easier than your 05, then why not get the 05 "professionally set" up as well? Otherwise, you're comparing apples and oranges. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | What are the measurements of the action in 1/32" at the 12th fret on the low E string with both shims and with one shim? |
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July 2005
Posts: 176
| You really don't want to have a saddle that doesn't touch all the way across. |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I've never tried it, but why not get some strip plastic of the appropriate width and the thickness of the shim you want to remove at a hobby shop? Then thin one side of it to the correct thickness you want for the treble side. Make sure the thickness changes gradually from thick side to thin side. Replace the shim....I would think that the complete contact would be maintained if the thinning was done properly. Any thoughts by those more experienced than I?
Roger |
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June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | I had an O once (I don't remember which model - may have been a SS Legend) that came from the factory with a beveled shim. One end was considerably thicker than the other with a smooth taper along its length. Looks like they have/had them made for just your issue. Maybe the mothership could help you get your hands on one. I agree that you don't want to shim just 2 of the strings up and then have a step down to the last 4 - wouldnt be good for the pickup at all (bad stress at the step point) and it may even sound like crap. Just my 2 cents. |
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November 2003
Posts: 56
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma | I have exactly the same situation! Last night, I removed a shim in my Folklore LX, and changed the strings from 12s to 11s (D'Addario EJ26). Now my treble E string buzzes when I play melodies. Not noticeable when chording, thank goodness. I noticed that the saddle for that string appears significantly lower than the ones beside it, for whatever that's worth. I was thinking I'd have to reinstall the shim, but, after seeing these comments, now I'm wondering if I could sand it first, to make it more wedge-like, with the full thickness on the E string, where it needs to be higher. I'd love to hear if anyone has found a source for those, premade! |
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November 2005
Posts: 42
Location: New York State | whatever material you use for shimming, make sure it's dense, like the saddle, in order to transfer the string vibrations to the soundboard (top). don't use cardboard or such.
I prefer to shape the bottom edge of the saddle to the "slant". Then I have nothing between it and the guitar top to interfere with vibration transfer. To do that, draw a sharpie (thin) pen line on the side of the saddle, corresponding to the amount of material to be taken away. Then, to make it easier to handle and help you get a straight line... clamp ( or use double sided tape ), 2 pieces of scrap material of some kind ( i've used thin MDF or even popsicle sticks), to each side of the saddle lined up with the pen mark. Tape a piece of sandpaper to your FLAT benchtop, and sand the bottom of the saddle until it reaches your wooden "stops", and all the sharpie line is gone.
(for small clamps you can sometimes use binder clips like you get at office supplies places)
that's one of many ways to go about it.
susan |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Susan,
Tough to do with Ovations due to the saddle/pickup, But your point about a dense shim is well advised... |
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January 2004
Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | I've also made my own tapered shims by wrapping tape backwards around a hard flat block of wood, then putting a sheet of sandpaper on a flat counter top then sticking the shim to the tape on the block. You can the work the shim into a wedge shape on the sandpaper. I would not "jack up" one side of the saddle leaving an air space in the middle...no good can come of that. |
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November 2005
Posts: 42
Location: New York State | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
Susan,
Tough to do with Ovations due to the saddle/pickup, But your point about a dense shim is well advised... oooo yeah! I never had to adjust the saddles on my O's, but i've done it to many of my "off brands" ;) , several of which i've installed pickups in at the same time.
So how DO you adjust the saddle on an ovation? Will be watching to find out...
susan |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by SusanV:
So how DO you adjust the saddle on an ovation? Neck reset? |
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January 2004
Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | I forgot to mention to check for a high fret. If the action seems reasonable but you still get buzzing in certain areas of the neck, often there is a high or poorly dressed fret. I have a small-straight bar of steel that I use to span three adjacent frets, it should sit flat and not rock. If you find a high fret you can tape off the fretboard around the fret (to prevent scratching it) and sand it down a bit with emory paper, or sometimes they can be (gently) tapped down with a hammer. |
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November 2005
Posts: 42
Location: New York State | Originally posted by BrianT:
I've also made my own tapered shims by wrapping tape backwards around a hard flat block of wood, then putting a sheet of sandpaper on a flat counter top then sticking the shim to the tape on the block. You can the work the shim into a wedge shape on the sandpaper. great idea. something i can not LIVE without is double stick tape. regular scotch type AND heavy-duty carpet tape.
susan |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | The saddle can be adjusted with shims, they lay under the pickup. As Paul eluded to, it could need a proper set-up.
If, however, the neck itself is twisted and causing this problem, one might moderate the problem with a neck reset, but the slanted shim might be just as good a solution...
...Or off to the factory with it |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I can verify that failing to have the shim centered under all of the strings will cause the pickup to malfunction. I had a thread a few weeks ago where I admitted I screwed up my daughter's new guitar. I didn't get the little plastic thingy in correctly. |
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October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | You adjust the saddle from the bottom. Taper the saddle and leave the top, string side, intact. The bottom of the saddle needs to be flat to make the pickup work properly. I use a belt sander, or a sanding block to make sure the saddle stays flat. I would not advocate trying to taper a shim, or anything below the saddle. Anyway, that's how I've been doing the job for the last thirty years. It works for me. |
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April 2003
Posts: 65
Location: Connecticut | Get in touch with the service guys and they can probably get you a tapered shim or two.I know that they have them already made so you won't have to try to make up your own.I wouldn't try to just add a small shim under one end, the pickup should make solid contact all the way across. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 56
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma | I ended up asking my local guitar tech for advice. He immediately noticed it needed a more thorough setup, rather than just a beveled shim. He cut the nut slots a mite deeper, took some relief out of the neck, and added some shims... but his are much thinner than the factory-installed one I had removed. Lowered the action by 0.020" at the 12th fret. He said I *might* be able to detect a buzz on a couple of frets, but a fret-leveling job would be required to remedy that, or to take the action even lower. I did get the action I was desiring, and will probably go for the fret-leveling later on. |
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Shimming just the treble side
