Jump to content

Another Crazy Idea ?


gardo

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Do I really need adjustable action on my Telecaster ? Could I fabricate saddles to exactly the right height and be once and done ? I have free time on weekends with a full machine shop at my disposal so I know that I can do it but the real question is will it work ? Not only would the action be locked in but instead of transferring the vibrations to the bridge plate through those tiny screws the saddles would rest solidly on the plate. .Roy Buchanan's trick of putting a penny under the screws got me thinking about this

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/swd-qa/why-did-roy-buchanan-put-a-penny-under-the-middle-saddle-of-his-53-telecaster-bridge-kevin-loftus-kensington-md

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Neck relief changes and frets wear. Getting a file out every time I needed to tweak the action seems like a real pain.

 

If the neck is super solid and it has stainless steel frets that don't wear you can do it but the sound might not be what you expect. Those height screws are a key element to the instruments tone. The tone will become more metallic and generic sounding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have a look at a set of vintage-style Fender Mustang replacement saddles...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Nickel-Bridge-Saddles-for-Vintage-Fender-Mustang-Guitar-Bridge-BP-2146-001-/222529230749?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275

 

They're non-adjustable (although some aftermarket companies now offer individually adjustable versions), and the action was adjusted by raising or lowering the plate on which they sit - kind of like raising or lowering a Gibson TOM bridge.

 

The point is, there's still a way to adjust the height of the action... technically you could make saddles the exact right height, but if the neck ever needs adjustment later, which would affect the action, you'd be unable to get the action back to your preferred height without having to make new saddles.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Technically speaking the saddle(s) on a acoustic are not adjustable. Yes you do have to work with them on each individual guitar but once you've got it you can basically leave it alone. As you know, compensating an acoustic is infinitely more difficult than an electric, but again, it can be done. And over time you almost always have to lower the saddles as neck angles change but that is much easier than raising them.

 

I was reading an article about Ken Parker the other night. He has moved on from electrics (the Fly) to redesigning the archtop and argues that he wants to make the bridge one piece rather than having tone sucking hardware as the typical adjustable archtop bridge. Interestingly, Parker does put an adjustable neck on his archtops - now there would be some interesting machine work.

 

http://www.kenparkerarchtops.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The mustang saddles would work if they were at the correct height to start with.and the same neck radius .I don't see why I would ever need to raise the action,I prefer it somewhat high to start with so fret buzz should not be an issue. . Because I'm starting high a slight change due to wear may not even be noticible

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

If the frets wear I would not need a file and the neck is adjustable,it can even be shimmed if worse came to worse. Yes the tone would change this is true ,but stainless steel would have a different sound than tool steel and brass or aluminum would sound different again although the softness may be an issue. .If it doesn't work out it can go in a box with some of my other ideas that failed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

That's true acoustic saddles are not adjustable but the intonation on an electric could still be adjusted the same way. Parker designs were always a little too far out there for my taste but people who own them love them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Right now the neck is perfect and the guitar is 100% playable. In fact it's my favorite, so there is no problem.

But thicker tone and more sustain might make what's already pretty good even better

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Technically speaking the saddle(s) on a acoustic are not adjustable. Yes you do have to work with them on each individual guitar but once you've got it you can basically leave it alone. As you know, compensating an acoustic is infinitely more difficult than an electric, but again, it can be done. And over time you almost always have to lower the saddles as neck angles change but that is much easier than raising them.

 

I was reading an article about Ken Parker the other night. He has moved on from electrics (the Fly) to redesigning the archtop and argues that he wants to make the bridge one piece rather than having tone sucking hardware as the typical adjustable archtop bridge. Interestingly, Parker does put an adjustable neck on his archtops - now there would be some interesting machine work.

 

http://www.kenparkerarchtops.com/

 

 

 

Interesting guitars for sre.

 

Here's a question, and I actually don't know the answer.

 

Since metal is more dense than wood, would not the tone sucking part be more in the wood bridge and not in the metal. I see where and all wood bridge would be lighter.

 

I have seen non adjustable bridges on mandolins, and the say that are very light and one will notice a difference in tone.

 

 

I also wonder about the force of and the pressure of the string on the top of the guitar, and noticed he didn't make it with 2 stand off, like a violin.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

 

 

Interesting guitars for sre.

 

Here's a question, and I actually don't know the answer.

 

Since metal is more dense than wood, would not the tone sucking part be more in the wood bridge and not in the metal. I see where and all wood bridge would be lighter.

 

I have seen non adjustable bridges on mandolins, and the say that are very light and one will notice a difference in tone.

 

 

I also wonder about the force of and the pressure of the string on the top of the guitar, and noticed he didn't make it with 2 stand off, like a violin.

 

 

 

 

I've asked myself many of the same questions. There are certainly contradictions in the things that we all think we know. For example, if sustain is the holy grail, than anything we can do to increase it must be good, eh? A common belief is that heavier or denser objects will continue to vibrate once they are excited - therefore we should make everything out of brass or steel or lead or .... But then we have the whole school of thought that say lighter is better - thinner tops, lighter bracing, even headless guitars.

 

Parker addressed a lot of these questions with the Fly and now again with his beautiful archtops. There seem to be enough people who are convinced and will wait a year to give him $30K for one (must be nice).

 

I subscribe to forums and read scholarly articles by people who I highly respect and just get more and more confused. Obviously there are many ways to skin this kitty and its totally fun to be a part of the whole experiment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...