Clay shim trick tutorial?

[Stronbeki]

Hi there!

I've a yamaha apx-4a acoustic guitar, and I need to make it sound better. I started playing acoustic guitar 2 only months ago! I've been a electric and classical guitarrist. I searched for acoustic upgrades here in the forum, there are lots of people talking about the clay shim trick, which the link don't work.. so does anybody can tell me the procedure?

 

Thanks,

Jo

[garthman]

Hello & Welcome

 

Sure. Buy some self-hardening clay (also called Mexican clay). Roll out a small piece into a thin sausage about 3" long then roll out the sausage into a thin sheet approx 1mm thick. Cut out a thin strip with a razor blade and place it in the base of the saddle slot, pop the saddle in, press down lightly and leave overnight to harden. If you want to do the trick on an electro-acoustic you can put a strip under the UST and also under the saddle. You get perfect contact of all components. The process is reversible - the clay is easily removed.

 

It works well.

[Stronbeki]

Hi Howard,

Mine it's an electro-acoustic guitar and I'll do it for sure.

 

I've some doubts : The thin sheet, will go togheter with the clay to the base?

Doing this "mod", will sacrifice the guitar setup?

 

Thanks for your help

Jo

[Freeman Keller]

Hi Howard, Mine it's an electro-acoustic guitar and I'll do it for sure.   I've some doubts : The thin sheet, will go togheter with the clay to the base? Doing this "mod", will sacrifice the guitar setup?   Thanks for your help Jo

[Stronbeki]

Hi, the mod's purpose was to give a better overall quality sound; acoustical sound and improve the UST response mainly. I don't want to modify the guitar, because in a near future I'll sell it, as it is.. But I like the playability of this apx's, It feels like home, but the sound not quite the one yet.. so it's the reason for this cheap modupgrade.

 

BTW, If you folks know any good acoustic brands to know, please write some. I think my type of guitar will be.. easy to play, like an electric guitar neck and feel, and the electric sound is much more important than the natural sound of the guitar, because it's mostly to play at little pub's, a working guitar.

 

I saw on this acoustic forum, the usage of magnetic pickups with good results.. It makes me think about buying a acoustic guitar without any kind of sound system, and add it later.

[Grant Harding]

My experience has been that using a clay shim makes the UST pickup sound WAY more natural every time I've done it. I don't know how it works, but it really takes away that "quack" sound.

 

It also (to my ears) takes a tiny bit away from the natural unplugged sound, so I'd only do this for a stage guitar.

 

I just roll a thin slice onto waxed paper, press the saddle into the clay, and use an Xacto knife to trim around the saddle. Then carefully take the shim off and place it in the slot, lay the UST on top, and place the saddle on top of that. As Freeman pointed out, this will raise the action slightly, so you may also need to sand a bit off of the bottom of the saddle before starting.

[Grant Harding]

It has to be the right kind of self-hardening clay too (I use Amaco).