Home repair to saddle...

[Sweb]

For those who have actually performed their own guitar repairs I'd like to know the best method for removing material from the saddle to lower it a touch.

[knockwood]

 

Originally posted by Sweb For those who have actually performed their own guitar repairs I'd like to know the best method for removing material from the saddle to lower it a touch.

 

 

I'd check out Frank Ford's instructions on Frets.com:

 

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/LowerAction/loweraction01.html

[JasmineTea]

You need a flat surface like a mirror.

 

Put some sandpaper on the mirror, hold the saddle with your hand and sand the bottem of the saddle.

 

You can draw a line on the side of the saddle about where you think you should stop sanding, but when you get close to it, try the saddle. If it still needs more sanding, mark the entire bottem of the saddle with pencil and just sand the pencil mark off. Try the saddle after each time you sand the pencil mark off. This way you won't sand too much off.

 

Some guys have summer and winter saddles because action typicaly goes up in summer, down in winter.

[Sweb]

I figured Ford would have a method but there is always another way to skin a cat.

 

So, JT, how do you ensure the saddle is vertical when sanding as you describe it? I can just picture me sitting there meticulously running the thing over the sandpaper trying to maintain even pressure across the sandpaper and doing an excellent job of sanding a fore/aft angle into the bottom of it. Oops, never mind. I just had a thought to hold it against a block 90 degrees to the paper.

[Hudman]

Tape a sheet of sandpaper to a flat table top. Concentrate on keeping the saddle perpendicular to the table top. Use light, even strokes. Take a little off at a time. You may need to string it up 2 or 3 times before you get it right.

 

It's not hard at all. Take your time.

[kwakatak]

Thanks for asking this question Sweb. I'm waiting for my Colosi saddle to come in the mail and have the jitters myself. I don't want a replay of my JLD accident.

[Sweb]

Think 100 grit will do? Finer? If the saddle is bone or tusq does paper grit change for either? There's no UST involved.

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by Sweb ISo, JT, how do you ensure the saddle is vertical when sanding as you describe it? I can just picture me sitting there meticulously running the thing over the sandpaper trying to maintain even pressure across the sandpaper and doing an excellent job of sanding a fore/aft angle into the bottom of it. Oops, never mind. I just had a thought to hold it against a block 90 degrees to the paper.

The block thing would work, sort of like a fence on a table saw. Picture a standing belt sander. I just do by hand.

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by Sweb Think 100 grit will do? Finer? If the saddle is bone or tusq does paper grit change for either? There's no UST involved.

I used 60 grit the last time, worked fine. If you're a perfectionist you may want to finish with something finer.

[knockwood]

Originally posted by kwakatak Thanks for asking this question Sweb. I'm waiting for my Colosi saddle to come in the mail and have the jitters myself. I don't want a replay of my JLD accident.

 

Jitter not, Kwak. Colosi sends instructions with his saddles.

[Sweb]

 

Originally posted by JasmineTea If you're a perfectionist you may want to finish with something finer.

 

 

LOL. Perfectionist...LOL

 

60 grit. I have that. Thanks for the advice.

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by knockwood Jitter not, Kwak. Colosi sends instructions with his saddles.

 

Directions may not be enough. Should I have my wife hide the belt sander?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On second thought, best not to get her involved. The deck needs to be sanded and I don't want her to put 2 and 2 together on that one! I HATE painting that friggin' thing!

[Sweb]

Originally posted by kwakatak On second thought, best not to get her involved. The deck needs to be sanded and I don't want her to put 2 and 2 together on that one! I HATE painting that friggin' thing!

 

Mine needed sanding too. Then I figured out the time needed to do that, the effort involved and ended up just replacing the boards. Much easier.

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by Sweb Mine needed sanding too. Then I figured out the time needed to do that, the effort involved and ended up just replacing the boards. Much easier.

 

That's what my solution may be for a variety of reasons:

 

1. The deck has been painted several times (not stained)

 

2. It peels every year.

 

3. My attempt at pressure-washing the flaking paint off several boards resulted in disaster. I won't go into details, but it made my wife cry which added insult to injury and I really do need to replace some boards!

 

The only downside is that my deck ain't your typical rectangular shape (it's one of those fartsy polygon designs) so I'd have to custom cut some angles on the edges.

[thatsbunk]

put the saddle in a table vise exposing the material you want to sand off. then sand it flat to the vise. I used a pad sander & it worked great.

[Hudman]

 

Originally posted by Sweb LOL. Perfectionist...LOL 60 grit. I have that. Thanks for the advice.

 

 

You may want to use a finer grit paper if you are looking at take a small amount off the saddle. You can't make it bigger if you take too much off.

 

I would go with the 100 or maybe something even finer. I used 220 on my Colosi saddle.