Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 My guitar is buzzing a bit. I thouight the action had been set too low. I told myself, let adjust the trussrod a bit! 🧐 It seems that my trussrod has been stolen! 🙄😔😪🤢 Now, what can I do? Change the nut and saddle? It is only a little bit too low and the first string buzzes a bit at different frets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Just make a really thin shim for the bridge. An old credit card or loyalty card is usually a touch too thick, so thin plastic. If that makes it much better I'd replace it with a new bone saddle made by a pro, which should make it much better on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 I was thinking about getting a bone nut and saddle. It may take a while before the luthiers reopen their shop though. Meanwhile, I will try to make a shim. It is only lightly buzzing. But I like when the action is perfectly buzzfree! Thank you for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nabisco Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Just a thought - If you are using light gauge strings, try putting on a set of mediums. The extra tension on the neck should add a little bit more bow and, hopefully, solve the buzzing problem. I say this because I was experiencing buzzing on a couple of my guitars and couldn't figure out why until I remembered that I had gone from mediums to lights. Anyway, just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Misha, let's back up a bit and talk about your stolen truss rod. I mean, I know truss rod theft is a popular thing these days and those bandits are pretty good at swiping them the second you look away. That's why I keep a padlock on my truss rod when I venture out with the guitar. You'll just have to be more careful! Seriously, though - truss rod stolen? That your way of saying it won't change your neck relief? Like has been suggested, shimming the saddle works. The way I do it is by laying on a bead of (medium cure) superglue along the bottom of the saddle and then holding it firmly onto a piece of copier paper. It cures pretty much instantly. I make sure the copier paper is on top of a piece of wax paper. Then I trim the edges off with a single edge razor blade evenly with the sides/ends of the saddle. I repeat the process as many times as needed to get the height I need. Then, when it's right I drag the bottom edge flatly over a piece of very fine sandpaper (1000 grit) that's lying on a flat surface (table or countertop) just to knock off any slight imperfections. Just a couple times over the sandpaper is all that's needed. Been doing that for years. Copier paper is typically around 2.5 mils thick (0.0025") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nabisco Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Re; "Stolen" truss rods: i don't know about the OM-03 but my 1983 L-07 does not have an adjustable truss rod - so that may explain why Misha's cannot be adjusted - there may not be an access point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 4 hours ago, Nabisco said: Just a thought - If you are using light gauge strings, try putting on a set of mediums. The extra tension on the neck should add a little bit more bow and, hopefully, solve the buzzing problem. I say this because I was experiencing buzzing on a couple of my guitars and couldn't figure out why until I remembered that I had gone from mediums to lights. Anyway, just a thought. I thought about it. Then I thought about changing only the first string but then they wont ring equally because they wont be torn equally. I would need to order strings online. At least we can still get some because I can't go in person, the music shop are all closed because of that Covid-19. I was not sure if I needed smaller or larger strings. I thought I needed the first string to be smaller but the rest could be the same. But maybe you are right and it's the opposite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 3 hours ago, Idunno said: Misha, let's back up a bit and talk about your stolen truss rod. I mean, I know truss rod theft is a popular thing these days and those bandits are pretty good at swiping them the second you look away. That's why I keep a padlock on my truss rod when I venture out with the guitar. You'll just have to be more careful! Seriously, though - truss rod stolen? That your way of saying it won't change your neck relief? Like has been suggested, shimming the saddle works. The way I do it is by laying on a bead of (medium cure) superglue along the bottom of the saddle and then holding it firmly onto a piece of copier paper. It cures pretty much instantly. I make sure the copier paper is on top of a piece of wax paper. Then I trim the edges off with a single edge razor blade evenly with the sides/ends of the saddle. I repeat the process as many times as needed to get the height I need. Then, when it's right I drag the bottom edge flatly over a piece of very fine sandpaper (1000 grit) that's lying on a flat surface (table or countertop) just to knock off any slight imperfections. Just a couple times over the sandpaper is all that's needed. Been doing that for years. Copier paper is typically around 2.5 mils thick (0.0025") "Stolen trussrod! I'm very serious! 😉 Well, maybe the fact is I don't see the trussrod bout! I don't know if it's because it is hidden behind the brace (it would take a special allen key that I don't have) or because it is not adustable! But it was a surprise for me last evening!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Photos: I think I found the beast but I can't reach it! I don't have the proper tool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nabisco Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Hey Misha, Here is a link for buying truss rod wrenches for the Larrivee: https://toonz.ca/bose/wiki/index.php?title=Larrivée_Truss_Rod_Wrenches Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 You and Nabisco beat me to it but yes, Larrivée used (still uses?) an unusual truss rod arrangement and requires an odd looking tool. The whole thing strikes me as bad design but then I don't build guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 What bad design? Jean Larrivee Sr. is a master luthier who's taught many welll-established luthiers such as Grit Laskin and Linda Manzer. He didn't want to drill a hole through the upper transverse brace like Martin does or put an ugly truss rod access cover on the headstock like Taylor does. Misha, didn't you guitar come with one of their specialized truss rod wrenches? Regardless, I wholeheartedly endorse putting mediums on that OM. Mine loves mediums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Let's also remember that raising and lowering the action is a side-effect of adjusting the truss rod. If the shape of the neck (relief) is right, then action height should be adjusted at the bridge. Cranking the truss rod every time the action gets a bit high is what most people do and it's wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 46 minutes ago, kwakatak said: What bad design? Jean Larrivee Sr. is a master luthier who's taught many welll-established luthiers such as Grit Laskin and Linda Manzer. He didn't want to drill a hole through the upper transverse brace like Martin does or put an ugly truss rod access cover on the headstock like Taylor does. . . . The question of whether a truss rod cover is "ugly" is a matter of opinion (I happen to find some of them attractive), as is the question of building a guitar that requires specialized tools for minor adjustments. Personally, I happen to disagree with Larrivée's approach and prefer Martin's, which makes Larrivée's bad design IMHO. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Nabisco said: Hey Misha, Here is a link for buying truss rod wrenches for the Larrivee: https://toonz.ca/bose/wiki/index.php?title=Larrivée_Truss_Rod_Wrenches Good luck. Ha thank you! Maybe one came with the guitar with a pick and a pamphlet but I am not even sure and if there is one, I think it is in the basement, in my locker and there are lots of box in front of where it may be... So, for now, it's lost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 Is there a place where I can order a nut bone and saddle already shaped for a Larrivee OM-03? If so, are they usually at a playable height or do they still need work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 5, 2020 Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 48 minutes ago, Misha said: Is there a place where I can order a nut bone and saddle already shaped for a Larrivee OM-03? If so, are they usually at a playable height or do they still need work? You can order something from Bob Colosi http://www.guitarsaddles.com/ but you'll still need to tweak it. I've had good luck buying premade TUSQ nuts and modding them. Saddles are usually simpler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 5, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2020 13 minutes ago, DeepEnd said: You can order something from Bob Colosi http://www.guitarsaddles.com/ but you'll still need to tweak it. I've had good luck buying premade TUSQ nuts and modding them. Saddles are usually simpler. Merci DeepEnd!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 6, 2020 Members Share Posted April 6, 2020 I'd try this first personally, from the same site above. http://www.guitarsaddles.com/SaddleShim.asp I wouldn't replace the nut unless it's too low and buzzing on open strings. Just get a shim under the bridge and get back to playing. 😃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 6, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Grant Harding said: I'd try this first personally, from the same site above. http://www.guitarsaddles.com/SaddleShim.asp I wouldn't replace the nut unless it's too low and buzzing on open strings. Just get a shim under the bridge and get back to playing. 😃 Shims would be nice! I may try that first and let the luthier make a bone nut and a bone saddle! Thank's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted April 6, 2020 Members Share Posted April 6, 2020 22 hours ago, DeepEnd said: The question of whether a truss rod cover is "ugly" is a matter of opinion (I happen to find some of them attractive), as is the question of building a guitar that requires specialized tools for minor adjustments. Personally, I happen to disagree with Larrivée's approach and prefer Martin's, which makes Larrivée's bad design IMHO. YMMV. Yeah. I bet those special adjusting keys cost $30 or something. Just another way of making money. Shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 7, 2020 Members Share Posted April 7, 2020 3 hours ago, garthman said: Yeah. I bet those special adjusting keys cost $30 or something. Just another way of making money. Shame. $11.45 at StewMac. https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Wrenches/Soundhole_Truss_Rod_Wrenches.html I didn't try to get a shipping quote but you're probably looking at $15 easily. That would buy a full set of conventional Allen wrenches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted April 7, 2020 Members Share Posted April 7, 2020 12 hours ago, DeepEnd said: $11.45 at StewMac. https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Wrenches/Soundhole_Truss_Rod_Wrenches.html I didn't try to get a shipping quote but you're probably looking at $15 easily. That would buy a full set of conventional Allen wrenches. Precisely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted April 7, 2020 Members Share Posted April 7, 2020 I tend to think that StewMac's prices are excessive but here's the Larrivee model which is $19. It doesn't have the fancy handle. https://www.larrivee.com/shop/truss-rod-wrench Misha, did you buy your OM new or used? If you bought it new, can you call shop where you bought it and tell them it was missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Misha Posted April 8, 2020 Author Members Share Posted April 8, 2020 4 hours ago, kwakatak said: I tend to think that StewMac's prices are excessive but here's the Larrivee model which is $19. It doesn't have the fancy handle. https://www.larrivee.com/shop/truss-rod-wrench Misha, did you buy your OM new or used? If you bought it new, can you call shop where you bought it and tell them it was missing? Hi Kwak! I got it brand new a couple years ago but the music shop closed. They went bankrupt. I think there was a weird tool like this with it. I used to keep in a drawer. Then I moved and packed it. I think it's still in a box somewhere in my locker, I will need to take a look if I don't want to pay for another. I would prefer paying for a bone nut and a bone saddle instead of paying 30 - 40 dollars for it but I can't get it done by a luthier right now. The luthier would probably risk a fine for opening his business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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