string action - bridge modification needed?

T1mothy

I assume I have something that could be considered as a high action. Its around 3,5 mm at the low E at 12 fret. Anyway I got used to the higher action and the tone boost was very much worth it. I had to tweak my bridge sort of to push the treble side towards the nut - shortening the scale. Im no engineer but am I right to say that I need the curve on the bridge to be more pronounced? It is just that Id like to get the manufacturer to make me a new bridge to get rid of the ice lolly shims so it perhaps might be good to point out to them to carve me a new one with the intonation and my string action in mind. Not exactly sure what to tell them. I know they should know better but who knows. I can imagine somebody hearing "make a taller bridge" and that would be it.
Any advice on how to specify my order will be greatly appreciated
Tim

Jazzaferri

The arc of the bridge should match the radius of the neck

Jehu

I think he means the compensation, not the radius. If you're having to tilt one side of your bridge closer to the neck than the other side, then yep, you need more compensation carved into it. It's very hard to get a bridge to the appropriate height and compensation without the guitar in hand (due to neck angle, etc.), so I think if you want this done right you'd be better off taking it to a local luthier.

Jeff Moore

Not sure what your asking. Your right that high action gets more sound.
I'm not a luthier but have experimented with the arc on the tops of the bridge to maximize playability. I find that each string (starting low E to high E) needs progressively less height off the fret board. Low E needing the most. Without to much explanation, the top of my bridges is almost flat. The bridges that have come with the GJ guitars I play had more rounded tops. The fretboards on these guitars are typically 20" radius. But the bridges from the luthier tend to be something like a 26-29" radius, so "flatter" than the neck. I like a medium action and I find the less radius on the bridge works.
The Low E is not just .5mm but like 1mm higher than the high E. So the bridge angles downward more than average with the higher side being the low E.
Just my way of maximizing things, not necessarily correct or for everyone.

Jazzaferri

Both the bridges on mine are afai can tell the same radius as the neck. With a flatter radius the 1 and 6 strings will be further away from the fretboard than the 3 and 4 strings which I would find a bit odd.