Serge Gallato

bluetrain

DRUNKNOMORE wrote:

Bluetrain ,you mentioned the neck bending ..is this just a case of tightening the truss rod.
also if the action is too low is this a case of just raising the bridge with a piece of card or something of this nature ,

Is setting up a half decent guitar a difficult job ...?
Are their any details available to follow for a starter to achieve this with relative ease ..?

Hi David! Yes the neck bending is easily straightened with the truss rod and you can do it yourself but remember to do it carefully. Not too much at one time. I usually turn 1/4 of a turn clockwise maximum at one time. The bridge can be also raised with little plectrum pieces or ebony/rosewood shims for example but the problem is that you have to put the shims on both sides of the bridge. In my case the treble string action was comfortable but the bass string action too low. After putting shims on both sides made the action high for treble strings also which I don't like. If you don't do this the bridge makes an uneven contact with the top and might even do some damage (not sure). In the near future I'll modify the bridge so that I'll glue the ebony or rosewood shims permanently on the bridge and then fine tune the action with sand paper and as described in the "Fitting the bridge" sticky topic (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1200). Maybe there's some other approach to setting the guitar but this is how I'm working on it. It's not that big thing to do it after all if you've the attitude for it.

DRUNKNOMORE

Hi Bluetrain.

Many thanks for the quality advice .

I have my new 1939 arriving this tuesday and am looking forward to it .
I will follow advice from the link you have given me .
Thanks again , Just noticed you are from Finland ? my son lives in Finland..


DNM) David