Help an idiot out.

PushedCrayon

New member
Hey guys, the high e string on my guitar I just posted photos of is too low. As in its fretting out way early on the fretboard (right around the 5th fret). The frets are all even and level, but I can tell the action on that string is way lower than the others. What size Allen wrench do I need to raise the saddle a little bit?
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

The one that fits. I think strats are 2mm? not too sure on that one. My schaller has 1mm which was convenient.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

I wish those were always the same size, but they aren't. A lot of guitars come with one in the box, so I've never actually had to buy one to fit. You may have to buy a multipack of small allen wrenches just to find the right one.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

I wish those were always the same size, but they aren't. A lot of guitars come with one in the box, so I've never actually had to buy one to fit. You may have to buy a multipack of small allen wrenches just to find the right one.

I had to order one for my schaller bridge. No hardware stores had a 1mm allen key.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

Also, make sure it isn't a problem with the nut.
I'll post a photo of how the strings sit in the nut tomorrow morning. This was my. First "build" so the nut wasn't done by me, and it actually hasn't been setup yet. Id like to do that myself if I had the tools.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

Thanks guys. I just didn't know if there was a one size fits all kinda deal here. It's a hard tail if that makes any difference?
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

Nope, that doesn't make a difference.

Try all your skinny little hex wrenches until you find the right one.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

sometimes, i dread to imagine where humanity is headed.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

sometimes, i dread to imagine where humanity is headed.
Don't worry... Take the dumbest person here, multiple that dumbness by one hundred, hit them in the skull with a sledgehammer for good measure, and you've got my smartest customer. Nobody here will cause the fall of mankind.

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Re: Help an idiot out.

I'm just over cautious with my guitars. And I'm just now starting to do my own work on them so I'd rather ask advice from gurus like you guys before I try it myself haha. Hopefully this wasn't too stupid of a question
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

If you're at all concerned that the smallest wrench in the small wrench bundle at your hardware store is still too big, try taking it to guitar shop and let the tech try his wrenches until he finds one that fits. At worst, you'll now know what size. At best, he may just give it to you. During my brief stint in MI sales, we did that kind of stuff all the time, without charge.

Also, while adjusting the saddle is probably the easiest potential fix, you should also be prepared to check that the nut slot hasn't been cut, or worn down, too far on that string (though I'd usually expect a buzz lower than the fifth fret) and that your truss rod doesn't need just a hair of loosening (this will affect all the strings, though, but it may be that one string is buzzing and the other five are JUST BARELY not).
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

BTW, I bought a metric and a US standard set of hex wrenches from Lowes under their Kobalt brand. They have the size you need.

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Re: Help an idiot out.

It is possible that the problem is actually an over-tightened truss rod. If raising the bridge saddle for the offending string does not cure the buzz, consider slackening the truss rod by one quarter of a turn.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

It is possible that the problem is actually an over-tightened truss rod. If raising the bridge saddle for the offending string does not cure the buzz, consider slackening the truss rod by one quarter of a turn.
I'll make sure to try that if this doesn't solve the problem.
 
Re: Help an idiot out.

Don't worry... Take the dumbest person here, multiple that dumbness by one hundred, hit them in the skull with a sledgehammer for good measure, and you've got my smartest customer. Nobody here will cause the fall of mankind.

When I worked at a grocery store last summer, I was asked by a customer "How much does this 2lb bag or carrots weigh?" When I told another customer that we were out of red bell peppers she looked at me and asked "Why?"
 
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