How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

[75lespaul]

I know nothing of acoustic guitar setups, and I have an old Canadian Norman that sounds amazing, but the action is quite high now. It looks like the wood where the bridge is attatched has started to raise, letting the action come up higher. Any fix, or is this a big job? The guitar isn't really worth any kind of money, so an expensive fix is out. Don't have the money for that anyway. Any suggestions? Thanks, everyone.

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

You mean the whole top is bulging up at the bridge area, or the bridge is lifting off the top?

Your problem may be more serious than just high action if either of those is the case...

 

[75lespaul]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

You mean the whole top is bulging up at the bridge area, or the bridge is lifting off the top?

Your problem may be more serious than just high action if either of those is the case...

It is bulging. It's fine with open chords and some bar chords, but when you start playing around the fifth fret, it starts to get a bit high. I've got fat fingers as well, so they don't fit between the strings when the open strings are high. Damn these Big ol chubby digits!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

I forget the name, but there's a brace that Stew Mac sells. Used to run circa 50USD. It's almost like a strat trem block in that your bridge pins hold it on the guitar, your strings rest on the block, and a rod goes to the end block (I think) that helps settle the top.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

JLD Bridge doctor. I gave you some wrong info though. There are two versions. One is $22 and uses an inlaid screw in the bridge and the strings mount as usual. The other version is $52 and uses threaded brass pins to mount to the bridge, and the strings mount to the tops of the pins.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

bridge on your acoustic is pulling the soundboard up?

check intonation at the twelfth fret

bet you have it tuned an octave high

late one night your gonna hear a loud pop as the bridge comes flying off

I did when I dun it
years ago

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Or the glue dried and let go.

An octave high? And the sound didn't tell you? Far out.


As for dropping the action, I modded the nut and saddle of my Takamine G330S a few years ago for lower action by removing them and sanding them down a bit until I found the right height. It's time-consuming as you've got to do a bit then put them back on and retune, rinse and repeat, but it took me about an hour, hour-n-a-half.

Plays like an electric now (but I doubt it's shred-city).

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

when I was younger
I had an old beater and went to put new strings on
didnt know bout the 12th fret octave thing
strung it up
sounded bright thought it was the new strings
next day there was a hump where the bridge was pullin the sound board up
put books on it to make it go back down
went to school
played it when i got home
that night
"POW"
glue and part of the soundboard popped off

 

[75lespaul]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

JLD Bridge doctor. I gave you some wrong info though. There are two versions. One is $22 and uses an inlaid screw in the bridge and the strings mount as usual. The other version is $52 and uses threaded brass pins to mount to the bridge, and the strings mount to the tops of the pins.

Thanks man, I'll look into it. Will take a bit to save up for it, like a dollar a week, lol.

bridge on your acoustic is pulling the soundboard up?

check intonation at the twelfth fret

bet you have it tuned an octave high

late one night your gonna hear a loud pop as the bridge comes flying off

I did when I dun it
years ago

Do you mean I tuned the open string to be the pitch that is normally on the twelfth fret? If so, that's not the case, but I could see where the tension would be so great that the bridge would pop off. I actually did that a LONG time ago on an electric when I was so drunk I couldn't even see straight, ha ha.

As for dropping the action, I modded the nut and saddle of my Takamine G330S a few years ago for lower action by removing them and sanding them down a bit until I found the right height. It's time-consuming as you've got to do a bit then put them back on and retune, rinse and repeat, but it took me about an hour, hour-n-a-half.

Plays like an electric now (but I doubt it's shred-city).

I was thinking that may be the way to go, but I wanted to check first. The sound of the guitar is so fantastic, that I don't want to change it with buzzing frets and stuff. I didn't want to adjust the truss rod too much either. I'm not really good with that stuff, and this is a very old guitar. Bolt on neck, believe it or not!

 

[Diocletian]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

I used a file on mine, but to be honest, it sounds like you need a repair of some sort. I'd get it sorted before it becomes any worse, or at least go to a shop and see how much a repair would be.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Bolt on neck=you're stoked if you need to adjust the angle there.

And, don't fear the truss rod...just go in little 1/4 turns and wait til tomorrow and see if it helped.

The best way to adjust the action is if you take out the bridge saddle and have it filed down and check/refile until it's right.

Don't worry about the top bellying if you have it tuned normally...they're designed to flex a bit. Acoustic guitars have to sit on a fine line between being a dud from the top being too thick and strong, or flying apart due to being too weak.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Pics?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Post #12 might have had greater impact as the opening post of a new thread rather than hitching a ride with this five year old zombie.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Post #12 might have had greater impact as the opening post of a new thread rather than hitching a ride with this five year old zombie.

Not only that, but it's just "HEY! BUY MY PRODUCT!!! I'LL PROBABLY NEVER POST HERE AGAIN!" That's spam, even if it's manual.

I'll leave this open in case anybody has any legitimate questions.

For instance...

75lp, you ever get this fixed or did you toss it in the Passaic River?

 

[75lespaul]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Not only that, but it's just "HEY! BUY MY PRODUCT!!! I'LL PROBABLY NEVER POST HERE AGAIN!" That's spam, even if it's manual.

I'll leave this open in case anybody has any legitimate questions.

For instance...

75lp, you ever get this fixed or did you toss it in the Passaic River?

OMG, did some schmuck actually spam on a five year old thread, lol. And mine to boot! I actually just put some super light strings on it and it cured the problem as far as being tough to play. Still have the guitar, still love the guitar. Do you remember Sweetest Sounds music in Lyndhurst? I think it was still Lyndhurst there. May have been Rutherford, but I got it there around 1988 used. I wanted a Martin and I played about five Martins and this and I liked this one better, and it was only four bills compared to the outrageous Martin prices. Was a no brainer for me at the time.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

OMG, did some schmuck actually spam on a five year old thread, lol. And mine to boot! I actually just put some super light strings on it and it cured the problem as far as being tough to play. Still have the guitar, still love the guitar. Do you remember Sweetest Sounds music in Lyndhurst? I think it was still Lyndhurst there. May have been Rutherford, but I got it there around 1988 used. I wanted a Martin and I played about five Martins and this and I liked this one better, and it was only four bills compared to the outrageous Martin prices. Was a no brainer for me at the time.

Oh, yeah, I know Sweetest Sounds. Got my Peavey 412MS and my Tex Mex Tele Special from there. They're in Lyndhurst on Ridge Road. I live pretty close to them but never get to go there since my schedule takes me in the other direction.

If you brought it to them Joe would take care of it for ya.

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

 

[75lespaul]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

Oh, yeah, I know Sweetest Sounds. Got my Peavey 412MS and my Tex Mex Tele Special from there. They're in Lyndhurst on Ridge Road. I live pretty close to them but never get to go there since my schedule takes me in the other direction.

If you brought it to them Joe would take care of it for ya.

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

They're still there? Holy smokes. I used to go there all the time because I worked in Nutley, and we'd get an hour and a half lunch. Haven't been there since 92. Just thought that by now, they'd be gone like every other small music store I ever knew.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: How do you lower the action on a fixed bridge acoustic?

They're still there? Holy smokes. I used to go there all the time because I worked in Nutley, and we'd get an hour and a half lunch. Haven't been there since 92. Just thought that by now, they'd be gone like every other small music store I ever knew.

Oh, yeah. I'm not sure if Mike was the original owner, but I think it's a family business, so it may have been his father or something before him. Joe's been there since at least '96. My dad was taking bass lessons there for a while, too.

So, got pics of this acoustic now?