bad guitar news

Chad

Chad

Slender Hobbit
So I dropped my Lead build off for a setup and talked to the tech about my dad's old acoustic guitar. He told me to bring it in when I picked up the Lead so I did. He took a look at it and it is pretty much not fixable. The action is probably the highest I have ever seen on a guitar. There is a brace missing and one that is almost not attached. The truss rod is broken and the saddle is already about as flat as it could possibly be. He said he could repair the braces which isn't a big deal (he actually showed me how to do it and I may go ahead and do that) but the neck would have to be heat treated to get it anywhere close to playable. He said it would probably be over $500 to fix. I guess I will have to take up slide playing. :grin:
 
I've got a Tacoma (EM9) on which I've sanded the bridge down as far as I can and the action is still about 1/2" at the 12th fret. I figure I'm going to need a neck reset, but have avoided bringing it in because I think the thing only cost me $450 (back in 2001 or so). I love that guitar, but don't know if I want to pay the freight. It IS a bolted neck (sort of like the Taylors), so I have toyed with the idea of doing it myself but have always shied away from actually trying it...
 
bsman said:
I've got a Tacoma (EM9) on which I've sanded the bridge down as far as I can and the action is still about 1/2" at the 12th fret. I figure I'm going to need a neck reset, but have avoided bringing it in because I think the thing only cost me $450 (back in 2001 or so). I love that guitar, but don't know if I want to pay the freight. It IS a bolted neck (sort of like the Taylors), so I have toyed with the idea of doing it myself but have always shied away from actually trying it...
Click to expand...

If it is a bolt neck, I would give it a go. If the action is that bad, it isn't like you are going to mess it up more.
 
Bummer about your Dad's guitar. Maybe learning a little slide on it would be a way to keep it useful beyond sentimental reasons? But sentimental reasons would be enough I think. I don't think I would throw away my Dad's sax if I had it.
 
bsman said:
I've got a Tacoma (EM9) on which I've sanded the bridge down as far as I can and the action is still about 1/2" at the 12th fret. I figure I'm going to need a neck reset, but have avoided bringing it in because I think the thing only cost me $450 (back in 2001 or so). I love that guitar, but don't know if I want to pay the freight. It IS a bolted neck (sort of like the Taylors), so I have toyed with the idea of doing it myself but have always shied away from actually trying it...
Click to expand...
I just brought my Taylor in for what I thought was some neck work, and it was actually just that the neck bolts were wiggling loose. The guy charged me $20 bucks for a couple twists of the screwdriver (plus a restringing, etc.) instead of the $100+ for a setup. Make sure it isn't just your bolts!
 
What if you strung it with nylon strings (low tension). would that flatten the neck back out?
 
baimun said:
What if you strung it with nylon strings (low tension). would that flatten the neck back out?
Click to expand...

Not sure. I have very light gauge steel strings and I have it tuned down a full step and it is still terrible.
 
Yeah, you're probably up a particularly well known body of water without a means of propulsion. :(
 
If you have a flat workbench, you can try laying the guitar face down, support either end of the neck, and slowly press the neck with additional clamps to flatten the neck a bit. Heat and moisture would help. It's one of the only options for a guitar with no truss rod. I've seen electric units that strap to the fingerboard to do essentially the same thing and are sometimes used on classical guitars when needed. Short of carefully removing the fingerboard to replace the truss rod, it could be a means of making it playable at least.
 
B Valley said:
If you have a flat workbench, you can try laying the guitar face down, support either end of the neck, and slowly press the neck with additional clamps to flatten the neck a bit. Heat and moisture would help. It's one of the only options for a guitar with no truss rod. I've seen electric units that strap to the fingerboard to do essentially the same thing and are sometimes used on classical guitars when needed. Short of carefully removing the fingerboard to replace the truss rod, it could be a means of making it playable at least.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I may give that a try.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top