another guitar question - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

TrollInvestigtr · 05-06-2003, 02:31 AM

i have an awesome ovation electric acoustic... except that the action (the space between the fretboards and the strings) is like an inch high which makes playing it nearly imposssible. is there a way to get the strings lowered? and if so, how much around would it cost?

thanks!

apetaster · 05-06-2003, 02:14 PM

Not a guitar guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't know that you can get to truss rod easily with the roundbacks. I would call a dealer and ask how much they would charge - should be nominal if they are a dealer and practice smart business as a simple truss rod adjustment is all that is needed. Even on my strat, I'm wary of tensioning the rod (steel vs. wood, steel wins.)

Dealers should be performing those tune ups after the break-in period, so I can't imagine they would charge much if you don't need any attention at the bridge, etc.

Fearless_Hyena · 05-06-2003, 04:49 PM

yeah it's a fairly simple adjustment, but it's gotta be done by a professional. your action sounds REAL high (hehe i know it's not literally 1" but it still sounds bad) so maybe it needs a little more work....

try to ask around and find out from local guitarists to see who's one of the better guitar techs/luthiers/whatever-they-wanna-be-called and take it to them. i forget what the price for that sort of thing is, probably less than $50, almost definitely less than $100 even if the damage is bad but repairable. the price is generally the same wherever you go but the skill level of the person doing the work can vary a whole lot.

you might as well have the bridge intonated (or adjusted...i think that's what it's called) while you're at it...that goes along with adjusting the action.

one other thing to keep in mind, make sure the strings you have on them are the gauge you prefer, and either newer or old, however you like them. all that can have an effect on the "health" of the neck when it's adjusted.

good luck!

merkerguitars · 05-06-2003, 06:00 PM

There are many ways of fixing this.
First you could try tightening the truss rod up. Turn it clockwise to making it tighther... don't be weary about it do about an 1/16th of a turn at a time and it might take some time for it to adjust.
If worse comes to worse you might have to sand the saddle down a bit...but thats tricky and once you fuck it up it's a pain in the ass to shim it. Try the truss rod thing first...can't hurt at all.

TrollInvestigtr · 05-06-2003, 07:45 PM

thanks guys ill probably just take it to a professional beacuse i dont have the right tool to tighten it and i'd be afraid i'd fuck it up as well. thanks again.

cJoe · 05-08-2003, 02:42 PM

An inch off the fret board sounds like you may have real problems with your guitar neck. Take it to a shop and have the pro look at it.

TrollInvestigtr · 05-08-2003, 04:04 PM

yeah i actually measured it after i posted. its more like 1/4 inch but its still enough to make it highly unplayable.

Dimebag · 05-09-2003, 05:53 PM

if the neck bows a lot, you have to adjust the truss rod. can you adjust the bridge height? you could lower that too. try lighter strings.

Lebell · 05-09-2003, 11:19 PM

Use a professional.

Poor action could require anything from fixing bent neck to adjusting the truss rod to putting a new nut on the neck to lower it.

gibber71 · 05-11-2003, 04:03 PM

If you've got an inch between the strings and fingerboard,take off the hardware and throw the piece of shit in the garbage. I had a semi acoustic Ovation and I gave it away cuz I wouldn't lay my reputation on the line to even attempt to sell the piece of shit.And on the ninth day,God gave us Gibson guitars.

jujueye · 05-13-2003, 03:04 PM

Fearless has a good point: the tension of the strings can make or break a neck (pun intended...) When you arrive at your local repair shop or dealer, they may ask you which ones you have.

On the other hand, you might also want to keep playing it for a while. I heard stories that Stevie Ray Vaughan's action was seriously high, but his fingers were strong as hell to overcome it. That's partially what gave him his great sound..That and the strat...

crumbbum · 05-15-2003, 07:37 PM

It shouldn't be too expensive, if the only adjustment needed is the truss rod. If it's more than that alone can fix, like was said above, a little bridge sanding might be in line. It shouldn't be too much of a problem. Also, try lighter strings.

battery · 05-16-2003, 08:40 AM

dont fuck around with your truss rod, get a professional to do it.

crackpot · 05-17-2003, 06:35 PM

And if all else fails, it can be your designated slide guitar.

Oh yeah, Gibsons <i>are</i> heaven-sent!

Midnight_Son · 05-19-2003, 08:51 AM

ok, I do this for a living. I know very little as a whole but as far a music gear and guitars go, I know more than I should.
if your serious about the action being 1 inch.....sorry but more than likely your guitar is to far gone to be repaired. that is a extreme amout of space. did you drop it in a lake or somthing?

rideough · 05-20-2003, 05:26 AM

just bring it to your local music store (not GC!!!)and they should be able to give it a decent set up in less than an hour for about $40. no big deal but i've seen alot of young or new players get discouraged by their "piece of shit" guitars when all they needed was a decent set up and boom instant great guitar!

smegal · 05-20-2003, 08:35 AM

I agree with the above post...a cheap guitar is a false economy.

ike · 05-29-2003, 06:04 PM

loosen the strings all the way.loosen the truss rod located in the sound hole all the way.tighten the truss rod just untill you feel resistance.from this point tighten the truss rod no more than 1/4 inch and pull back on the neck to help the truss rod.if you tighten it any more you can damage the neck.it will compress the wood at the nut.also make sure you are tuning properly.personally 1/4 inch near the 12th fret is not that bad in my opinion.

ike · 05-29-2003, 06:11 PM

sorry only turn the truss rod 1/4 turn from the point of first resistance.not 1/4 inch as i said in my post i sent the post before i double checked my info.don't be afraid to work on it yourself i find that a lot of people that work in major music stores don't know shit.ask 5 people in the music store and get 5 different answers.get a DAN ERLIWINE book from stew-mac.com

platypus · 05-30-2003, 06:59 PM

At Sam Ash here in NY, it's about 50 bucks for a tweaking job - if it's a basic truss adjustment and maybe a fret or two shaved down.

I love my Ovation, but it doesn't scream like my Gibson...Les Paul that is.

05-06-2003, 02:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
TrollInvestigtr Crazy	another guitar question i have an awesome ovation electric acoustic... except that the action (the space between the fretboards and the strings) is like an inch high which makes playing it nearly imposssible. is there a way to get the strings lowered? and if so, how much around would it cost? thanks!

05-06-2003, 06:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	There are many ways of fixing this. First you could try tightening the truss rod up. Turn it clockwise to making it tighther... don't be weary about it do about an 1/16th of a turn at a time and it might take some time for it to adjust. If worse comes to worse you might have to sand the saddle down a bit...but thats tricky and once you fuck it up it's a pain in the ass to shim it. Try the truss rod thing first...can't hurt at all. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

05-08-2003, 02:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
cJoe Insane	An inch off the fret board sounds like you may have real problems with your guitar neck. Take it to a shop and have the pro look at it. __________________ I've got plenty of common sense. I just choose to ignore it. ...Calvin

05-09-2003, 11:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
Lebell Cracking the Whip Location: Sexymama's arms...	Use a professional. Poor action could require anything from fixing bent neck to adjusting the truss rod to putting a new nut on the neck to lower it. __________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis The ONLY sponsors we have are YOU! Please Donate!

05-13-2003, 03:04 PM	#11 (permalink)
jujueye alpaca lunch for the trip Location: in my computer	Fearless has a good point: the tension of the strings can make or break a neck (pun intended...) When you arrive at your local repair shop or dealer, they may ask you which ones you have. On the other hand, you might also want to keep playing it for a while. I heard stories that Stevie Ray Vaughan's action was seriously high, but his fingers were strong as hell to overcome it. That's partially what gave him his great sound..That and the strat... Last edited by jujueye; 05-13-2003 at 03:07 PM..

05-06-2003, 02:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
apetaster Insane Location: P.R. Mass.	Not a guitar guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't know that you can get to truss rod easily with the roundbacks. I would call a dealer and ask how much they would charge - should be nominal if they are a dealer and practice smart business as a simple truss rod adjustment is all that is needed. Even on my strat, I'm wary of tensioning the rod (steel vs. wood, steel wins.) Dealers should be performing those tune ups after the break-in period, so I can't imagine they would charge much if you don't need any attention at the bridge, etc.

05-06-2003, 04:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Fearless_Hyena Hello, good evening, and bollocks. Location: near DC	yeah it's a fairly simple adjustment, but it's gotta be done by a professional. your action sounds REAL high (hehe i know it's not literally 1" but it still sounds bad) so maybe it needs a little more work.... try to ask around and find out from local guitarists to see who's one of the better guitar techs/luthiers/whatever-they-wanna-be-called and take it to them. i forget what the price for that sort of thing is, probably less than $50, almost definitely less than $100 even if the damage is bad but repairable. the price is generally the same wherever you go but the skill level of the person doing the work can vary a whole lot. you might as well have the bridge intonated (or adjusted...i think that's what it's called) while you're at it...that goes along with adjusting the action. one other thing to keep in mind, make sure the strings you have on them are the gauge you prefer, and either newer or old, however you like them. all that can have an effect on the "health" of the neck when it's adjusted. good luck!

05-06-2003, 07:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
TrollInvestigtr Crazy	thanks guys ill probably just take it to a professional beacuse i dont have the right tool to tighten it and i'd be afraid i'd fuck it up as well. thanks again.

05-08-2003, 04:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
TrollInvestigtr Crazy	yeah i actually measured it after i posted. its more like 1/4 inch but its still enough to make it highly unplayable.

05-09-2003, 05:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
Dimebag Banned Location: Richmond B.C Canada	if the neck bows a lot, you have to adjust the truss rod. can you adjust the bridge height? you could lower that too. try lighter strings.

05-11-2003, 04:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
gibber71 Loser	If you've got an inch between the strings and fingerboard,take off the hardware and throw the piece of shit in the garbage. I had a semi acoustic Ovation and I gave it away cuz I wouldn't lay my reputation on the line to even attempt to sell the piece of shit.And on the ninth day,God gave us Gibson guitars.

05-15-2003, 07:37 PM	#12 (permalink)
crumbbum Crazy Location: CT,NYC,NJ(have been all over)	It shouldn't be too expensive, if the only adjustment needed is the truss rod. If it's more than that alone can fix, like was said above, a little bridge sanding might be in line. It shouldn't be too much of a problem. Also, try lighter strings. __________________ Truth is peace. We are all souls in bodies.

05-16-2003, 08:40 AM	#13 (permalink)
battery Banned	dont fuck around with your truss rod, get a professional to do it.

05-17-2003, 06:35 PM	#14 (permalink)
crackpot Junkie Location: Montreal	And if all else fails, it can be your designated slide guitar. Oh yeah, Gibsons <i>are</i> heaven-sent!

05-19-2003, 08:51 AM	#15 (permalink)
Midnight_Son The Cover Doesn't Match The Book Location: in a van down by the river	ok, I do this for a living. I know very little as a whole but as far a music gear and guitars go, I know more than I should. if your serious about the action being 1 inch.....sorry but more than likely your guitar is to far gone to be repaired. that is a extreme amout of space. did you drop it in a lake or somthing? __________________ SWM, tattooed, seeks meaningful tits and beer. Enjoys biker mags, pornography, and Sunday morning walks to the liquor store. Winners of erotic hot dog eating contests given priority.

05-20-2003, 05:26 AM	#16 (permalink)
rideough Insane Location: Ottawa...the greatest city in Canada...down the road from silentjay!	just bring it to your local music store (not GC!!!)and they should be able to give it a decent set up in less than an hour for about $40. no big deal but i've seen alot of young or new players get discouraged by their "piece of shit" guitars when all they needed was a decent set up and boom instant great guitar!

05-20-2003, 08:35 AM	#17 (permalink)
smegal Crazy	I agree with the above post...a cheap guitar is a false economy.

05-29-2003, 06:04 PM	#18 (permalink)
ike Upright	loosen the strings all the way.loosen the truss rod located in the sound hole all the way.tighten the truss rod just untill you feel resistance.from this point tighten the truss rod no more than 1/4 inch and pull back on the neck to help the truss rod.if you tighten it any more you can damage the neck.it will compress the wood at the nut.also make sure you are tuning properly.personally 1/4 inch near the 12th fret is not that bad in my opinion.

05-29-2003, 06:11 PM	#19 (permalink)
ike Upright	sorry only turn the truss rod 1/4 turn from the point of first resistance.not 1/4 inch as i said in my post i sent the post before i double checked my info.don't be afraid to work on it yourself i find that a lot of people that work in major music stores don't know shit.ask 5 people in the music store and get 5 different answers.get a DAN ERLIWINE book from stew-mac.com

05-30-2003, 06:59 PM	#20 (permalink)
platypus Essen meine kurze Hosen Location: NY Burbs	At Sam Ash here in NY, it's about 50 bucks for a tweaking job - if it's a basic truss adjustment and maybe a fret or two shaved down. I love my Ovation, but it doesn't scream like my Gibson...Les Paul that is. __________________ Out the 10Base-T, through the router, down the T1, over the leased line, off the bridge, past the firewall...nothing but Net.