Lower acoustic action

Seth Mitchell · 05-13-2006, 10:43 PM

Ok, I have a Fender DG-11 acoustic guitar, and the action is so freaking high. I needed to lower, and I didn't know how so I took it to my guitar shop, and they said it would be 20 dollars( not that much, but not worth it). I asked my freind who did his, and he said to sand down the bridge, but his bridge is different. His was one smooth piece, and mine hass litte raised points to section off some of the strings. Could I just sand down in between each spot? What If i sand too much? Will it change the tone at all??

Dave293 · 05-14-2006, 12:21 AM

Lift it out of the slot and sand the bottom side of the nut.

mnemonic · 05-14-2006, 12:42 AM

^^^123

but dont sand it too much, or you'll need to get a new one

hellonearth07 · 05-14-2006, 10:28 AM

also, no it wont change the tone of the acoustic by taking a lil bit off of the nut

now if u REPLACED the nut with a different material, then yes it would change the tonal characteristics

Peg Dizzler · 05-14-2006, 01:56 PM

Well, is it high at the nut or the bridge, or both?

You can probably just take the saddle out of the bridge and sand the bottom of it. Know how much you want to sand though and don't take it too far. And if the saddle or nut is plastic, buy a new bone one.

EADG · 05-14-2006, 04:27 PM

I recommend you get a truss rod adjustment, that is the problem 95% of the time.

WindowLedge · 05-14-2006, 05:17 PM

Only adjust the truss rod if the neck is actually bowed. NEVER assume the truss rod is the cause of high action.

mnemonic · 05-14-2006, 10:35 PM

yeh, on acoustics, the neck sould have a SLIGHT inward bow. not much. on nylons i believe (dont quote me on this) its supposed to be straight.

PrisonerInGlass · 05-16-2006, 02:11 AM

Tuning down or using lower gauge strings might work as well.

hellonearth07 · 05-16-2006, 01:21 PM

lower gauge strings=less neck tension
tunningdown=less neck tension

those 2 would work if its a problem with the neck and you dont have a truss rod, or the truss rod's screwed up

JayPizzle · 05-16-2006, 05:51 PM

Yeah, I use really low gauge strings on my acoustic (9 gauge, I think), and the action is incredibly low. It's nice for soloing and things like that but you lose a lot of tone when playing chords etc.

Seth Mitchell · 05-16-2006, 08:26 PM

The truss rod is solid,(im always paranoid about it so I make sure like every day) and the action problem is my bridge. Will it just come right out, will i have to glue it back in??

hellonearth07 · 05-16-2006, 08:28 PM

the bridge is just placed loosely in a slot in the bridge

no worries, it just slides right back in, no glueing, no anything

05-13-2006, 10:43 PM	#1
Seth Mitchell Non-Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Biloxi,MS Posts: 606	Lower acoustic action Ok, I have a Fender DG-11 acoustic guitar, and the action is so freaking high. I needed to lower, and I didn't know how so I took it to my guitar shop, and they said it would be 20 dollars( not that much, but not worth it). I asked my freind who did his, and he said to sand down the bridge, but his bridge is different. His was one smooth piece, and mine hass litte raised points to section off some of the strings. Could I just sand down in between each spot? What If i sand too much? Will it change the tone at all??

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

05-14-2006, 12:21 AM	#2
Dave293 Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 182	Lift it out of the slot and sand the bottom side of the nut.

05-14-2006, 12:42 AM	#3
mnemonic Drink Water Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: and Alcohol Posts: 10,316	^^^123 but dont sand it too much, or you'll need to get a new one

05-14-2006, 10:28 AM	#4
hellonearth07 Dont let this be ur music Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Somerset County, PA Posts: 812	also, no it wont change the tone of the acoustic by taking a lil bit off of the nut now if u REPLACED the nut with a different material, then yes it would change the tonal characteristics

05-14-2006, 01:56 PM	#5
Peg Dizzler look I'm a TBF wannabe Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: still in the luthier's workshop... Posts: 5,065	Well, is it high at the nut or the bridge, or both? You can probably just take the saddle out of the bridge and sand the bottom of it. Know how much you want to sand though and don't take it too far. And if the saddle or nut is plastic, buy a new bone one.

05-14-2006, 04:27 PM	#6
EADG now that's what I call a Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: cool cat Posts: 10,940	I recommend you get a truss rod adjustment, that is the problem 95% of the time.

05-14-2006, 05:17 PM	#7
WindowLedge AES banned Nick :( Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ottawa Senators Posts: 990	Only adjust the truss rod if the neck is actually bowed. NEVER assume the truss rod is the cause of high action.

05-14-2006, 10:35 PM	#8
mnemonic Drink Water Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: and Alcohol Posts: 10,316	yeh, on acoustics, the neck sould have a SLIGHT inward bow. not much. on nylons i believe (dont quote me on this) its supposed to be straight.

05-16-2006, 02:11 AM	#9
PrisonerInGlass Down with Agathis! Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 298	Tuning down or using lower gauge strings might work as well.

05-16-2006, 01:21 PM	#10
hellonearth07 Dont let this be ur music Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Somerset County, PA Posts: 812	lower gauge strings=less neck tension tunningdown=less neck tension those 2 would work if its a problem with the neck and you dont have a truss rod, or the truss rod's screwed up

05-16-2006, 05:51 PM	#11
JayPizzle Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 37	Yeah, I use really low gauge strings on my acoustic (9 gauge, I think), and the action is incredibly low. It's nice for soloing and things like that but you lose a lot of tone when playing chords etc.

05-16-2006, 08:26 PM	#12
Seth Mitchell Non-Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Biloxi,MS Posts: 606	The truss rod is solid,(im always paranoid about it so I make sure like every day) and the action problem is my bridge. Will it just come right out, will i have to glue it back in??

05-16-2006, 08:28 PM	#13
hellonearth07 Dont let this be ur music Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Somerset County, PA Posts: 812	the bridge is just placed loosely in a slot in the bridge no worries, it just slides right back in, no glueing, no anything