Ok rookie mistake, I installed the bridge backwards!!
Reversed the bridge, action still high, will try to adjust the neck relief tomorrow. Hoping I don’t need a Shim, that’s completely out of my league, not that I was in any league to start withOriginally Posted by vivek_rc
Unfortunately your action looks high like mine was and I doubt playing with the relief will make much difference.Reversed the bridge, action still high, will try to adjust the neck relief tomorrow. Hoping I don’t need a Shim, that’s completely out of my league, not that I was in any league to start with
Couple of things to try
1) Buy a new lower profile bridge (I bought a musiclily one from Amazon which is lower by a few mm
2) make a shim. It is pretty easy if you follow Simons instructions on my build diary. I ended up using a bit of pine and filing it down as my bass wood disintegrated when I got it thin. The thick edge was 1.5mm high when finished.
3) recess your bridge posts (this is my backup plan if the action is still high when I install the bridge posts properly.
Everything I have read says do no mess with the neck foot pocket.
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Might go the route of the shim, I actually have some maple veneer pieces I bought from Amazon to test the stains, they are 2 mm thick. Have been reading Simons instructions on your post on how Tom make the shim, very detailed, and will have a go at it and see if I can get this to work. I’m wondering if this is a construction problem from the factory? I would think it they use CNC machines the should get the required pocket angle pretty accurate out the door?
I would try a 2mm shim first. 1.5mm is just shy of where I would like it to be. Tip - When I made mine I had 3mm piece of aluminium straight edge from Bunnings that I positioned 2x the length of the shim to get the height right. Pretty cheap and precise thickness. You will also need a roll of strong double sided tape to hid the shim in place and to tape the sand paper to something flat. I went though half a roll making my shim.
I have just set my neck tonight so hopefully I can get a decent action.
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(Oops - missed the new page so comments below are now retrospective).
Well, you've currently got the bridge on back-to-front, which may add a tiny bit to the string height, but not much.
You really need to clamp the fretboard as well as the tenon as even a small gap can have add a reasonable amount of action height as the neck can dip downwards. A 1mm gap at the heel with the neck angling downwards can add 3mm or more of string height at the end of the neck.
And I expect some of that height is because the nut slots are far too high. Put a capo on the firsts fret, clamp the fretboard, not the tenon (use a block of softish wood between the clamp and the fretboard, ideally with slots cut in it so you clamp the board and not the frets) and see what you get then.
After doing all of those things I expect the action will have improved but still have be high.
You can either a) make and fit an angled shim like MrPearson did to his, b) try and find a bridge that sits lower (that kit bridge is pretty tall and you can get more compact ones - though you shouldn't have to), or c) do both to be sure.
The factories don't use CNC, just hand routers, template and unskilled labour. I wish they did use CNC machines, but my theory is that the Chinese government want full employment, so stuff that can be done by hand is done by hand rather than automated machines.
I must say that your bridge looks different to MrPearson's bridge, and is a taller unit, which isn't helping things.
Thanks Simon, I’m going to get a lower profile bridge the start with, found this, which I think is the one mrpearson was talking about, will also start on a shim, based on your instructions…
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