Acoustic guitar action adjustment

[Tal_175]

I got a Taylor acoustic recently. I like Taylor's because to me they sound closer to archtops than Gibson's or Martin's.*
However the action is a bit too high. I have already confirmed that this is not a truss-rod or nut height issue.

Normally I'd just sand down the saddle if the action of an acoustic guitar is too high. But Taylor comes with this neat bolt-on neck design. In my opinion, sanding down saddles is just a hack you do to dovetail glued-neck guitars to save on the repair costs. Saddle height (ie back-angle) is a parameter that's factored into the design of a good guitar.

What are your opinions about changing the neck angle vs sanding down the saddle? I need to take off at least 1 mm on the bass side and a little less on the treble. Should I just shim the neck instead? The current saddle height is probably the factory setup from 10 years ago (I got it used).

*My Gibson L-00 is a more resonant guitar and sounds warmer and more open than the Taylor but I like the more focused and slightly compressed sound of the Taylor more for jazz.

[deacon Mark]

Shim the neck no question here at all. Taylor's set up on the necks is really good when doing this and relatively easy and allows some guessing. Then if you guess wrong you can correct with a shim added or taken away.

One interesting thing you mention that has to do with Taylor guitars. I don't mind them they are decent guitars for flattops if you like flattops, however I have found them not inspiring to play or have a decent voice. They do the job for players I am just not a fan of the sound, nothing distinctive about them.

[rob taft]

Adjust the neck angle. I don't own a Taylor but I do own a flattop made by Charles Fox that uses a similar neck mount design and correcting the high action was an easy task and one I wish I had done before I tried the lowering saddle option. Live and learn.

[whiskey02]

Taylor makes a graded range of neck shims to do the exact job you're looking at. I don't know if a Taylor authorized repair shop stock them or if you have to source from the factory. Do not shave the saddle. With the proper shim in place you should easily get a low, comfortable string action. If you have to contact the factory, be sure to thank them for saving you hundreds of dollars on what would otherwise have needed a neck reset.

[RJVB]

Hundreds of dollars for a neck reset to take of 1 mm on the bass, less on the treble? IOW, how much would you have to lower the saddle?

I would assume that doing this with the neck will be like adjusting action on a Ken Parker archtop: you remove or add identical amounts on the treble and bass sides...

[Tal_175]

Hundreds of dollars for a neck reset to take of 1 mm on the bass, less on the treble? IOW, how much would you have to lower the saddle?

A neck reset would be practically free on a Taylor guitar. But for guitars with a glued-on dovetail necks, it makes sense to just shave the saddle if there is enough room (I have done this for some guitars).

When lowering the saddle is the chosen solution, in order to reduce to action by an x amount above the 12th fret, you'd need to lower the saddle by 2x.

[RJVB]

it makes sense to just shave the saddle if there is enough room (I have done this for some guitars).

Aren't factory guitars always set up with too high an action when first sold (so they don't buzz all over when random potential clients starts hocking the guitar)? The OP said it was apparently never set up, so it would make sense that the saddle were too high...

[Jimmy blue note]

Taylor makes a graded range of neck shims to do the exact job you're looking at. I don't know if a Taylor authorized repair shop stock them or if you have to source from the factory. Do not shave the saddle. With the proper shim in place you should be easily get a low, comfortable string action. If you have to contact the factory, be sure to thank them for saving you hundreds of dollars on what would otherwise have needed a neck reset.

Yup. Taylor authorized repair shops all have a box of all different shims graded for easy replacement. I used to do this easily for action/neck adjustments. Take out the one that's in there, find the next size, drop it in, bolt it back, string it up and charge what you do for a half hour's work. New strings as part of the deal. Easy peazy

[whiskey02]

StewMac Neck Shims for Guitar - StewMac