Help!

[Guest Speed Racer]

Help me! I recently adjusted the saddle (I've got screws on either side) on my guitar (acoustic '67 Epiphone) to fix a buzz on the low A string, and now the entire low E is buzzing - open, fretted, anything. The buzz is coming from the bridge/saddle area.

 

When I initially tried to fix the E buzz I tightened and loosened both screws several times, and now I have no clue what to do and figure I ought to stop adjusting until I got some advice.

 

Input?

[anthony]

If you have the notorious 'adjustable saddle' of the mid-60's Epi/Gibby, that is a tricky beast (and a tone sucker, IMHO).

 

If you cannot get the screws to achieve a good height, ypu may need a neck reset and/or new nut. My advice? go to a goos luthier for a proper overall setup. Check out www.frets.com for some good setup tips.

 

Also, if you want to get the guitar to sound really good, have the luthier replace the bridge (and screws) with a traditional one. It will greatly improve the sound.

 

That is if you are not sentimental about keeping orininal parts. I have a 1970 Gibson Dove with that type of bridge and I want to keep it:

 

Good luck!

[Guest Speed Racer]

Thank you! Any tips for direction? I mean, if it's buzzing on the low end, does that mean I make that screw higher?

[anthony]

Thank you! Any tips for direction? I mean, if it's buzzing on the low end, does that mean I make that screw higher?

 

Yes, if buzzing, then the string is too close to the frets. Make screw come out and increase the action a tad.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Nevermind. I inspected the body a little more closely, and there's a crack down the middle. This thing has already seen a *lot* of love, and I think I killed the Cortez.

[BigWheeledWagon]

If you have the notorious 'adjustable saddle' of the mid-60's Epi/Gibby, that is a tricky beast (and a tone sucker, IMHO).

 

If you cannot get the screws to achieve a good height, ypu may need a neck reset and/or new nut. My advice? go to a goos luthier for a proper overall setup. Check out www.frets.com for some good setup tips.

 

Also, if you want to get the guitar to sound really good, have the luthier replace the bridge (and screws) with a traditional one. It will greatly improve the sound.

 

That is if you are not sentimental about keeping orininal parts. I have a 1970 Gibson Dove with that type of bridge and I want to keep it:

 

I've got '67 Gibson Dove with the notorious adjustable bridge, and I've been reluctant to change it out just for authenticity's sake as well. My dad bought it new, and although it now belongs to me, I thnk he'd be upset if I modified it in any way. Apparently, changing out the bridge also would affect the collectibility of the guitar -- collectors know the bridge is problematic but see it as an essential part of those model years. I've gotten used to the bridge and can now usually keep it from buzzing.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Eureka! Praise Jehovah!! Et cetera, et cetera! I walked down the street to a very nice guitar shop, where the lovely storepersons not only coveted the apparently rare intact neck of my guitar but fixed the crack, stopped the buzz, and even sold me a banjo! Happy day all around, and now I can play along with my Andy Griffith reruns.