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| Saddle shim stock? http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=2343 |
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| Author: | Tim McKnight [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:07 pm ] |
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I have used a variety of materials for saddle shim stock when in a pinch including: plastic, bone, copper & brass. I don't make it a practice to shim saddles as I would rather cut a new one if time and circumstances permit but there are occasions when shims come in handy. Just curious as to what different materials you have used? |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:08 pm ] |
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I've used the same material as the bridge with good success. |
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| Author: | Mjoy [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:18 pm ] |
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It's a great practice when you have a 40-60 year old piece of ivory in an old guitar. I have used ebony and RW veneer. |
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| Author: | Steve Kinnaird [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:29 pm ] |
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Tim, I've used pieces of piano "ivory". My piano tech figures it was really whalebone, which doesn't make me feel much better. But they were gathered from a street where a piano had slid out of a man's pickup--on the way to be refinished. The keys were the only salvageable part. And the material is perfect--it has a very slight taper, so that if one side of the saddle needs to be raised up a bit more, the ivory can be oriented that way. But like you said, the situations that call for this are only occasional. |
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| Author: | Tim McKnight [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:50 pm ] |
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Thanks for the tip on piano keys. Never thought of them. I have a bag of them in my closet but have never used them or ivory before. I assume you cut them in slivers on a bandsaw? |
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| Author: | johno [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:52 pm ] |
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I use maple, .020 thick. (I have never gone more than that) Remember a .020 shim will only result in .010 change in action. I put my spectum analyzer on a guitar before and after inserting the shim and could not see (or hear) any difference .... but some customers might complain so I don't always do it. I have put the shim in on new guitars that I am shipping out so if the guitar "settles" in a little or if the player wants slightly lower action, it can be accomplished rather quickly. RE: HGF, it might not be a bad idea to "shim" my saddles before I go, or as Tim is thinking, bring some along. We'll see, I hope not to be messing too much with the guitars once I get to the show. Even though it is "work," I am really looking forward to getting out of the shop and mingling with the players ... oh and the builders too. I am planing it as a "working" vacation. Well seeing as don't have anything strung-up yet, I better get going! |
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| Author: | Robbie O'Brien [ Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:55 pm ] |
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mahogany veneer |
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| Author: | Steve Kinnaird [ Sat Jul 02, 2005 5:54 am ] |
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[QUOTE=Tim McKnight] Thanks for the tip on piano keys. Never thought of them. I have a bag of them in my closet but have never used them or ivory before. I assume you cut them in slivers on a bandsaw?[/QUOTE] I'm not that courageous, Tim. I've always done it by hand w/ a jeweler's saw. One would need a zero clearance throat on their band saw, or one could temporarily bond them to something, then slice them up that way. They are a bit delicate--in small dimensions--as regards such rough handling. |
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| Author: | tippie53 [ Sun Jul 03, 2005 12:34 am ] |
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I hate shimming but admit to doing it . I like to use something that is harder than the bridge and slightly smaller than the slot of the saddle. Most of the time I use stainless steel shims as I use alot of that stuffand it is available to me. john |
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| Author: | Pwoolson [ Sun Jul 03, 2005 3:53 am ] |
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I made a batch of ebony shims. They fit perfectly in the slot. My theory is that if I didn't cut the slot as deep, the bottom would be ebony so why not use that as a shim. The only other material I would consider would be bone, same theory as the ebony. If I didn't cut the saddle as low, the bottom would be bone so why not as a shim. Just my .02 worth. |
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| Author: | Michael McBroom [ Sun Jul 03, 2005 4:34 am ] |
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I cut up some curly maple veneer for purfling (using the old pasta cutter trick). When I need a saddle shim, I just use a piece of that. Many years ago I bought a brand new Ramirez 1a classical. It came from Madrid with a shim under the saddle. As near as I can tell, the shim was made from Spanish cedar. Best, Michael |
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| Author: | yukonarizona [ Sun Jul 03, 2005 5:11 am ] |
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I use the same material that the saddle is made of, CA it to the bottom of the saddle and then plane the graft to the correct thickness. Afterward I belt sand it close to the proper height and finish up on a surface plate. Often you can barely see that a shim has been installed. Doing it this way I feel I'm on the most solid ground for assuring a customer that the sound will not be changed. |
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