Official Luthiers Forum!

I've got an early '60s SG with the bridge all the way bottomed out and action is still high. Neck is straight. I've seen this on a new low-end Gibson, but is this on par for something made in the 60s?

Perhaps the bridge was replaced and is higher than the original? I've looked on the internet and it seems like this is an original looking bridge... Does the body distort over time?[

What can you do?

Pat

_________________
Pat

necks move over time the neck will have to be reset to restore the proper geometry.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I have seen a few SG's and even an L6-S with curved bodies, but it's far more likely that a neck reset is the fix for this instrument. Shouldn't be real tough to do.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

That is on par for the 60s. It definitely needs a neck reset.

Okay, wow I had no idea people were resetting necks on this type of guitar. Thanks guys, now off to youtube! LOL

Pat

_________________
Pat

Some SG's have the short tenon that has a reputation for problems. I'd say pull the neck p/u and take a look but I don't see one. And it looks like the bridge pup once was a dog eared P90 before the SD was installed. Don't know about the bridge - I think some of the low end SG's had wrap around ToM's like that.

I've had a couple of old Gibsons with neck tenon problems but I've always been able to avoid a reset. I would think that would be a nightmare.

That bridge has to be an old Leo Quan Badass.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Do you think there's a chance it could be taller than the original?

Pat

_________________
Pat

I believe they were taller than stock. I see there is still a gap under the bridge. If you can - carefully - trying tapping the inserts a little deeper into the body. Sometimes I would pull the studs and insert assembly, and grind off the lip on the insert so it will sit flush with the body, and then put it back in the body. Should gain you about 3/32 of height.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Thx, yes, I was thinking to grind the lip off or something. I will measure and see how much that will give me..

Pat

_________________
Pat

Also, maybe you could recommend that the client try a lower profile wraparound bridge before anybody does any surgery on the guitar. It might not help enough, but it is worth exploring before anything more permanent happens.

I don't know what that might be....

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

looks like there's some room there to file down the saddles and lose some mm's

StewMac appears to carry some options. Again, no idea if they would work, but perhaps worth a try.