RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Swapping out speakers in cab -OR- putting a hammer though your Line6 Spider? Tell us about it.
Post Reply
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

Hello Folks,
A couple of years back my wife bought me a resonator guitar. A cheapish one MIC by Karrera.
It used it in a recording but it wasn't pleasant to play & it seemed to be out of tune beyond the 3rd fret.
I have left it in the case for a while but took it out to change strings, (proper reso strings), and couldn't play it - it was hard to depress the strings to the fret board. At 1st I figured it was a neck issue but did the 1st fret - last fret thing and the spacing was pretty good. Since it was on it's side I took a good look and the diff between the 12 fret harmonic and 12 fret fretted is a couple of semi tones.
It seems it may be the bridge/saddle height which is a complication. Here are some snaps of the situation. Any experience or suggestions?
nut.JPG
gap 1.JPG
gap 2.JPG
gap 3.JPG
gap 4.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by rayc on Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

1st - last fret test.JPG
only the bottom E is tuned and that's the one that looks close to the frets not the one above it that's untuned.
bridge 1.JPG
bridge 2.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
Lt. Bob
Posts: 6558
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:02 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Lt. Bob »

that action does look very high although without measurements it's hard to know exactly.
You're gonna have to cut down that saddle unless you're lucky and there's shims under it that you can just remove.

Action at the nut looks a bit high to me too.
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Greg_L »

I dunno, to me it looks like there's a lot of neck relief. If it has a truss rod adjustment, I'd probably start there. Looks like the neck needs to be straightened. Loosen the strings and tighten the truss rod with tiny little micro turns and check the neck straightness as you go. Tune it up and check again. Repeat until you get a straight neck under tension. Then you can fiddle with your nut (lol) and saddles.

My inexpensive guitarjo/banjitar had the same issue. A little truss rod tweaking made it very playable.
Rebel Yell
User avatar
Lt. Bob
Posts: 6558
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:02 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Lt. Bob »

yeah ..... it may have a bow ..... hard to tell from the photo.
Take a pic sighting straight down the edge of the fretboatd so we can see if it's bowed.

FTR I don't loosen the strings to adjust the rod ... I make small turns and then put some pressure on the back of the neck with my knee
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

I'll take some more snaps today to give a better look and provide the info requested. Thanks.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
Lt. Bob
Posts: 6558
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:02 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Lt. Bob »

OR simply take a straight edge and put it on the fretboard to see if there's a bow and if so that would definitely be the very first thing you'd need to address.
It's simple so no need to worry 'bout it if you are.
User avatar
einstein magoo
Posts: 404
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:05 pm
Location: OHIO

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by einstein magoo »

Lt. Bob wrote: Sat Jun 17, 2017 12:09 pm
FTR I don't loosen the strings to adjust the rod ... I make small turns and then put some pressure on the back of the neck with my knee
Ditto - I always thought best to adjust truss rod with tension on neck and instrument tuned.
User avatar
Tadpui
Posts: 3358
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 3:50 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Tadpui »

Aren't resonator guitars generally played with a slide? I'd figure that's why the action is so high at the bridge. I definitely agree that there's quite a bit of neck bow in that picture.
Last edited by Tadpui on Sun Jun 18, 2017 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Roman
Posts: 417
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:19 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Roman »

High action at the bridge is a matter of taste. High for me might be low for you. And yes, for slide a bit higher is normal. But that neck is in some serious need of straightening.
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

Tad,
they can be picked or played with slide or anything else one chooses. I have a lap slide which is properly set up. This thing I'd like to playing with a thumb pick. As mentioned it's too high to fret a simple open chord without pain.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

Lt. Bob wrote: Sun Jun 18, 2017 3:28 am OR simply take a straight edge and put it on the fretboard to see if there's a bow and if so that would definitely be the very first thing you'd need to address.
It's simple so no need to worry 'bout it if you are.
Here are some snaps with a metal rule - the only straight edge I could get my hands on.
The instrument is tuned.
straight edge 1.JPG
straight edge 2.JPG
straight edge 3.JPG
neck view 2.JPG
neck view 1.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

And this is the bridge - sitting in it's caste aluminium (I assume) slot.
bridge.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cheers
rayc
Roman
Posts: 417
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:19 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Roman »

Per the straight edge it looks ok. In an earlier pic it sure looked like too much bow (relief )

I'd take it to someone and have it set up.

Realize, im just looking at these pics on a phone, so the eyes may be tricking me.

But if that neck is relatively straight, two things need to happen.
1) nut needs to be slotted deeper
2) bridge height needs to be dropped.
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

Whoops - forgot to include the measurement shots...
space 3rd fret.JPG
space end of board.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Greg_L »

Roman wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2017 1:54 am Per the straight edge it looks ok. In an earlier pic it sure looked like too much bow (relief )

I'd take it to someone and have it set up.

Realize, im just looking at these pics on a phone, so the eyes may be tricking me.

But if that neck is relatively straight, two things need to happen.
1) nut needs to be slotted deeper
2) bridge height needs to be dropped.
Yeah Ray you may need to take that one in to a tech. The neck does appear to be pretty straight from the pics. You could try giving it some back bow with the truss rod, but I think the saddle and nut will need to be worked on like Roman said. That action is crazy high.
Rebel Yell
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

Greg_L wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:29 am Yeah Ray you may need to take that one in to a tech. The neck does appear to be pretty straight from the pics. You could try giving it some back bow with the truss rod, but I think the saddle and nut will need to be worked on like Roman said. That action is crazy high.
Thanks Greg & Roman,
I contacted the local luthier bloke yesterday - he's retired. Bummer.
Time to start searching again.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
Lt. Bob
Posts: 6558
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:02 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Lt. Bob »

didn't think it was bowed ..... but you just couldn't tell from the pic.
And you definitely don't want to put a back-bow in it unless you want buzzing on fretted notes.

That's straight AFAICS so the saddle will need to be cut down ..... if you're not comfortable doing it then to the tech it goes.
It's a simply fix so any decent tech should be able to do it.
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by rayc »

Lt. Bob wrote: Mon Jun 19, 2017 10:27 am didn't think it was bowed ..... but you just couldn't tell from the pic.
And you definitely don't want to put a back-bow in it unless you want buzzing on fretted notes.

That's straight AFAICS so the saddle will need to be cut down ..... if you're not comfortable doing it then to the tech it goes.
It's a simply fix so any decent tech should be able to do it.
Thanks Lt. Bob,
If I can't find a local enough tech I'll try it m'self as I don't want to relegate it to a wall ornament.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
Lt. Bob
Posts: 6558
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:02 pm

Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM

Post by Lt. Bob »

it's really not hard so if you need to we can walk you thru it
Post Reply