RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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?
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?
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Last edited by rayc on Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
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Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
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.
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
My inexpensive guitarjo/banjitar had the same issue. A little truss rod tweaking made it very playable.
Rebel Yell
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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
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
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
I'll take some more snaps today to give a better look and provide the info requested. Thanks.
Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
It's simple so no need to worry 'bout it if you are.
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Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
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
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
Here are some snaps with a metal rule - the only straight edge I could get my hands on.
The instrument is tuned.
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Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
And this is the bridge - sitting in it's caste aluminium (I assume) slot.
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Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
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.
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
Whoops - forgot to include the measurement shots...
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Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.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.
Rebel Yell
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
Thanks Greg & Roman,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.
I contacted the local luthier bloke yesterday - he's retired. Bummer.
Time to start searching again.
Cheers
rayc
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
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.
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.
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
Thanks Lt. Bob,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.
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
rayc
Re: RESONATOR ACTION PROBLEM
it's really not hard so if you need to we can walk you thru it