Action and Shimming

[Jaco]

Michael

What kind of action is best on a Reso .....? And it part does it depend on the guitarist? I mostly play slide but use fretted notes at times ad chord variations.

Also if one wants to raise the action just a bit, what is the best way to go about it? What material is best for shimming a nut?

Thanks!

Regards,

Jaco

[Michael Messer]

Hi Jaco,

There is no 'best string height' as it is a personal thing to each player. However, there is an average height that is used by most good manufacturers and repairers as a good string height for both slide and regular picking. This is >at the 12th fret - 2.5mm on the bass side and 3mm on the treble side. This is so personal and depends on your playing style and touch. I set my strings higher than that because it suits my style and touch, some people prefer the strings lower. Somewhere around the measurements I have suggested will be fine.

The best material to use as a shim under the bone nut is a slither of veneer wood. It is very thin and easy to cut with a sharp knife and you can add it in layers to get the correct height.

Shine On
Michael.

[Jaco]

Michael

I just measured at the 12th fret. With the ruler flush with the body I get a reading of about 5mm on both the bass and treble. Is that how I should measure it. Also it's not really uncomfortable for me to play it at that height. I may need to shim the nut as it seems a little low nearer the headstock.

I learned a great lesson from something Robin said to me via email " don't go for the perfect, but the perfectly acceptable." Which has made me feel so much better, and in the long run will help me become a better slide guitarist as I learn different ways to compensate for the imperfections that are inherent of a Reso.

Thanks!

Jaco

[fibrebundle]

Is it 5 mm above the fret, or the fretboard? If it is that much above the fret, it is a bit too high, though if you are happy with it, nothing wrong with it, I suppose.

[Jaco]

FB

My step son has a triangular shaped ruler I guess you would call it, and I lay it flush on the body of the guitar at the 12th fret and it reads zero to five mm from the fretboard to string. Perhaps less than a hair under five .....same on the treble side.

[fibrebundle]

The 2.5 mm 'ideal' height is above the top of twelfth fret (not fretboard) to the bottom of the string. How much is it above the twelfth fret? The fret has a certain height above the fretboard, so it will surely be less than 5 mm.

[Jaco]

FB

From the top of the fret at the 12th fret to the bottom of the string is 3mm . ......

Thanks for teaching me how to measure that FB .....much appreciation!

Jaco

[fibrebundle]

That looks decent enough. I prefer it at 2.5 mm, but I can see someone preferring 3mm as well. Surely in the acceptable range.

[Deleted]

A bit of timber veneer is fine for raising the action. Usually one piece is thick enough..you can glue it to the bottom of the nut and trim it to shape, and then can also sand it down a bit if it's too tall. It's surprising how much difference just a very thin piece of veneer will make to the feel at the nut. I get most of my veneer from what comes as part of the packing inside cigar boxes...it's usually mahogany or spanish cedar, really easy to cut with a scalpel or sharp knife.

[Jaco]

@fb Thanks again ......I also did the measurement on the treble side and it was just a hair under 3mm.
@chickenbonejohn .....Love that user name! John if i can't get my hands on some old cigar boxes do you have any other suggestions as to other items of veneer wood? I live in Chongqing, it's a huge city 32 million ppl. But you'd be surprised at how difficult it is at times to find what you really need .....But I think I get the idea of what "veneer wood" is.

Much thanks and appreciation to you and FB .....

Regards,

Jaco

[gaucho]

I've used the little wooden stirrers you get in coffee shops before. They are perfect width for the nut slot and are easily cut and sanded. Don't know whit kinda wood it is but it seems to sound fine.

[Jaco]

gaucho

Thanks so much for the suggestion. Will consider this as well. Much appreciation!

Jaco

[Jaco]

Question: Would a piece of Bamboo wood work as a shim for the nut? I'm in search of cedar, mahogany, and to be honest I don't really know what veneer wood is......so to sound so dense, but can someone give me an example of veneer ....?

Jaco

[gaucho]

I wouldn't use it.. Bamboo is not actually a wood, but a grass. I think it has a pretty irregular surface. I'd clip a little shim out of an old credit card before I used bamboo. I had a luthier tell me that he always used circuit board for a shim because it's super hard.

[Jaco]

gaucho ....Ok ....Bamboo is out! Thanks ....Still trying to figure out what "veneer" wood is.

Jaco