Action too high - suggestions welcome

[davest50]

Hello, I'm hoping someone can offer up some wisdom.

I've an MM Lightning that I bought about 3 years ago. I love the sound and it's a gorgeous guitar but the action is very high, it's always put me off trying finger style so I recently had it checked at my local guitar shop to see if they could set it up better.

After trying to adjust the biscuit height and the truss rod his conclusion was that he got it as low as he could without loosing the break angle over the bridge. Tightening the rod more creates a hump in the neck where it joins the body...which is not good. He suggested the only option would be to redo the neck but he didn't recommend it given the cost of the work versus the guitar.

Currently the height at the 12 fret is 9mm on the bass and 8mm on the treble which does make fretting tricky. ?

It still sounds great for slide but I'd like to try more. Has anyone encountered anything like this or have any advice?

all help gratefully recieved

Regards

[Michael Messer]

Hi Dave,

That sounds extremely high. MM guitars at that time were set up by Robin at Busker Guitars and as far as know, apart from 'B' stock guitars, all are set up to be around 2.5 to 3.5mm at the 12th fret. The advice you received was correct, the only way to lower the strings, if the bridge is as low as possible, is to have the neck reset. It is well worth doing if you like the guitar, but it must be done by someone who has done this job many times.

Shine On
Michael

[washboardchris]

Hi, reseting the neck on your guitar is an easier job than on a normal guitar. If you are in the midlands I would go to John Alderston (Delta Guitars).You can try Dave King but I suspect that It will take him some time to do as he seems to have quite a few irons in the fire. If you any where near East Anglia I can put you intouch with my local man who is very good(he has done two vintage National for me and done a great Job) hope some of this may help.

[Deleted]

Hi there
Firstly, I wouldn't trust your local guitar shop to do that set up you initially wanted.
I think there's a chance that someone like John Alderson (or chickenbone john etc) or other people here might see a different solution to a neck reset.
And don't trust you guitar shop to do the neck reste if needed!
TT

[Michael Messer]

Hi Dave,

Can we see some photos of the guitar? The break angle from bridge to tailpiece and the height of the strings on the neck.

Shine On
Michael

[davest50]

Thank you very much to everyone for the quick and helpful advice, I'm somewhat overwhelmed by the response I absolutely take the point about seeking out a better luthier to take a look, I'm near Edinburgh but will travel to get a fix if needs be.

I bought the guitar unseen from a London shop, not sure if that makes me foolish or just optimistic. It didn't come from Buskers, not directly anyway.

I'll get some photos uploaded tonight once I get home tonight.

Thanks again to everyone for the feedback, I feel more positive about it already

Cheers

Dave

[Michael Messer]

Hi Dave,

There is not much I can do after three years, apart from advise you. All MM Guitars in the UK at that time were set up by Robin, even the ones that went to shops. What happened to guitars when they arrived at shops was beyond our control and is one of the reasons that these days MM Guitars are only available direct from me. Where did you buy it?

Shine On
Michael

[washboardchris]

When a Reso is set up well the break angle can look very shallow.Your Local shop may not know this & think that they need to preserve a steep angle.how much room is there between the top of the strings and the hand rest?

[snakehips]

Hi there !

I'm in and around Edinburgh.
I work in Edinburgh's southside and live in Inveresk, Musselburgh (East Lothian)

I'd be happy to look at your guitar in the meantime. I am NOT a luthier though, but I've had my fair share of guitars needing neck resets to spot when they need them (some of the time, at least).

The offer is there anyway !

[davest50]

Adding the images, a couple of the break and one of the action. Hopefully this shows enough?

Cheers

Dave

[washboardchris]

Hi, the angle looks quite steep to me (its steeper than any of my nationals)if you have too much downward pressure it can choke the cone.

[Michael Messer]

Hi Dave,

The neck of this guitar requires resetting.

If this guitar was like this when it was at Busker HQ, it would have been sold by Busker at a discount price as a 'B' stock guitar for playing lap-style slide.

I don't know who you can take it to locally, but I do suggest that to make it really playable, you get it done. In the hands of an experienced resonator guitar repairer this instrument will be transformed.

I hope that is helpful.

Shine On
Michael.

[Deleted]

Is the heel flat against the body?
Thats a big bow right at the heel!
Was the action lower before your guitar shop adjusted the truss rod?
Best of luck with it.
TT

[davest50]

Hii

The heel is flat against the body, it all seems stable...just curvy.

I'll see if I can find a local expert and get the neck reset. Thanks again for all the help, it's very much appreciated.

It's a pleasure to find such a friendly and supportive community, I suspect I'll be here a lot ?

I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers
Dave

[davest50]

Sorry, just realised I'd missed some posts.

Michael - Fuly understand, three years on it's all down to me. Happy just for the advice. I bought it through Wunjo. Neck aside it's a gorgeous sound so thanks for creating them.

Chris - that may be a good shout. There's about 3-4mm from rest to string, so it's pretty high in a relative sense.

Snakehips - that's very kind, and an extremely tempting offer. If we could work something out that'd be much appreciated. Not sure of the best method on here?

Deuce - it was lower before, I'd 'had a go' myself through truss rod adjusting and shaving down the biscuit but ultimately I took the biscuit too low and there wasn't enough pressure to stop the stings wandering. At which point I took it in for someone with more knowledge than me to look at. At it's lowest it was still about 5mm with wandering stings and a minor hump starting in the neck. So not a good sign I suspect.