MM blues on ebay

[mickey]

I've been watching this for a while, he did have it up for sale at £500 but has now re-listed at £400. Northampton is not that far from me, definitely do-able for a "collection in person" but I was worried about buying anything from someone who appeared not to know what he was talking about. (The original price, being a discontinued model, having owned a 2011 guitar for 2 years) Plus he says "the action has been professionally lowered", which I would have to reverse - is that as simple as merely replacing the saddle?

Mickey

[Deleted]

Its been £400 for about a week now. I think its still there because Ron has been selling guaranteed near perfect ones and they end up not too far off that price. And Ron knows his stuff! You'd hope that a saddle change might be all thats required (I would have said "I lowered the saddle" in the ad), but maybe the neck came off and chisels were used!
TT

[mickey]

Chisels? Hmm. Think I'll keep looking, there's no rush. (And no real need, according to the lovely Mrs M)

Mickey

[Deleted]

From the horses mouth...
" the action was lowered by a top luthier and it involved lowering the biscuit block under the sound hole to a nice lowish action "
TT

[mickey]

Well, that definitely puts me off buying this - at the risk of sounding like a complete newbie who has never taken one of these guitars apart to see how they work (which, er, I might be), I didn't know you could lower the biscuit, I thought it sat on top of the cone? He doesn't mean reducing the depth of the biscuit itself, does he?

Mickey

[1928triolian]

Hi Mickey.

Actually, not the biscuit must have been lowered, but the bridge saddle that sits on the biscuit and is inserted in a slot cut in the biscuit itself.

It's a very very simple modification one could do by himself.

Of course, if you want to raise the action again, you must have a new saddle inserted in the biscuit , or a new biscuit/saddle.

[mickey]

Hi 1928triolian

Yes, that's what I thought. But the quote about lowering the biscuit was in direct response to a question which included the phrase "was it just the saddle?" so he did have the chance to simply say yes.

Mickey

[1928triolian]

Hi again Mickey,

thank you for pointing it out ( sorry, I did not read this thread and the ebay auction with enough attention... )
yes, it sounds like a little strange way to do things, and it could be not the best idea for the tone, unless the biscuit was really too thick.

In any case, the important thing is that the guitar is structurally un-modified.
But at this point it would a new quality maple biscuit/bridge...

[pete1951]

Robin @ Busker sometimes has the odd MM "factory second" (usualy a small finish fault) . I`d try him before buying a second-hand one at close to the cost of a new one.
PT