6 string: Bridge/string height for good playing action?

Posted by carverman on December 23, 2010 at 9:38am

I'm in the final stage of getting my first CBG setup for a good action to the 22nd fret. 

Since I'm fretting it, like my other 6 strings, I want the strings to be around 1/8" ( or no

more than 3/16") high at the 20th fret.   Not being familiar with a flat CB top and neck

angle requirements, I have followed a plan supplied for dropping the CB down on the

neck block, but when I went to glue it up..the action was way too high for the bridge that

I had designed for it.  I managed to correct it by raising the tailpiece end up about a 1/4 of

an inch from the heel end..and it seems better.

 

What do other CBG builders do to reach a satisfactory neck angle action?

CBG1 tailpiece.jpg

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Replies

  • carverman December 23, 2010 at 1:20pm

    I just cut through the epoxy with my razor saw/carving knife and inserted a 1/4 inch piece

    of wood in the gap under it,  to raise the  tp end up slightly.

    That took care of most of the action string height problem, now I''m working on the last detail

     before putting a fresh set of strings on it. the tail piece is sitting against a walnut piece on

     the lid,  and that is putting pressure enough to skew the lid with only tiny hinges. 

    I've made up a a lid support piece that goes around the tone block and glued to the ends

    of the CB to try and relieve some of the tension that the 6 strings are going to exert on the

     tail piece and the lid. 

    As you can see..this is new territory for me..and I probably should have extended the tail

     piece block  out a bit and used a different TP design to accomodate the string tension..

    but now I'm stuck with  my radical design.

    The mistakes are lessons learned on the next one..which will be much better,

     because I will have a better idea of what not to do.

    MichaelS said:

    I have not made a 6 string but I mock mine up as I go so the neck hight/angle work with the bridge. Its hard to set up strings before the tuners are in so I use a straight edge and sight down it to see were the action is, aproximately as I go along. Yours looks good so far, and it sounds like you fixed the problem.
  • MichaelS Country Boy Guitars December 23, 2010 at 11:37am
    I have not made a 6 string but I mock mine up as I go so the neck hight/angle work with the bridge. Its hard to set up strings before the tuners are in so I use a straight edge and sight down it to see were the action is, aproximately as I go along. Yours looks good so far, and it sounds like you fixed the problem.
  • carverman December 23, 2010 at 10:18am

    Here is the picture with the CB attached .

     

    CB wired up and mounted.jpg

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