Official Luthiers Forum!

So if building a guitar with an adjustable neck mechanism for example you could make the saddle really any height ( with in reason of course). So assuming a 3/8" bridge how much saddle showing above the bridge do you think would be alright? you could move the pins back further to preserve a good break angle but if any of you currently use an adjustable neck or similar mechanism what saddle height do you aim for?

I am asking as I'm thinking about ways to keep as much volume and 'tone' as possible. Seems as if everytime a saddle gets lowered down for a playable action the guitar suffers some in terms of sound

thanks,
Matt

Matt,

Well it depends on how you make your guitars and the sound you are seeking. Take a guitar you have made and make a taller and lower saddle and put them on it and see what happens to the sound. Home in from there and then when you find a height you like think about the torque on the top and modify your bracing plans accordingly. Then iterate If you think the desired height is too high to sufficiently compensate for the torque with your design then you may have to compromise.

You need to be aware that the string height above the fretboard also comes into play as it impacts the playing style and the tonal variety range you can use before the strings start buzzing on the frets. The beauty of an adjustable neck is that you can dial all of this in.

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Matt my friend I would adjust the neck so that the guitar has excellent playability when the string height is 1/2" from the bottom of the low E string to the guitar top measured at the face of the bridge. Of course you can also play with it some but I would not go much higher than 1/2" as described above.

The 1/2" spec is Martin's and regardless of if the guitar has an adjustable neck or not you still want to be mindful of the forces that act on the bridge, saddle, top, etc.