Ever had a Larivee's neck reset?

[magictwanger]

Well,I don't want to cause a topic change either,but the Blue Chip Picks have garnished an incredible reputation.There are seven or eight pages of correspondence on UMGF regarding their attributes.Most are RAVES!

  Me?I'm thinking about trying out "squid beak".Hard,and with good string attack,and great tone.Never wears out!Only get the "Giant Squid" ones though.Very expensive!!!

  Btw,for those not living in the USA,I can sell you any bridge you like.Around here,I sell The Brooklyn Bridge.

[docrach1]

Evening,  This year I bought a 12 string L body (marked l-45 I believe) that I believe dates back to the mid 90's. It had been well played with many small nicks and bumps in the finish.  I noted that the action was high past the 10th fret and the angle of the neck to the bridge seemed off. On close inspection the sound board of the upper bout seemed bowed in.  My luthier agreed that the neck angle was off and the years of high tension on the strings caused the changes in the soundboard. He did a neck reset which took about 6 weeks and cost $500 (though as usual with him he did some other stuff like replace some frets for free) .  It now plays easy and sweet all the way up the neck. 

[BluesMan1]

   Hey MT, are you able to send a squid beak to the US? And, are they available thin enough for an acoustic? my bone, horn, & fake T.S. are just too thick. Are the squid ones only made as a heavier pick? Would like to know. Thanks.
     Jeff   

[gtrplayer]

I had the dreaded 12th fret neck hump usually indicative of a pending neck reset with my Larrivee. The action was too high to control the buzzing that occurred at normal string height.  

I notified Larrivee  customer service and to make a long story short they took care of the issue.  It wasn't resolved the way I wanted but resolved nonetheless.

A fretboard replaning and refret along with slight bridge shaving was the fix.  Not the way most techs/luthiers would have done it.

My thinking is that Larrivee addressed the issue with the manufacturing gigs/setups in place.  Easier to send it through the mfg process again than to subject it to a lengthy procedure requiring a bit more finesse, different setups/processes etc.

The action on my 000-50 is now fine and she sounds great.  As to ramifications with future work if needed, who knows?  Two years and no issues.

gtrplayer



   

[jimmy buffett]

I had the dreaded 12th fret neck hump usually indicative of a pending neck reset with my Larrivee. The action was too high to control the buzzing that occurred at normal string height.  

It wasn't resolved the way I wanted but resolved nonetheless.

A fretboard replaning and re fret along with slight bridge shaving was the fix.  Not the way most techs/luthiers would have done it.

As to ramifications with future work if needed, who knows?  Two years and no issues.

gtrplayer

Actually, I have seen several of these issues solved by planing (or sanding down) the fret board, and shaving the bridge as well.  This is a quick way to deal with the problem at a much lower cost and you can do a re fret at the same time, but I agree that future issues might present a problem.  I guess it depends on just how badly the neck is out of line and how much they have to take off.

unclrob, what are your thoughts on this???

On the other hand if it lasts another 25 years, you can worry about it then.  As for me, I'll be 81 at that time,  and it might not be a big issue...

[tadol]

I think the question would be how much they had to take off the fingerboard, and off the bridge - If it was a slight buzz, and they only had to take a few thousandths off the fretboard and 1/16th or less off the bridge, that seems like a very reasonable way to deal with it. If they had to sand it down to the point that the binding had a strong appearance of a taper, and they had to take 1/8" or more off the bridge, then I would be concerned.

Tad

[unclrob]

Well my answer will probably get me in trouble with someone.....So here goes both feet....I have sanded the bottom of many a bridge in lu of a neck set about 1/32" no more then that.In some case's a simple fret dressing cure's the hump issue.I have done planing of the fingerboard and it is best to do whole board so eveything stays even and refret.It is always a matter of $$$ for everyone.Right now I have a Kent Bonanza 12 string that I shaved the bridge on that the client wanted me to reset the neck on but didn't want to pay the price,he thought it was a $50 job.In the end the bridge,2 neck cracks and one top crack came to $225 and he thought that that was too much.He called around and I was the cheapest.So maybe I should raise my price.

[Zohn]

I noted that the action was high past the 10th fret and the angle of the neck to the bridge seemed off. On close inspection the sound board of the upper bout seemed bowed in.  My luthier agreed that the neck angle was off and the years of high tension on the strings caused the changes in the soundboard. He did a neck reset which took about 6 weeks and cost $500 (though as usual with him he did some other stuff like replace some frets for free) .  

This is the info I'm after - if I didn't know better, I would have been convinced that neck-resets on Larrivee's are being swept under the carpet, or bluntly covered up. Fact is, in today's money, $500 is a lot of money - well at least in Africa it is!

...I have sanded the bottom of many a bridge in lu of a neck set about 1/32" no more then that.In some case's a simple fret dressing cure's the hump issue.I have done planing of the fingerboard and it is best to do whole board so eveything stays even and refret.It is always a matter of $$$ for everyone.Right now I have a Kent Bonanza 12 string that I shaved the bridge on that the client wanted me to reset the neck on but didn't want to pay the price,he thought it was a $50 job.In the end the bridge,2 neck cracks and one top crack came to $225 and he thought that that was too much.He called around and I was the cheapest.So maybe I should raise my price.

Actually, I have seen several of these issues solved by planing (or sanding down) the fret board, and shaving the bridge as well.  This is a quick way to deal with the problem at a much lower cost and you can do a re fret at the same time, but I agree that future issues might present a problem.  I guess it depends on just how badly the neck is out of line and how much they have to take off.

I had the dreaded 12th fret neck hump usually indicative of a pending neck reset with my Larrivee. The action was too high to control the buzzing that occurred at normal string height.  

First off - thank y'awl for your posts - makes for interesting debate indeed, and is much appreciated   .
Could the "dreaded hump" be indicative of a required re-set, or of a dry guitar?   It seems that skimming or straightening of the fingerboard and/or shaving of the bridge is a relative way to "make the measuring points meet". The real question is does it affect the neck-angle which surely is the real issue here?  

[unclrob]

Shaving the bridge bottom doesn't change the neck angle itself but does change action.By lowering the bridge even as little as 1/32" does change the take off angle of the strings from the bridge.The lower cost does make this a better option.To do a neck reset on a guitar selling for under $1000 it just isn't worth it.Above that value a neck reset depending on the guitar can both devalue and increase value of the instrument.

[jimmy buffett]

It seems that skimming or straightening of the fingerboard and/or shaving of the bridge is a relative way to "make the measuring points meet". The real question is does it affect the neck-angle which surely is the real issue here?  

Zohn,

My buddy took his 30 year old "Law Suit" Takamine to a local luthier, and together they sanded down the fret board and did a refret.  I can't be specific on the amount of wood they took off of that fret board,  but it saved them from having to do a full reset.  In the end, the set up was perfect and you could not tell by looking at the guitar that it had ever been touched.  In fact, it looked like new.  This turned out to be a good solution for an otherwise fine "old" guitar.

If anyone wants to know more about how this project turned out, he's a member of this Forum under the name "swainsong".  Just send him a PM, but be prepared to get back a very long and detailed response....

jimmy

[tadol]

Zohn - Isn't it all about "making the measuring points meet"? If it's done at the factory before its sent out, or done after someones played it a few years, what's the difference? I think that what unclrob says really makes sense - At some point, the cost of a reset is not warranted, especially if the problem can be resolved less expensively. The root of alot of these problems seems to be moisture. Usually too little. When the wood dries out, and shrinks, it can be hard to re-introduce moisture, especially a thick piece like the heel block. Once that is "stable" at whatever moisture content it sits at, then to adjust the fretboard and bridge to make the points meet seems not only a good idea, but ultimately a much more stable instrument -

But again - within reason - 1/32 is not bad, but if someone advised taking the bridge down  1/8" or more on a good quality guitar, I would be rather concerned. But on a flea market special, to make it playable for cheap, it is what it is -   

Tad

[jeremy3220]

I had the dreaded 12th fret neck hump usually indicative of a pending neck reset with my Larrivee. The action was too high to control the buzzing that occurred at normal string height.  

If they set the neck to lower the action then the hump would be worse. Now if it was a dip instead of a hump then it would be a different story.

[unclrob]

I want everyone to measure the amount of height they have on the wings of the bridge.If they have an 1/8" or more it would suprize me.Most have a little more then a 1/16".

I look at the wings as more decoration then involved with the tone of the guitar.I have taken one down to just above credit card thickness with great results.

[jeremy3220]

The wings on my OM-03MT are 8/64" (1/8).

If you are interested here's a thread I started on the luthiers forum about bridge wing thickness...

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=21645

[unclrob]

Great thread you started Jeremy.Way to much math for me .I guess thats why I repair and I don't build,just not that smart.As for a noticable tone or volumn responce I've not notice a change,nor have the clients I've done this for.I always felt that the volumn /tone responce came more from the bridge plate then the bridge itself.