Own an electric acoustic takamine? Found out something cool. - Harmony Central Musician Community Forums

pixelchemist · 08-18-2008, 10:53 AM

So I own a Takamine EG530SSC that I really love the sound of... and used to think it played really nice until i strated getting to be a better player and found that playing higher up the neck was harder than it should be becuase the action was so high...

So i went to explore what I could do to get the action down where it should be and in doing some research discovered that Takamine shims the the saddles so that the action is higher for Gorilla fisted music store customers and that you can remove all but the thickest (white) shim to get the action just about perfect.

had to loosen up the strings pop the pins... carefully pull out the saddle while reaching in the soundhole and pushing gently up on the pickup wire. then carefully pull all the shims out a jewelers screw driver. then re-insert the thickest shim and makes sure its seated correctly... then insert the saddle again with firm pressure (this time pulling on the pickup wire gently) and check that its in evenly and flush... put back the strings and enjoy your new much more playable tak.

Bubbalou · 08-18-2008, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelchemist

So I own a Takamine EG530SSC that I really love the sound of... and used to think it played really nice until i strated getting to be a better player and found that playing higher up the neck was harder than it should be becuase the action was so high...

So i went to explore what I could do to get the action down where it should be and in doing some research discovered that Takamine shims the the saddles so that the action is higher for Gorilla fisted music store customers and that you can remove all but the thickest (white) shim to get the action just about perfect.

had to loosen up the strings pop the pins... carefully pull out the saddle while reaching in the soundhole and pushing gently up on the pickup wire. then carefully pull all the shims out a jewelers screw driver. then re-insert the thickest shim and makes sure its seated correctly... then insert the saddle again with firm pressure (this time pulling on the pickup wire gently) and check that its in evenly and flush... put back the strings and enjoy your new much more playable tak.

Now that is really cool!
Love stories like this where it only cost a little of your time to have something that plays well for you. I didn't have any shims but I was able to lower mine with careful removal of the bottom of my saddle until lowered it about 1/16".

boxorox · 08-19-2008, 11:13 AM

I've seen it in Ovation's and some other guitars. It's a good thing to check for before you go tweaking truss rod of filing your saddle. Put thos old shims in a baggie in the ditty box of your case. Never know when they'll come in handy.

picothinker · 08-19-2008, 12:05 PM

Thanks for the tip! I recently got a Tak EG531SSC (Korean, 5 years old) and have been waiting to get my fingers of marshmallow built up a bit before doing anything. I knew there were shims, thanks for the more detailed how-to.

Kap'n · 08-19-2008, 01:07 PM

Cool.

Another interesting thing about Takamines is the preamps are interchangeable. If you can find somebody to sell you say, the "Cool Tube" or the preamp with the tuner built in, you can swap 'em till you find the one you like.

mc5nrg · 08-19-2008, 02:44 PM

The situation you describe is pretty common these days. Checking for removable bridge saddle shims is step one in evaluating the action of any recent acoustic you purchase that plays kind of stiff/could use lower action.

Sorvisa · 08-19-2008, 09:19 PM

When I took my jumbo in for a setup, the guys at the sales counter
tried to argue with me on whether or not mine had shims. It took the store mgr. over hearing us to set them straight.

Anyway they took the shims out and I finally put them back in to stop fret buzzing.

chiro972 · 08-20-2008, 05:58 AM

I looked at my saddle and realized I couldn't just shave it down. It is not level on the bottom, so I searched the web and found the same bit of info. Really helpful.

picothinker · 08-22-2008, 10:02 AM

I took mine apart, and there was only one shim in there. It was reddish colored. I took it out, and it does indeed feel better to me.

Question? Is it OK to have the transducer on the bare wood (the shim was below the saddle/transducer)? On the one hand, it seems like that might be better contact. On the other, I hope that the transducer isn't expecting the shim, as far as fit.

This guitar is five years old (but new to me), and it's somewhat broken in from new. Is the "leave one shim in" advice only for new?

pixelchemist · 08-22-2008, 10:15 AM

well mine has two red shims and one much thicker white shim. The place i found out about the shims said to leave the white one in... my guess is its flatter than the groove in the bridge so the volume on the strings is consistant... i might try taking that one out at some point to and see how it is... I have a feeling though that it would make the strings far too low on my takamine

picothinker · 08-22-2008, 10:52 AM

I meant to (but haven't yet) measure the thickness of the lone red one I removed. No buzzing, nothing seems to be fretting out. It seems nothing but better so far. I haven't plugged it back in to listen to the preamp output though. I did make a simple test recording when I first got it, I may do an A/B on that.

08-18-2008, 10:53 AM	#1
pixelchemist Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Secaucus NJ Posts: 1,801	Own an electric acoustic takamine? Found out something cool. So I own a Takamine EG530SSC that I really love the sound of... and used to think it played really nice until i strated getting to be a better player and found that playing higher up the neck was harder than it should be becuase the action was so high... So i went to explore what I could do to get the action down where it should be and in doing some research discovered that Takamine shims the the saddles so that the action is higher for Gorilla fisted music store customers and that you can remove all but the thickest (white) shim to get the action just about perfect. had to loosen up the strings pop the pins... carefully pull out the saddle while reaching in the soundhole and pushing gently up on the pickup wire. then carefully pull all the shims out a jewelers screw driver. then re-insert the thickest shim and makes sure its seated correctly... then insert the saddle again with firm pressure (this time pulling on the pickup wire gently) and check that its in evenly and flush... put back the strings and enjoy your new much more playable tak. __________________ 98 Fender Am. Dlx. Strat 00 Fender Am. Dbl. Dlx. Fat Strat Floyd 89 Kramer F-6000 08 Xaviere XV-620 09 Xaviere XV-910 10 Xaviere XV-JT40 Sunburst 07 Epi LP Studio 05 Schecter C1 Exotic 64 Guild T-100 07 Agile AL-3100 09 Gibson Zoot SG ** Partscaster Strat 07 Tak EG530SSC 08 Breedlove AC250/SM12 08 Martin Classic Backpacker 91 Ibanez SR-1000E 68 Fender P-Bass GT10 / M13 / Ethos Overdrive / JamMan Champ Clone 65' GA40 Clone Bedrock 1202 Mesa Electa*Dyne

08-19-2008, 01:07 PM	#5
Kap'n Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Oceania Posts: 4,064	Cool. Another interesting thing about Takamines is the preamps are interchangeable. If you can find somebody to sell you say, the "Cool Tube" or the preamp with the tuner built in, you can swap 'em till you find the one you like. __________________ *Root Boy Slim owes me money!*

08-19-2008, 02:44 PM	#6
mc5nrg Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Back in the USA Posts: 2,716	The situation you describe is pretty common these days. Checking for removable bridge saddle shims is step one in evaluating the action of any recent acoustic you purchase that plays kind of stiff/could use lower action. __________________ "Now we're going to play a Cecil Taylor tune"-Fred "Sonic" Smith check out www.myspace.com/sonicsrendezvousband box set recommended!

08-22-2008, 10:15 AM	#10
pixelchemist Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Secaucus NJ Posts: 1,801	well mine has two red shims and one much thicker white shim. The place i found out about the shims said to leave the white one in... my guess is its flatter than the groove in the bridge so the volume on the strings is consistant... i might try taking that one out at some point to and see how it is... I have a feeling though that it would make the strings far too low on my takamine __________________ 98 Fender Am. Dlx. Strat 00 Fender Am. Dbl. Dlx. Fat Strat Floyd 89 Kramer F-6000 08 Xaviere XV-620 09 Xaviere XV-910 10 Xaviere XV-JT40 Sunburst 07 Epi LP Studio 05 Schecter C1 Exotic 64 Guild T-100 07 Agile AL-3100 09 Gibson Zoot SG ** Partscaster Strat 07 Tak EG530SSC 08 Breedlove AC250/SM12 08 Martin Classic Backpacker 91 Ibanez SR-1000E 68 Fender P-Bass GT10 / M13 / Ethos Overdrive / JamMan Champ Clone 65' GA40 Clone Bedrock 1202 Mesa Electa*Dyne

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08-19-2008, 11:13 AM	#3
boxorox Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The Great State of Wilkes Posts: 2,407	I've seen it in Ovation's and some other guitars. It's a good thing to check for before you go tweaking truss rod of filing your saddle. Put thos old shims in a baggie in the ditty box of your case. Never know when they'll come in handy.

08-19-2008, 12:05 PM	#4
picothinker Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 212	Thanks for the tip! I recently got a Tak EG531SSC (Korean, 5 years old) and have been waiting to get my fingers of marshmallow built up a bit before doing anything. I knew there were shims, thanks for the more detailed how-to.

08-19-2008, 09:19 PM	#7
Sorvisa Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Staley,NC Posts: 107	When I took my jumbo in for a setup, the guys at the sales counter tried to argue with me on whether or not mine had shims. It took the store mgr. over hearing us to set them straight. Anyway they took the shims out and I finally put them back in to stop fret buzzing.

08-22-2008, 10:02 AM	#9
picothinker Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 212	I took mine apart, and there was only one shim in there. It was reddish colored. I took it out, and it does indeed feel better to me. Question? Is it OK to have the transducer on the bare wood (the shim was below the saddle/transducer)? On the one hand, it seems like that might be better contact. On the other, I hope that the transducer isn't expecting the shim, as far as fit. This guitar is five years old (but new to me), and it's somewhat broken in from new. Is the "leave one shim in" advice only for new?

08-22-2008, 10:52 AM	#11
picothinker Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 212	I meant to (but haven't yet) measure the thickness of the lone red one I removed. No buzzing, nothing seems to be fretting out. It seems nothing but better so far. I haven't plugged it back in to listen to the preamp output though. I did make a simple test recording when I first got it, I may do an A/B on that.