Lines appeared on top?

dbphoto

I bought a new Sigma 000MR4 from Coda last week and have noticed today two lines, lighter in colour than the rest of the top, that run the length of the top, and that I am positive were not there when it arrived, any thoughts?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ahz7hux1pgib15/IMG_2809.jpg?raw=1

ICBM

That looks like a bit of normal wood figuring.

I'd be more concerned that the bridge saddle appears to be far too high. If the action isn't, then something is wrong with the neck joint angle.

RandallFlagg

The figuring in the wood is normal, it will change over time and the rest will probably turn a nice golden amber colour, the lighter streaks are nothing to worry about, I have them on my Martin D28 too.

AliGorie

that top was once a living thing with cosmetic variances - like us.
Looks like a few years (two or three) of accelerated growth - (water / sunlight) see how the annular lines get wider around the lighter colored area.
 

dbphoto

@ICBM the bridge saddle height is fine, it just looks too high as it’s a fairly shallow bridge, a couple of mm less than any of my other acoustics.  (It doesn’t help that and the ebony pins I bought for it are a bit too small, so are sitting further in than I would like). 

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

the bridge saddle appears to be far too high. 

dbphoto said:

the bridge saddle height ... just looks too high as it’s a fairly shallow bridge, a couple of mm less than any of my other acoustics.

The concern here is not the absolute height of the the top edge of the saddle above the soundboard but the proportion of the saddle height that protrudes compared to the depth of the saddle slot in the bridge. 

dbphoto

I could not find a ruler before leaving home at 5.30am this morning but I would say at its highest point the bridge is at least 7mm, with the saddle another 4mm at the most, which I would not think is a problem?

http://www.dropbox.com/s/n8mwn0yvl8hng91/IMG_2813.jpg?raw=1

I still think it's weird that those lines are visible when a week ago they were not..............

ICBM

dbphoto said:

I could not find a ruler before leaving home at 5.30am this morning but I would say at its highest point the bridge is at least 7mm, with the saddle another 4mm at the most, which I would not think is a problem?

It looks more than that to me, although it can sometimes be a bit deceptive.

Whether that is too much depends partly on how deep the slot is. It's not a good idea to have more than half the saddle above the bridge, nor a good idea to have the break angle of the strings over it sharper than 45º - both of which look like it might be so, or at least very close, here - either of them puts excessive forward pressure on the saddle which at worst can break it, and at best tends to affect the tone since the saddle is being pushed forward more than downward. It also increases the 'turning' force on the bridge which can speed up the top bellying behind the bridge.

dbphoto said:

I still think it's weird that those lines are visible when a week ago they were not..............

It may just be something to do with lighting. I think it's unlikely the rest of the top has darkened significantly in that time.

dbphoto

I will try to remember and take a ruler home from my workshop today for accurate measurements.

Mostly just to settle my OCD ;-)

For £250 I'm happy as it sounds and feels good.

ICBM

It at least has the advantage that if the top does start to pull up, it's easy to get the action back down without resetting the neck - I'd rather have it *slightly* too high than too low, on a new guitar. It's just that that one does look a bit excessive.

dbphoto

ICBM said:

dbphoto said:

I still think it's weird that those lines are visible when a week ago they were not..............

It may just be something to do with lighting. I think it's unlikely the rest of the top has darkened significantly in that time.

Now you are making me wonder if it is the lighting in my home office as I only noticed it when the 'boss' told me to move it out of the living room...................(if that is the case I am going to feel like a complete muppet)

dbphoto

I was fairly accurate with my guesstimate @ICBM and the break angle looks ok to me

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ni699q8mi9sj2e/IMG_2839.jpg?raw=1

ICBM

If you're happy with it .

It looks borderline or too high to me, but if there's a bit of movement as the guitar settles down so it needs reducing at the next set-up it won't be as bad.