Sod it. Over-sanded acoustic saddle

scarry67

So I did it in stages to lower action on my Yamaha LJ16 but last bit of sanding took it just under the bridge! It didn’t sound any different even though the high E string was not touching the saddle but simply angling just over bridge and on to the nut! I’ve put in tiny plastic card shim under treble end now but the action is limited to 2 mm by bridge height. Is it worth getting replacement saddle? 

paulnb57

Replacing the saddle will fix the sanding mistake and saddle will at least fit the bottom of the slot better, if you can live with a 2mm action, job done....if not then further work will be required in other areas!...

ICBM

If necessary you can reduce the height of the bridge as well. You’ll often find this done on older Yamaha FGs - they often suffer from neck angle issues and overly high action.

JCA2550

ICBM said:

If necessary you can reduce the height of the bridge as well. You’ll often find this done on older Yamaha FGs - they often suffer from neck angle issues and overly high action.

Yep, this especially common with newer Yamaha acoustics too, something about too shallow a neck angle as standard. I've shaved the bridge on several FG series guitars.

scarry67

Presumably replacement saddles come “high” awaiting being sanded/filed to individual action? The ones I’ve seen on eBay look quite a bit bigger than mine was. 

ICBM

scarry67 said:

Presumably replacement saddles come “high” awaiting being sanded/filed to individual action? The ones I’ve seen on eBay look quite a bit bigger than mine was. 

Yes.

thermionic

This is why saddles are sold in packs of two.

scarry67

Moral of story: amateur luthier work best avoided on Friday evening whilst enjoying lager.

Funkfingers

If the guitar were ever to be fitted with an under-saddle piezo transducer strip, you would want the underside face of the saddle to make full and equal contact along its entire length. 

I concur with those who would reduce the overall action by shaving the wooden portion of the bridge.