Is it possible to lower the action on my ABG?

[Poor Tom]

I have a Michael Kelly Club Custom 4 string ABG, which I love, but the action is a little too high for my likings. Is there a way to lower it? As far as I know the bridge is not adjustable. That would leave the only adjustable thing as the truss rod, but is that a safe or recommended means to get what I am after?

Here is a link to my guitar: http://www.michaelkellyguitars.com/club_custom.html

Thanks guys!

[therex]

yes
check you relief, if there is too much is like having high action

[kesslari]

You can remove the strings, remove the bridge saddle, and sand it down to lower the action. Mark how much you want to lower it, and sand to that point. A little goes a long way.

[fenderhutz]

Isn't there a truss rod adjustment under the neck in the body?

[Poor Tom]

there is fenderhutz, but I wasn't sure if that was a safe option. I've never really adjusted a truss rod before, don't know why but it seems like a scary thing to do.

[fenderhutz]

Originally Posted by Poor Tom

there is fenderhutz, but I wasn't sure if that was a safe option. I've never really adjusted a truss rod before, don't know why but it seems like a scary thing to do.

Pay someone to do it then, or search on here.

[andysick]

Originally Posted by kesslari

You can remove the strings, remove the bridge saddle, and sand it down to lower the action. Mark how much you want to lower it, and sand to that point. A little goes a long way.

+1 I have this exact bass and when i got it the action was way too high for me as well. I took the strings off and notched that plastic blade saddle, a la Bada$$. I took it down to half the depth of each string and it plays much nicer now. Still a touch high, but much much better.

[Pilgrim]

I lowered the action on my Applause bass, but I did NOT modify the original bridge saddle. That seemed like a REALLY bad idea because it's a one-way street. (If you screw it up, then what do you do???)

I ordered two replacement saddles (blanks) in the same thickness from Stew-Mac, traced the old saddle onto the new material, then worked on the new material.

I wanted to preserve the original saddle in case I screwed up the replacements or found that lower action just wouldn't work. I bought two pieces of replacement saddle material because it's cheap and there was no difference in shipping for two. I wasn't sure that I would get the first one right, so I figured - why not have two shots at it?

Keep your original saddle intact. Modify a new blank, and then you know that you're going to have a decent original saddle you can re-install if needed.

Hint: when you're sanding down the new saddle to a lower height, glue a piece of sandpaper onto a piece of marble or slate glass, and sit a 1x2 or 2x4 on the sandpaper - hold the saddle against the side of the wood piece to rub it up and down the sandpaper. This will help you keep the cut on the bottom of the saddle at 90 degrees. It's more work to shape the top of the saddle than the bottom, as you need to get a curve on it. Make sure to keep a decently edge/point on top of the saddle so you get a string break over it.