Setting Up An Action On Acoustic/Electric

[Robert Spencer]

Can I simply sand down under side of the bone saddle on my A/E bass to lower the action? ( I plan to install a K&K Pure Sound pickup anyway). But it would still be nice to keep the active electronics & mix that with the new passive setup. Thanks & take care. Bob

[Pilgrim]

I recommend that you NOT modify the original saddle.

To lower the action on my A/E bass, I ordered a couple of blanks from Stew-Mac online, used the original saddle to draw an outline on one of the blanks, then made a modified saddle out of the blank. By doing this, if I screwed it up, I still had the original saddle to fall back on.

It will cost you all of about $10 to do it this way.

[Robert Spencer]

Pilgrim, Thanks for answering my question. I have seen the blanks in my SM catalog and considered doing that but was still in question as to the technique. So I take it that lowering the height of the saddle is the correct procedure for lowering string ( action ) height. Right now I have about 3/16" between my fretboard and bottom of the E string @ the 12th fret. What is considered a good comfortable working height? Thanks & take care. Bob