wd10sce - is it me or are the strings a bit high?

[a human]

Finally found some time to carry my 6 mo. old WD10SCE to my luthier, who is very good, to address the string height/playability.  He felt the only thing he could do at a reasonable cost was to adjust the nut - adjustment of truss or bridge either weren't possible or wouldn't buy me any thing.  I don't think he was wildly enamoured with the set of the neck or the instrument itself.

I find the strings seem a bit too high as you get to the 12th fret and higher ... do others have this feeling?  It feels like playing a classical guitar with steel strings - not my ideal.

But I am new to all this acoustic stuff, so maybe it is me.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Solutions?

(My lesson learned is to carry an instrument to him within the grace period of returnin it.)

[evenkeel]

Some pictures would be very helpful.  But a couple of things you can do yourself.

1.  Get a metal straight edge.  Laid on the neck, crossiing the sound hole it should hit the top of the bridge or be very close.
2.  Lay the same straight edge on the top of the guitar and angle it towards the nut.  It should hit the nut, right on the edge of the fretboard.
3.  The action at the nut is easy to estimate for your self.  Put a capo on the third fret.  The strings should just barely clear the second fret.    If the string is so close it appears to be touching but you get a "click" when you tap it on the second fret that's about right.  If there is any significant gap then lowering the action at the nut is going to help.
4.  The action at the 12 fret is very personal.  Martin specs are 3/32"-7/64" at the low E.  1/16th"-5/64" high E.

If points 1 and/or 2 are way off then the bad news is a neck reset is probably the best option, but given it's a relatively low cost guitar I'd ask about shaving the bridge.  This is not something I'd suggest with a top of the line guitar, but it is a viable option to make a lower cost guitar playable.  Another plus is it's very cheap fix.

[t.y.]

I had problems with my WD10SCE, but not like yours.Mine played real easy, nice low action. Sounded great, clear as a bell, nice sustain. Not quite like my D10,s,  but it list for lots less. Tom.   

[t.y.]

evenkeel, On point 1 , top of bridge, or top of saddle.  I am going to try and set up my used 1998  D10TR, myself. I sanded my new saddle and put on Erniball Earthwood lights 80/20. I am going to do those steps and see how I do. If I mess up I will take it to the shop and have it done. LOL. My neck is straight, flat and tight to the body, no separation. I think this guitar sounds as good as a solid top. The Grover tuners are better than on my newer guitars, Grover like tuners. Tom.      OK, answered own question.If was top of saddle,strings  would lay flat on neck. the saddle is part of your string hight.   

[evenkeel]

Yeep top of the bridge.  FWIW this is a good website for simple (and some not so simple) DIY guitar projects.

http://frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html

[t.y.]

Lots of good reading. Tom.

[WD10]

I find the strings seem a bit too high as you get to the 12th fret and higher ... do others have this feeling?  It feels like playing a classical guitar with steel strings - not my ideal.

My WD10SCE came with the action set quite low (which I like). Comparing it with the two electric I have it is in the same ballpark and definitely much lower than my old classical. The Q.C. Card that was attached to the headstock had these numbers:

1st.
1F    0.5mm
14F  2.0mm

6th
1F   0.5mm
14F 2.5mm

Which I suppose refer respectively to the height of the 1st and  6th string at the first and fourteenth fret.

My WD10SCE seems to have come well set-up from the factory. Besides the action (which within limits it is also a matter of personal preference), there is not fret buzz, the neck is straight, nut and saddle look properly set and it stays in tune well.

Hope you can get yours set-up to your liking. For being a such inexpensive guitar I find it very playable and I love how it sounds. Will see how it holds in the long run, I have had mine for less than a month

[t.y.]

I really like the WD10SCE. I had one of the first ones, and had a humped neck.they gave me my money back, no problems. The fit and finish on it was perfect. I don't hear of this problem any more,I would think that problem was solved two years ago. No matter what brand or cost of guitar, there all made of wood, so once in a while there might be one with a problem. One of these days when I come across one at the Washburn dealers, in person, I will buy it, if it has Washburn case. Tom.   

[a human]

Well, the luthier did adjust the nut so that the strings are lower.

The bridge/saddle/white thang (now I am confused as I always thought the bridge was the white thang) was deemed to be as low as it could go.

My metal straight edge is a yardstick, so a bit unwieldy.  I need to find an alternative for that.

Web site looks great, but a bit overwhelming.

Maybe I can get some photos up.

I wish my gaps were like WD10s.  I need to find a tool to measure those, too.

More to follow.

[evenkeel]

The bridge/saddle/white thang (now I am confused as I always thought the bridge was the white thang) was deemed to be as low as it could go.

The saddle is the white, removable piece the strings sit on top of.  The bridge is the wooden piece secured to the top.

FWIW, I very much doubt the saddle is "as low as it can go" on a brand new guitar.  Not saying it's impossible, but in 40 plus years of messing with acoustic guitars I've never seen a new guitar with a saddle that could not be lowered a bit.

[a human]

More info.  Thanks to all for the ideas and comments.

After reading a bit on frets.com and rummaging in the garage for a nice little stainless steel gauge, I am now a measuring fool.

The distance from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the low E string is  just over 4/32's
The distance from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the high E string is 3/32's
The distance from the top of the guitar to the bottom of the low E string at the saddle/bridge is 14/64's

I don't have a 2ft straight edge handy as yet, but by eyeball, yardstick, plastic engineer's and architect scales, it looks as if it would intersect below the wooden bridge a bit after crossing from neck over soundhole.

The saddle is pretty low on the high E side ...  the luthier I use does so full time and has for years, (and for many big names) so I do trust him when he says lowering the saddle won't help much.

Maybe I need fatter strings, 

I'll let you know when I find a 2 ft. straight edge.

I do like the Frets.com web site.  Lots to ponder.

Tom - what is a hump neck and how did you know?

[t.y.]

If you had the hump neck I'm talking of, your luthier would have seen it from across the room. were the neck crosses over the body. It was like a step up over a door sill.It was a known issue then, and like I said, it has  had to be taken care of. because you never hear of it any more. Plus all business want to turn out a good product, as thats what sells.If your neck is straight, saddle and bridge will solve that problem. On a acoustic you don't want to go as low as my Strat, or you would have all kinds of problems. I just made my first bone saddle, with a Dremall,  all good, but big E is a B at 12 fret. and I went to low for hard fast strumming. So bought a new TUSQ saddle now all fine, but I will keep on trying. And by the way TUSQ sounds real good. 11.00 for compensated saddle.Don't let someone else tell you what you cannot do with Your guitar, File the bottom, and try, if you mess up saddles are cheap. A bone blank cost 4.00, I bought two. I still have one two practice on after i figure out how to intonate rite. Have fun with your guitar. Tom.   

[gregjones]

There are many methods to setup a guitar.

This one works:

http://thbecker.net/guitar_playing/guitars_and_setup/setup_page_01.html

[a human]

Well, I carried the guitar to a second tech/luthier, who works for a well known Washburn retailer.

He did what he could, fiddling with the neck and barely taking anything off the saddle, but it was a minimal adjustment at best as he had so little to work with.  After showing me the failing straight edge along the neck to the saddle test, he suggested I contact Washburn, which I have.  (I believe he used the word "dud.")

The on line retailer where I purchased the guitar pointed me to the manufacturer, too.

Lesson learned:  don't buy guitars on line.  Only buy the one you actually play.

[t.y.]

Wow, sorry to hear this.  Did the tech say this is a warranty issue?   Tom.