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-- Did a real monkey-rigged job of putting a geared 5th string tuner onto my Iida. Used a Dremmel (too much) and some tooth picks. It's a huge improvement. I also put on a Snuffy Smith III 1/2-inch bridge (not compensated) and some new Gibson Monel strings -- .012, .014, .020w, .025w, and .011. -- Sounds tons better. I still have it tuned to an open E.
10-24-07 -- Spikes have previously been installed at frets 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 with needle-nosed pliers at 3/8" past each fret. I didn't like them there at all. I removed all of them and installed spikes at 7 and 10 mid-point between the frets. I really like this a lot. I jammed the smaller Paige banjo capo on the past the nut, and still keep the suspender capo on the headstock under a old stretchy capo.
I tightened the head with a 1/4-inch socket wrench to touch and haven't tuned the head yet. Every second or third bracket was looser than the others a bit -- 1/8 to 1/4 turn on the ones I changed. I added nuts to raise the resonator from the flange and haven't tuned the sound chamber. Opening up the sound chamber the extra 1/8-inch may have opened up the sound a little without losing volume but I dunno for sure. Maybe I really just can't tell the difference.
11-8-07 -- Fretboard oiled lightly with lemon oil, then buffed. Also, neck and resonator. Headstock appears to be pressed wood. It's chipped and that's too bad because it's clearly not a solid piece of wood.
I'm using light GHS strings these days and have really gotten into choking.
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