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I had a neck fitted to a pot assembly by a well known luthier/builder. The first string sets much closer to the adjacent hook than the 5th string sets to it's adjacent hook. I remember seeing the evaluation on the new Epiphones and reading that this is a result of poor quality control. How does this uneven string spacing effect tone, or playability?
quote:
Originally posted by RealbluegrassfanI had a neck fitted to a pot assembly by a well known luthier/builder. The first string sets much closer to the adjacent hook than the 5th string sets to it's adjacent hook. I remember seeing the evaluation on the new Epiphones and reading that this is a result of poor quality control. How does this uneven string spacing effect tone, or playability?
What "hooks" are you referring to ?
Do you mean that the first string sets closer to the edge of the fretboard, than the 5th does?
Or am I missing something here?
1) Check the tailpiece for center between the hooks (if the tension ring is rotated accurately) and perpendicular to its mounting bolt; center the tailpiece to it's location.
2) Jiggle the bridge to find its natural center and put it there.
3) If this doesn't center the strings on the heel (close enough); I would communicate my concerns to the luthier.
P.S. everybody wants to see pictures... Depending on how bad it is, determines the answers to your questions.
Edited by - pinenut on 01/23/2025 16:44:00
I have been away from my post for a few days, but I had forgotten to mention that I could not get all four resonator retention screws to go into the sidewall lugs on the resonator either.
I found that the tailpiece was not centered, and was looe enough that I could puush it over to center fairly easily. I then pushed the bridge over and this appears to have corrected the string alignment issue.
The resonator wall lugs were evidently not perfectly centered as in order to get all four thumbscrews into their respective lugs, one lug had to be turned at a slight angle to get the thumbscrew inserted. It takes some effort to get all four lined up and fully inserted.
Thanks to all that replied.
Did you try just threading all four thumb screws about 1/4 first, not tightening them down all the way? If not, then center the flange to the resonator as you finish tightening the screws the rest of the way down. If they still don't line up you also can tighten or loosen the wall lugs to angle them to the angle of the thumb screws.