changing strings on a gibson sg ... bridge height

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gooseman
  • Start date Start date
G

Gooseman

New member
Hey. So I unstrung my SG, cleaned it up a bit, and found things I wasn't prepared to find being solely a Fender guy. For starters, the bridge and tailpiece just came off, which I am guessing is normal. Secondly, I had a bone nut fitted for this guitar, which also came right off. After cleaning the guitar up, I am sure that I spun the bridge poles a bit, so my concern right now pertains to the overall action of the guitar. Before I proceed to putting the strings back on, is there anything else I should do on this guitar? Where can I find how high or low the bridge should be?
 
Bridge height changes action, so you should just string it back up and see how high the strings are. You adjust it up or down after. I would lower the tail height right down to the body. I'm not sure what to do with the nut, I think often they are held in with a dot of glue.
 
It is extremely difficult to string this guitar when the nut and the tailpiece keep falling off.
 
Yeah I string all guitars, with fender or gibson style bridges one by one. There's less of a chance of neck warping and it's much easier on Floyd guitars.

The bone nut should stay on without glue but I'd glue it anyway. The pressure of the strings will hold it down.
 
I'd just string the 6th E string (the fat one) through first, put a little pressure on it, nothing major, and continue on down the line with literally 30% pressure than perfect tune. Once all the strings are on and in the nut grooves, adjust the nut accordingly to be flush with the sides of the neck. Then start to tighten to tune.

If the bridge needs adjusting, you can gauge this by doing the buzz test*... 1st fret and 8th or 9th fret down, pluck the string on both sides, does it buzz?? Better yet, play each string up the next, 1 stroke for every 2 frets....does it buzz?? If so, bridge height needs to come up. If there's no buzz, than maybe it's perfect, or maybe it's too high...lower till the strings buzz then bring it up a few turns - done.

V.

* the Buzz Test involved here is also a way of knowing whether or not the truss rod is correctly sorted.
 
Thanks everyone. The nut just slides right out. It is annoying and I've never had an electric guitar with a nut like that. I am not sure what I'm going to do.
 
Gooseman":29mm48qn said:
Thanks everyone. The nut just slides right out. It is annoying and I've never had an electric guitar with a nut like that. I am not sure what I'm going to do.
Tawlks is right, just a little drop of glue, then string it right away and follow Vs instructions for that.
 
Back
Top