Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: cocofloe on October 23, 2005, 01:08:22 PM

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: cocofloe on October 23, 2005, 01:08:22 PM

Need help! I disassembled my epic 5 bridge for polishing and when i fixed it back, the strings height formed a back bow shape...although i have put the string slots correctly..can anybody tell me what's wrong? the b and g string are way up higher than the rest..the a string is so low! help!!

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: richbass939 on October 23, 2005, 01:45:09 PM

Zainal, I'm not sure what you mean by a back bow shape.  I have Epics 5 & 4 and have looked at them.  Each saddle has a straight part and a curved part.  On mine the curved part is on the tailpiece side and the straight part is toward the neck.  If you want I could take a picture and post it or e-mail it if that would be better.
Rich

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: cocofloe on October 23, 2005, 02:00:58 PM

hey rich..thanx for replying!  
I've solved the problem...i fixed the saddle the wrong way that why...:P got help by reading your response..thanx a lot!!

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: richbass939 on October 23, 2005, 02:02:06 PM

Zainal, after a little more observation and thought I came up something for you to look at.  As you may know, Alembic designs the bridges to have the same arc/radius as the fretboard.  If you got the individual saddles on the wrong strings that could cause the problem you are having.  If you got the E, A, or D saddles under the B and G strings then the B and G would be higher than they should be.  Likewise a shorter saddle under the A would make it too low.  In other words, you would take an arc that is higher in the middle and reverse it, making it lower in the middle.
Just a thought.
Rich

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: richbass939 on October 23, 2005, 02:06:11 PM

Oops, posts crossed in cyberspace.  Glad you figured it out.
Rich

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: cocofloe on October 23, 2005, 02:51:32 PM

Hey there rich  Since u told me ur using epic 5, just wondering..What brand of strings are u using for your epic 5 and what gauge. Im using d'addario XL5s .40..why is it that my string tension is tight?

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: richbass939 on October 23, 2005, 03:13:04 PM

Right now I have Elixir Nanowebs, (45,65,80,100,130).  At first I liked them okay on my Epic 4 so I got them for my 5.  However, now I really don't like them all that well.  I'm in the process of changing.  I used to use D'Addario half rounds years ago on my Rick and decided to try them on my Alembics. I got some (40 - 100) for my 4 and really, really like them, the feel, tone, everything.  I special ordered some from Guitar Center for my 5 but they stiffed me.  One of these days I'll learn that if you can't just walk into GC and buy what you want off the shelf, don't waste your time with them.  
Okay, back to your question.  As far as the string tension being tight, I don't know.  It seems that the strings would be tighter with heavier strings.  I don't think of 40s (I assume the E is 100 or so) as being heavy.
I'll see what my 5 is like once I get some half rounds on it.  The 4 and 5 are very similar in just about every way so I think I'll like the half rounds.  We'll see.  I thought I'd like the Elixir 5s, but it didn't work out that way.
Rich
P.S.  Do you have any pics in the showcase section?

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: cocofloe on October 23, 2005, 03:29:49 PM

Hey rich..just posted the pic...tell me what you think! Its in the Epic showcase section

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: keith_h on October 23, 2005, 05:01:38 PM

Rich,
I've run into similar problems with strings and GC. You might want to try www.juststrings.com (http://www.juststrings.com) . They have a very good selection and I have always had good results, even when special ordering single strings.
 
Keith

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: richbass939 on October 23, 2005, 09:48:56 PM

Keith,
I looked briefly at their site and they look pretty good.  Thanks for the tip.  
Zainal,
I checked out your bass on the showcase.  Very nice quilt Epic.  I just love natural maple.  My 4 string is flame (pic in the Epic section of the showcase).
Rich

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: beelee on October 23, 2005, 10:57:11 PM

I won't order anything from GC or SA unless I have no other choice, I'll go right to the manufacturer or whom ever has what I need, most things I need are not hard to find, and should be able to come in a week or 2 .
 
I've dealt with juststrings.com and have had good results as well.
Bruce

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: bigredbass on October 25, 2005, 10:37:11 PM

After I got my SPOILER I completely disassembled the bridge to polish and lubricate.  Put it back together and the saddles . . . were facing backward!  And it took me forever to screw the saddles back to intonate it after I got it reassembled the second time.
 
So the NEXT time I do it, I will CERTAINLY make myself a diagram first!!
 
J o e y

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: lbpesq on October 26, 2005, 06:54:52 AM

It is just for this type of situation that digital cameras were invented.  These days, if I'm going to take apart anything, I take pictures first.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: (x) Need Urgent Help!
Post by: ed_r on October 26, 2005, 07:17:40 AM

I must be strange because I LIKE crusty old grungy bridges;)