Anderson Neck Radius and String Action

[michaelomiya]

Well, I've been playing my 1 piece, solid, swamp ash, which is fitted w/ a Floyd Rose bridge. AWESOME. That said, the action's a little higher than say my Cobra's or my other Alder Classic, which have set and vintage trem bridges, respectively. I really notice the difference on the high E and B strings. (BTW, Bruce has lowered the bridge about as low as it can get w/o serious buzzing.)

Can anyone confirm what the TAG neck radius?

I believe it to be 12", but am not certain. Also I thought there was a thread where Tom confirmed that his necks are compound, 12-14", but again I'm not certain.

I am wondering if this difference in "feel" is a result of the fact that Floyd Rose saddles are not adjustable to specifically to the given neck radius contour, and use of shims are required in some cases.

Are FR bridges available to fit 10", 12" and 15" neck radii (sp?)?

[tom]

floyds aren't really any radius. we have to shim the saddles to match our necks. they are 12-14 now, and have been for several years. prior to that they were a straight 12". because of the shallow string angle of the floyd saddles, they have a tendency to not ring as pure especially on the plain strings, and especially especially if you use .009's.

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by tom
floyds aren't really any radius. we have to shim the saddles to match our necks. they are 12-14 now, and have been for several years. prior to that they were a straight 12".
thanks tom!


Originally posted by tom
because of the shallow string angle of the floyd saddles, they have a tendency to not ring as pure especially on the plain strings, and especially especially if you use .009's.

hmmm...maybe I should reconsider the bridge selection on my DT Classic...:eek:
so what you're saying is that the flatter angle of the FR saddle adversely impacts the strings' resonation? does a remedy exist to address this? (e.g. increase the action?) how do the set bridge and vintage trem saddles differ? (sorry, gotta ask the dumb question, no matter how obvious the answer!:D )

[BrianH]

No no no no, don't go changing out that Floyd.
Up your string gauge slightly, and you'll be fine.
Trust me.

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by BrianH
No no no no, don't go changing out that Floyd.
Up your string gauge slightly, and you'll be fine.
Trust me.

Hey, you KNOW I value your opinion.:D :D In fact, how often have you told me NOT to order anything from a certain company, or you promised there'd be trouble?!? Did I listen? Was/Is there trouble? OK. You KNOW I trust you:p :p .....it's the listening part that I have a problem with!!;)

[JoeB63]

Tom,
Are you saying that all TA's are 12" to 14"? Or is that just those that have Floyd's?

For some reason I thought all TA's had a 10" radius.

[tom]

12, 14, whatever works... not really. they are 12" at the first fret, 14" at the 22nd fret, conical. compound is the term many people use, but it's not an accurate description.

[killerburst]

Don't FR nuts come from Schaller with a 10" radius? How do you match the locking nut to the radius at the first fret? Do you have to special order them with a 12" radius? Just curious.

[tom]

they say both ends are 10", but i'm not sure what they are measuring with. one of the reasons we settled on 12" in the old days was that it matched the floyd nuts well. back then most of our guitars were made with floyds. rock on.

[dpeterson]

god bless floyd rose :)

dave

[BrianH]

The very first Anderson I purchased had a Kahler version of a Floyd on it. I trashed the Kahler and replaced it with a Floyd (without changing the nut) 5 minutes after I got it home.
And here's the hard to believe part.....I Still Own It!!
Floyd's are difficult to work with, and at times can be tone eaters, but I love em'.

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by BrianH
The very first Anderson I purchased had a Kahler version of a Floyd on it. I trashed the Kahler and replaced it with a Floyd (without changing the nut) 5 minutes after I got it home.
And here's the hard to believe part.....I Still Own It!!
Floyd's are difficult to work with, and at times can be tone eaters, but I love em'.

Brian, ever felt a difference w/ string action on the FR (due to the neck contour and the FR bridge's flat radius) vs your other set bridge axes (whose bridge saddles were individually set to the neck contour)?

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by tom
back then most of our guitars were made with floyds. rock on.

'cuse me sir, you wouldn't happen to have any hairspray spandex, or make-up laying around the shop?:D :p

[killerburst]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
Brian, ever felt a difference w/ string action on the FR (due to the neck contour and the FR bridge's flat radius) vs your other set bridge axes (whose bridge saddles were individually set to the neck contour)?

Michael,

If I may- Floyd's saddles are different heights (E&E, A&B, D&G) so there is a radius, not flat. The base is flat, so by adding shims you can change the radius, although in fixed increments (whereas saddle height adjusment screws offer infinite adjustment). My Floyd-equipped '90 Pro-Am played very well, and never left me cold with regards to action or tone. I miss that guitar terribly. My next Andy will be Floyd-equipped. Gotta have it!

Jon

[tom]

not to bag on them, but the saddles are three sizes in concept only. they are all over the place in height. we have .006 stainless shims made so we can make them match our necks.
jon, we'll be needing th specs on that guitar soon.

[BrianH]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
Brian, ever felt a difference w/ string action on the FR (due to the neck contour and the FR bridge's flat radius) vs your other set bridge axes (whose bridge saddles were individually set to the neck contour)?
I'm so comfortable with it that switching between guitars never bothers me, BUT point of note here: I like slightly higher than normal action, and most of my guitars feel the same because of this.
Tom's guitars are so wonderfully set up, and easy to keep that way...but the first thing I do is crank up the action (just a little).
Growing up I never had a guitar that was worth a darn, and they all had very bad action, I grew accustomed to it and now prefer it. Same thing goes with Floyds, had them forever and I just prefer them.
Call me a freak (please).

[tom]

freak.

[BrianH]

Also...be careful not to let the shims fall out when messing about with your Floyd, they can be a handful when trying to put back in the exact same place. I've been taught this lesson so many times.

[BrianH]

Originally posted by tom
freak.
You started it.....you freak guitar maker.

[tom]

you asked for it!

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by BrianH
I'm so comfortable with it that switching between guitars never bothers me, BUT point of note here: I like slightly higher than normal action, and most of my guitars feel the same because of this.
Tom's guitars are so wonderfully set up, and easy to keep that way...but the first thing I do is crank up the action (just a little).
Growing up I never had a guitar that was worth a darn, and they all had very bad action, I grew accustomed to it and now prefer it. Same thing goes with Floyds, had them forever and I just prefer them.
Call me a freak (please).

Brian, you are a freak.;)

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by BrianH
Also...be careful not to let the shims fall out when messing about with your Floyd, they can be a handful when trying to put back in the exact same place. I've been taught this lesson so many times.

hmm.. I don't think that that's gonna be a problem, since the shop's a call away...you know how HIGH maintenance I can be:eek:

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by killerburst
Michael,

If I may- Floyd's saddles are different heights (E&E, A&B, D&G) so there is a radius, not flat. The base is flat, so by adding shims you can change the radius, although in fixed increments (whereas saddle height adjusment screws offer infinite adjustment). My Floyd-equipped '90 Pro-Am played very well, and never left me cold with regards to action or tone. I miss that guitar terribly. My next Andy will be Floyd-equipped. Gotta have it!

Jon
Thanks Jon, I hope I didn't imply anything negative regarding playability. The SA Classic's an incredible instrument. It's just that when I rotate from my Cobra or my Alder classic, there's a slight difference in the string action on the E and B, but not on the D and the G strings. Maybe we just need to play w/ the shims. And as John Ou says, "If you played as much as you complained, none of this would matter...." Wise words.

[killerburst]

Originally posted by tom

jon, we'll be needing th specs on that guitar soon.

I know, I know... how light can we go with a mahogany Pro Am body? 3 pounds? How about a mahogany Pro Am in cherry sunburst over trans amber with an M1 in the neck and an H2+ (direct mount- no ring) in the bridge, a 3-way toggle a la Cobra Special, maple/ pau ferro neck, small '50s V neck with medium frets and no face dots, chrome Floyd Rose? Serial number 06-Freak-04? Only direct mount the pickup if the route is tight around the pickup, though. I have a few more days, right?

[tom]

3 pound mahogany? probably not. you have a month or so.

[John Price]

Tom,
Can I still use a radius gauge to set the saddle radius? and if so do i use the 14" close to the bridge?

Thanks
John....

[tom]

that would be about right. i've never used one, we use a ruler. come to think of it, you should use a flatter radius guage since the strings get fatter as you get lower, you are reading the top not the bottom of the strings. a 15 or 16" might be better.

[John Price]

Thanks!
I will try that!
I do have a set that measures from underneath the strings as well.....