neck reset- my naive question of the day

**mando_dan** · Nov-23-2010, 4:04pm

I think, but am not absolutely certain, that my nice F mandolin needs a neck reset. The bridge is as low as it can go and the truss rod has been adjusted to bring the strings as low as possible. Still the action is higher than I'd like.

Diagnostics aside, is there such a thing as ballpark cost estimate of a competent reset? Are resets all essentially the same "procedure" or do they vary depending on the neck joint and/or the severity of the angle? I'm curious to know since an expensive (by my standards) repair is out of the question at the moment.

Thanks in advance for answering a question that probably doesn't have a good answer.

**sunburst** · Nov-23-2010, 5:29pm

Far to little information.
How high is the bridge from the top of the mando to the top of the bridge? If it is at least, say, 5/8", you can change to a shorter bridge. What brand or maker? That may give us some info about what type of neck joint on the more-or-less off chance that you can't fix it with a bridge swap.

**mando_dan** · Nov-23-2010, 6:40pm

Hi John. The instrument in question is my beloved 1998 Buckeye made by Pete Hart in Ohio. I bought it used last year and almost immediately knew we'd be pair bonded for life. It's a wonderful instrument.

The distance from the top to the bottom of the strings is around 11/16" and the G string is 1/16" above 12th fret. The E string is a hair under 1/16". My ruler doesn't have finer gradations than 1/32 but hopefully that will give you some idea about the setup.

Thanks for getting back to me. What do you think and/or recommend?

**billhay4** · Nov-23-2010, 6:50pm

I'd get this back to the builder. He will make it right.
But, if the strings are only 1/16" above the fret at the 12th fret, the action is low, not high, and you simply need to adjust the bridge up.
The real question is "Is the neck straight?" Lay a ruler across the frets and see how it looks. Is it bent? If so, you have an issue the luthier needs to address.
The next question is "Can you see a gap developing at the heel of the neck?" Is so, you have an issue.
A neck reset is only necessary if the neck is pulling away from the neck block or bending. It means you take the neck off and re-glue it.
I still don't understand the numbers given here. Why do you say the action is high? Are the strings hard to push down? What's the height of the strings above the first fret.
Bill

**DerTiefster** · Nov-23-2010, 6:54pm

That didn't sound like overly high action to me. But I don't own a Buckeye, so what do I know? Have you thought about asking the luthier? He might be happy to know where one of his creations is being enjoyed, and maybe he'd even give you suggestions or make arrangements to help you.

**Geoff B** · Nov-23-2010, 7:16pm

if the 11/16" measurement is at the bridge, you've got enough room to switch out bridge or saddle to a lower one which will give you more space to lower it. 1/16" at the 12th fret isn't too terribly high, I usually shoot for 3-4/64ths on my own, and it's pretty low comparatively. Be careful with that truss rod, it's not to bring the strings closer to the fretboard, but to adjust the curvature of the neck to get the right relief. Make sure the neck is straight, or adjust the rod until it is, then adjust the string height from the bridge (or at the nut if it's hard to fret in the lower frets). I'd definitely talk to the builder and see what they've got to say about it...

**Big Joe** · Nov-24-2010, 7:21am

Factory standard measurements for mandolin action would be 4/64ths (1/16) at the 12th fret on the G string and 3/64th on the E string. Some mandolins can play well at less, but most have them at or slightly above factory specs. It does not sound like a neck set issue from what you have described. It may be that a good setup will solve most of your issues. It is possible that a saddle adjustment or replacement may give you some room to adjust it as needed. These can be handled in a setup as well. The luthier can also determine if the neck itself is straight enough and any other issues that may be problematic. It can also be that the nut is too high and needs to be properly slotted. If the nut is too high it can feel like the action is high and it is really not.