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AD 201 revisit

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 3:10 pm
by fatjack
This is the one gitar I should have sent straight back but thought I could get the action right. The only issue I have with it is I can't get the wraparound low enough or any other lefty one low enough without cutting into the wood to drop it. I guess I bought it too as it was the only lefty p90 he had and I didn't want to miss out. The fit and finish are great and the pups are nice but would be better with a magnet swap.I paid the extra for the faber wraparound which solved the intonation problem the first batch had but created the height issue. :shock:

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 4:36 pm
by honyock
Kind of surprised a Faber style bridge didn't get you an acceptable action? My AD of the same vintage, I have to have mine raised a good bit.

I have long thought about taking a spare tailpiece and throwing it on the mill to make a slot
for a saddle like an acoustic, but it would seem possible to improve upon that idea and make individual slots to insert short sections or even use saddles from a TOM bridge ground down and brazed into the bridge. I have a bunch of old junky Sung Il and no-name bridges that I have replaced with Gotoh and other locking styles.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 11:25 pm
by Chocol8
I would take a grinder to the bridge.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 9:13 am
by Forecaster
Grinding the bridge might be part of the answer once you've recessed the posts it sits in some. I've got a lefty one with the stock bridge and bridge height is not an issue on it.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 10:23 am
by fatjack
I'll recheck things when I get home, see if I missed something. I figured for$300 I shouldn't have to modify a damn thing to get reasonably low action. Other than setting neck relief and adjusting bridge height. But if I'm right it needs to go with 5 others than don't get any play time.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 12:23 pm
by uwmcscott
I had a couple of AD201's over the years and never ran into that issue that I can remember, but i also had the plain old non-compensated wraptail - which I would guess might put the strings lower without the additional ridges on top?

Hope you can figure it out, that's one guitar I wish I would have never sold ( twice! ). I think I paid less than $300 for both of them used when I bought them...didn't realize they were going for so much now.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:09 pm
by honyock
uwmcscott wrote:I had a couple of AD201's over the years and never ran into that issue that I can remember, but i also had the plain old non-compensated wraptail - which I would guess might put the strings lower without the additional ridges on top?

Hope you can figure it out, that's one guitar I wish I would have never sold ( twice! ). I think I paid less than $300 for both of them used when I bought them...didn't realize they were going for so much now.
The Faber compensated is basically an aluminum Gotoh style tailpiece that they cut an intonation pattern into. If anything it results in a lower point for each of the strings where the machined edge. However, if one does not replace the stock posts or place shims above the bridge, the Faber will tilt up in back because it is not a tight fit in the original metric studs. I forgot that I had installed locking studs on mine that corrects the rocking.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:55 pm
by fatjack
[mention]honyock[/mention] Guesss I didn't make it clear the bottom of the Faber does not touch th posts. The face of the guitar keeps it above the posts. Which why I said I'd have to cut wood to drop the Faber. [mention]uwmcscott[/mention] That was new from Rondo 260 plus 40 for the Faber and 20 shipping.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2020 8:59 pm
by honyock
fatjack wrote:[mention]honyock[/mention] Guesss I didn't make it clear the bottom of the Faber does not touch th posts. The face of the guitar keeps it above the posts. Which why I said I'd have to cut wood to drop the Faber. [mention]uwmcscott[/mention] That was new from Rondo 260 plus 40 for the Faber and 20 shipping.
in that case, some of these will fix your wagon. Should be able to lay the strings right on the frets almost with the Faber and these:
https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.co ... c-threads/

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Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:50 am
by fatjack
Got the lockers.

Re: AD 201 revisit

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 10:01 am
by rgdave
Thanks for the post to both of you! I just ordered the lockers for my Douglas Classic which has similar issues.