Seagull S12+

POST 2,000!!!! Throws confetti over CTGull! 

I'll start by saying I just strung it up and I'm amazed at the deep sound that comes out of this thing!! It's only a temporary string up, there's plenty more work that has to be done.

When I put it down last November I had screwed up the neck reset. The first attempt left the action too high when I installed the strings, so I took the neck off (bolt on) and sanded off some more. That's were it went all wrong. Some how the sanding wasn't matching the contour of the guitar and the end of the heel was tapered in (bad). I was disgusted and hung it up.  It's the last step and I screwed it up.

So after 8 months, last night I partially bolted the neck on and slipped sandpaper under each side of the heel and pulled it out. Repeat until my fingers really hurt. And did it some more. When I finally got the heel contour to match the body I found the neck center projected 1/8" off center to the bridge. So I had to remove a little more off one side of the heel. I bolted it up and checked the neck height projection and found it projected .25" above the bridge!! I'd like to see 1/16" to 1/8", depending on the guitar.  When I first did the neck reset I probably sanded it to 1/16" neck projection and the neck/body ended up moving a little more than I expected, causing higher action than I expected.

So today I loosened the bolts and put (2) pieces of .022" maple under the heel and tightened it up. The neck now projects .15" above the bridge.  A bit high but I need to start somewhere.  Then I strung it up.  Yea, 12 strings.  Fun.  The saddle is .18" high in the middle.  I found the nut action is wicked high!  This thing must have been unplayable!  And I found the neck relief was high, so I adjusted the truss rod.  With most of the strings at full tension (the G's down a few steps, don't want to break them yet) the action is a little over 1/16" low E and a little over 3/64" high E.  About 1/ 64" (.016") lower than I'd like to see.  So the neck projection needs to come down about .03", which is about .01" at the heel, the shim needs to be .01" thicker.  Yes I have to glue a shim on the heel and taper it.  Then sand it smooth and stain it to match the neck.  That should be fun.  More potential for a disaster.

Time to walk away and do something else.  I can't believe we're up to 2,051 posts!  51 since last night.

CTGull, I am totally impressed with your dedication and patience, well done.
Also having the time to keeping us all informed of your progress in the restoration of your guitars, that most if not all of us enjoy, again well done.

WAIT! Didn't I just do that?! I posted the final pic of the shim and nothing about the process of how I did it! I'll have to do that later. We're about to leave for a few hours.

Thanks.  I have a few guitars sitting in the wings for more than 2 years.  Including a couple of horror stories.  Well, maybe not that bad, but they're bad.  It's all up to priorities.