Modifications like this could be a good means so as to add some selection to a group, convey some pleasure again to an underplayed guitar, and open up enjoyable new musical horizons. Nonetheless, not all modifications finish nicely, and a few trigger injury that would simply have been prevented.

Within the late Nineteen Nineties, I purchased a guitar that was constructed as a prototype. It turned out to be improperly intonated, and even after sending it again to the maker it’s by no means sounded proper. As an individual with too many guitars anyway, I’ve let it languish within the closet for a few years. In the meantime, I’m regretting promoting my stunning 1935 Dobro Mannequin 37 Squareneck a number of years in the past and am now enthusiastic about changing the prototype for lap-style enjoying. Will I be placing the guitar in danger if I elevate the nut and saddle excessive sufficient to play it with a bar?—David L.

This can be a nice query—and particularly an important query to ask prematurely. It’s fairly attainable to securely modify this guitar for taking part in with a bar, like a lap metal or square-neck resonator. It would in fact have a special sound than the basic metal-bodied slide guitars, however with the precise strings it ought to have one thing fascinating to say. To start, let’s take a fast take a look at what mods should be made, after which we are able to focus on the potential pitfalls.

As talked about in your query, the bridge and nut each should be modified. Bar-style enjoying normally includes a flat airplane throughout the strings, versus the radiused arc typical of most steel-strings. Since each the nut and saddle on a regular guitar are lower to create this radiused profile, each will should be changed. Putting in a taller nut and saddle may even elevate the motion, which is what you’re after.

Typical flattop guitars, particularly these which can be constructed flippantly sufficient to sound satisfying, are designed to resist a sure vary of torque on the bridge. This torque is a perform of the string rigidity and the general peak of the bridge and saddle—the latter create a lever that interprets the linear pull of the strings right into a rotational pressure on the highest. It’s widespread for saddles to get lower decrease and decrease over time, to keep up playable motion on guitars whose tops are bulging ahead. Many gamers notice the discount in quantity, energy, and responsiveness when the saddle will get too low. It’s because the lever motion of the highest is getting steadily diminished, so it’s being pushed much less successfully by the vibrating strings. After a neck reset, which allows the reinstallation of a saddle on the correct peak, these guitars wake again up fairly noticeably.

In contrast, an excessively tall saddle can current extra torque than the highest is designed to resist. Just a few potential points might come up because of this—at first, the highest is extra prone to bulge or distort from the additional stress. Resulting from this deformation, the braces usually tend to come free and even crack, which in flip will enable the highest to deform even additional. Lastly, it’s not unusual to see tall saddles which have tilted ahead till they crack by the entrance of the bridge. 

Strings for resonators are usually gauged extra closely than typical acoustic units, with an combination rigidity typically above 200 kilos (versus about 160 for a typical bronze acoustic set). For all of those causes, I counsel being average with including saddle peak. You’ll be able to accomplish many of the change within the total motion by elevating the nut, with out opening the door to those potential main points. Elevating the nut additionally does extra to make the strings parallel to the neck alongside its full size, which is a regular element of an excellent resonator setup.

Sadly, elevating the nut isn’t with out its personal little dangers. In the identical means {that a} tall saddle can add torque to the highest, a raised nut could cause the neck to bow ahead greater than it usually would—the strings have extra mechanical benefit to deflect the neck. This must be simple sufficient to counteract if the guitar has a wholesome truss rod, however it’s going to nonetheless be price keeping track of the neck to ensure it hasn’t bowed ahead. The motion change from ahead bow received’t be as noticeable with bar-style enjoying as it could when enjoying usually, and long-term bow can grow to be everlasting if left uncorrected. The raised nut may even create a a lot steeper break angle from nut to tuner. You could discover that the guitar turns into a bit harder to tune precisely, as a result of this steep angle significantly will increase the friction between the string and its slot. Ensuring the nut is lower appropriately, with correctly sized and formed slots, will assist significantly right here.

Lastly, take inventory of how a lot elevation you suppose you’ll must play comfortably. Resonator guitars continuously have the strings fairly excessive above the fretboard, however reaching an analogous peak on this flattop might push you near among the dangers described above. I’d advocate maintaining the general string peak as little as consolation permits for bar-style enjoying, and never any increased than vital, even when this implies getting accustomed to a barely totally different enjoying really feel. 

Someday down the highway, you or another person might want to convert this guitar again to a regular setup (maintain the unique nut and saddle, in fact!), and it could be nice to do that conversion in such a means that the guitar’s total well being will enable restoration to a traditional setup.