# Nut and Saddle Replacement on classical guitar?



## xmetalhead69

I just recently started getting into classical stuff. I picked up a cordoba for pretty cheap awhile ago, but the more I play it the less I'm satisfied with it. The action is massive and I just want to make it more playable since I'm used to virtually no action on my ibby . Anything you can recommend, I was thinking saddle or nut replacement would help lower it. Thenagain I'm absolutely clueless about classical, so any input would be fantastic.


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## DavyH

I wouldn't mess around too much with the nut on a classical guitar before lowering the bridge. That's easy enough - loosen the strings, pull the bridge and sand down the underside. No need for a replacement unless you overdo things, so take it slowly and check frequently, making sure that you don't get a curve in it (put the sandpaper on a flat surface and move the bridge over it, not the other way around) and that you sand parallel to the existing bottom end.


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## Andrew_B

i believe on classicals, the saddle is glued in, 
and the way to lower it is to sand/file off the top, not the bottom like a steel string...

take off a small amount, rstring and check....

dont go sand/file off a whole lot because if they are glued in like i think and you take too much off, getting one out is a fairly major job.


the way to check if a nut is too high is to fret at the third fret, and check the gap between the string and first fret, should only be a little gap....
if its big you cn pop the nut out and sand the bottom a bit....


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## Mexi

the above poster is spot on about the saddle. I have this old Aria classical that had a jack for an amp, and the "pickup" was a sort of copper strip underneath the saddle, so it was a little wobbly (it sometimes comes loose altogether) so you could file down the saddle, or adjust its placement and re-glue it wherever it feels most comfortable.
personally, I'd stay away from screwing around with the nut too much. Just from experience, cause I've been playing classical for about 12 years now, the way you play it "feels" fundamentally different than an electric (I also have an ibby) but it shouldn't feel so different that it really hurts your motivation to keep playing.


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## AVWIII

Hmm. In my experience, most classicals don't have glued in saddles. If your (OP) saddle isn't glued in, then do just as DavyH said. Another tip is to draw a line parallel to the bottom of the saddle as a sanding guide to avoid the dreaded curve. I definitely ruined the first one I tried to sand when I was about 18-19.
Just remember that classical strings have much less tension than steel, and so they move around more when played (up/down/side to side). That means you can never achieve super low, buzz free action, but definitely get it low enough to be comfortable. 
If your classical has a truss rod (which is rare), that'd help even more.
Hope this helps!


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