Godin Multiac: adjusting action?

[hesson11]

Does anyone know how to adjust the action on a steel-string Godin Multiac Spectrum SA? I've found a used one at a good price, and while I've always been exclusively an acoustic guy, the Multiac offers an acoustic-ish sound along with amplification and good playability.

But the setup on this particular guitar is just a bit high. The saddle consists of individual pickups for each string, and you cannot adjust the height. There is a bolt-on neck (like Fender, I believe), but I'm not sure whether shimming that in some way is the proper method to adjust action. So if anyone knows, I'd appreciate it. THANKS.
-Bob

[hesson11]

Just want to bump this up in case it catches the eye of someone with an answer. THANKS!
-Bob

[mc1]

it caught my eye, but i don't have an answer. i don't own one of these guitars, but i am interested, so i decided to search around a bit.

first, godin's website is atrocious. their "owners manual" for the multiac sa consists of a 1 page ad. sigh. their forum was even worse, and doesn't allow searches on "bridge" or action" as they are "common words". anyway, i did find others asking the same question, but no real answers.

back on the general internet, i did see some mention of using shims, but not by any authoritative source. adjusting the nut and relief were also commonly mentioned.

the only other thing that crossed my mind was whether there could be shims for each of the saddles, but since i saw no mention of them i'll presume not.

anyway, hope this helps. lol - just kidding.

[Ned Milburn]

Neck shims should work just fine, but it is a nuisance to do since it is pretty much trial and error to get the right height. I just had a look at the Godin site and it does seem as though there isn't a great way to lower the saddle(s), although if they are independent from the underlying pickups, then the bottoms (or tops) could be filed. The tops would be easy to work with, since it would be just like filing a nut, but it is a non-reversible operation, so unless you had a second set of saddles (for a rainy day when you want the action higher or when you sell the guitar and the buyer wants higher action), then it is likely best to avoid altering these saddles.

[hesson11]

Thanks, folks. I, too, have spent quite a bit of time searching for the answer, with no success. (And that "user guide" on the Godin website is woefully inadequate.) Ned, I think you're right; I wouldn't want to mess with filing the saddles/pickups.

The one thing I imagine might be a (remote) possibility, in addition to changing the neck angle, lies with the screw-on panel on the back of the guitar, opposite the bridge. I'm wondering if you would find screws under that cover that might allow height adjustment of the saddles/pickups. Like I said, remote! Thanks again.

-Bob

[Sakaijr]

I use to carefully remove the saddle (without pulling up because you could separate the top from the bottom of the saddle, better to remove from the bottom up) and put something very thin in both sides of the wire underneath the saddle (I cut a smalll piece of beer can, about 2x2 mm and adjust it). IMO id doesn't affect da guitar sound.