Came home to a surprise on Friday! ('82 Aria LW-12T) - Help needed

[araT]

I came home to a new guitar on Friday!

Firstly, a little bit of a back story.. Michael is an old family friend, and I've learned so much from him about guitars, he was the one who really got me into guitar, and got me the job in the guitar store while I was in highschool all those years ago.. He's a lovely guy, a real big brother to me.

On new year's day mum broke her right wrist, to the point that it almost needed surgery.. She had been pretty alright, but there are still a lot of things she can't do one-handed, so I've been pulling a lot of weight around the house. I also have a lot on my plate as I'm arranging our move to Canada, and I'm also currently contemplating a move to another apartment in Sydney (because Canada will still be a year or two away), and work has been particularly hectic this month.

So, as usual Michael & I are discussing our latest aqquisitions and he tells me about what he's selling, and he mentions he has an '82 Aria LW-12T Dreadnought 12 string that he bought new 27 years ago and has barely played in the last 20 years, and he'll sell me for $150 AUD, a real steal.. I mention I'd like to see it some time if he can bring it over..

He came around on Friday before I was home from work & mum must have talked to him about the guitar, because when I got home she'd bought it for me! He said that if I didn't like it, no worries, but if I wanted it it was mine & mum had already taken care of it.

I was absolutely overjoyed! I know it's not anything super special, but it's a culmination of owning my mentor & close friend's guitar, and mum buying it for me as a suprise really makes my heart swell. It wont be one of my MOST played as I'm predominantly an electric player, but I will NEVER sell it.

Now for some questions, The action on it was a bit killer - I've filed down the bridge & tightened the truss rod about a 1/2 to 2/3 turn last night. It has settled in overnight but it is still at about 3mm at the 12th fret with nothing fretted, the neck looks straight to me now (using the string as a straightedge fretted at the 1st & 14th frets) and the bridge is as low as I think it can go, and yet the action is still killer anywhere above the 5th fret - any tips?

Here are some pics:

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01582.jpg
Front

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01584.jpg
Body

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01588.jpg
Back

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01585.jpg
Headstock

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01587.jpg
Soundhole

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/MyArias.jpg
Both Arias together (The classical is an A553 from the late 60s / early 70s)

[araT]

Here are some shots RE: the bridge/action to help you help me get the action down :wink:

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/LW-action1.jpg
Bridge

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/LW-action2.jpg
Action 1

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/LW-action3.jpg
Action 2

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01598.jpg
Top 1

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01597.jpg
Top 2

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01596.jpg
Top 3

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr353/araTguitars/Aria%20LW-12T%20Dreadnought/DSC01595.jpg
Top 4

[tjcurtin1]

Pretty guitar, but it looks more like 3 centimeters at the 12th fret! Either the bridge has pulled the top up, or the neck is pulling away from the body or pushing into the top at the end of the neck. I would think that's a fairly serious repair one way or the other.

[Simon]

Hey araT - congrats on the new instrument!

I.A.N.A.L., so take my comments for what they're woth; but I'll second tjcurtin here... The saddle is really low - illustrated by the VERY shallow break angle of the strings. -- Does 'neck resetting' mean anything to you? :
... neck resets are to solve the problem of an action that’s too high on an instrument whose bridge is too low.
http://www.acousticguitar.com/Gear/advice/neckresets.shtml

http://www.frets.com/FRETSpages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/NeckAngle/neckangle.html

http://www.frets.com/FRETSpages/Luthier/Technique/Guitar/NeckReset/00028Reset/00028reset01.html

[markb]

Is the top flat? Most common on 12s is that the top will "belly" around the bridge and sink a bit in the upper bout due to the string tension and causing the neck angle to change. Remedial options are either a neck reset or shaving down the bridge (the bridge, not the saddle). These are both pro jobs.

This is not unique to 12 strings. Any flat top can show this problem.

[just strum]

One or more of the old Washburn gang should be able to give you some assistance/direction, but Mark has probably hit the problem/cause.

When it comes to acoustics, this is a good page to review

http://frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html

Scroll down and see if you can find something regarding the problem.

You can also go over to Washburn.com and sign up on the forum. Go to the acoustic section and there are plenty of people that will be glad to help. You will probably recognize some of them, since a few here still frequent the forum.

[araT]

Wow, thanks so much for all the advice guys! I'll have a look into what else I can do & see if it's worth it :)

I've done as much as I can do with the tools I have available and it's good enough now to keep me happy now. I've got the action down a little more than it is in those photos & it's as far as it'll go now I think - I don't think I'm going to spend any money chasing after it, instead I'll use it for slide or cowboy chords as you guys have suggested - Looks like I'll have to buy that Ovation 1868TX after all ;)

I do plan to string it up as a 12 string, but I haven't had a chance to go & buy a set, it was in such poor shape when I got it (the strings looked 20 years old, and 2 octave strings were missing and the action what 4 times what it is now, all covered in 2 inches of dust) that the old stuff had to come off immediately so I could set about cleaning & fixing it up - I'm pretty darn happy with the results actually!