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Location: NW Washington State | I have a solidbody bridge that has saddles that don't sit flat. Even when strings are in place it still has this problem...
I remembered to "do a search" and found this thread where BruDev suggests drilling out the holes and Mr. O points out that the springs might be too compressed.
Is it possible that different springs, maybe of different lengths for each string, would help? Could there be something about the direction of the spring's twist that would affect the saddle. I vaguely remember that this got worse after I took the bridge pieces apart and messed with them. Any other ideas on fixing this?
I do have the other types of bridges- nylon, screws under the saddles, chrome Schaller- so this isn't a huge problem. This one is bugging me though.
-Steve W. |
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Posts: 7237
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | You might not have enough angle when it's on the guitar to apply pressure to them, but there really isn't any reason they shouldn't go flat I can think of. If you can push the saddle flat, it's probably just not enough angle (back of the bridge needs to be lower. Hard to tell when looking at it unmounted. |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Steve, that's probably why they made the ones with the screws underneath, to hold them down.
Look at the position of the string in relation to the centre and the edge of the saddles.
All the downforce is on one side, worse on the outer saddles as clearly shown in your pic.
Just like rolling your ankle!!
AJ |
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Location: NW Washington State | Miles, I have always set these bridges so that there's just enough space at the end to load the strings and get a small screwdriver in for intonation adjustment. Do you think they should be set at a greater angle, so that the adjustment on the back would have to be loosened at each string change?
James, yeah, this bridge doesn't get much better when strung, since the strings don't push down on the part of the saddle that's lifting. I do think that I somehow made it worse, about the same time that I took it apart and used the wrong metal polish on the bridge plate. Took off the gold plating so now it's chrome! Been about 20 years and I have other bridges, so I don't feel so bad about it anymore.
-Steve W. |
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Posts: 7237
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Depends on the specific guitar. I have had several where when I have the bridge height low enough where I have to lower the back of the bridge to where you could not get to the screws without loosening. |
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Location: So Cal | It might just be an optical delusion but, are the two saddles on the right in the image transposed... |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Jim E asks:
It might just be an optical delusion but, are the two saddles on the right in the image transposed... Y'know... I think that you may be correct. :eek:
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Location: NW Washington State | Good eye. I was just testing you, yeah that's it, testing you. Looks like I switched them when I was messing around with springs.
I think I'll put this bridge on a guitar and try different springs, angle adjustment, and then enlarge the screw holes if all else fails. If I learn anything I'll report back.
-Steve W. |
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Posts: 7237
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Now that you mention it... the two on the left look like they are the same size, and that doesn't look right either.. I'm not feeling well today, but could someone check. I seem to recall that the saddles are three widths. The two in the center, then the A/B width and the E/E width.
In other words it looks like your E's are up 'cause you have the wrong A and B saddles. |
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| The two on the right are switched. look at the heights of each saddle. the two big ones in the middle then the others form the correct arc to match the shape of the fretboard. As for tilting I found this was one of the reasons I changed the black plastic tailpiece cover. it is not only a cover it functions as part of the assembly. I found the one on the JR Deacon has come lose as some of the little plastic sprus that are melted to hold like a rivet had broken and the cover was buzzing. the screws that extend out and hold these saddles are to high... If I remember right it could be the plastic is holding them up to much? It's been a while now but I spent a lot of time manufacturing a functional and attachable wood replacement cover, and the problems were solved by this.
Hope this helps and does not make it more confusing.
I did just look again, the saddles on the right in the photo are wrongly placed. reverse these two and that will help your action but the tipping can only be solved by shims under the saddles or lowering the screws that are holding up the one side. |
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Location: NW Washington State | I'm 99% sure that all the saddles were original to this bridge, and that as Jim E pointed out, I switched the two on the right. There is a chance that I changed the springs at some point. I'll look at the cover to see if it might play a part. I'm guessing that BruDev's method- drilling the holes to 7/64"- will be the answer.
I have several spare bridges so I can experiment a little on this one.
I like the brass/plastic bridge with the screws behind each saddle. The heavy metal Schaller bridge looks nice, but I don't like the way it can rock back and forth on its posts. Last time I checked the TonePros locking studs wouldn't fit. I have a bridge with plastic (nylon?) saddles that sit flat, but I've always wondered if the plastic is good for sound.
-Steve W. |
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Posts: 1128
Location: NW Washington State | Per BruDevs suggestion in the earlier thread, I drilled out the holes for the saddle screws with a 7/64" bit.
You can see that the hole on the left is a little larger. I drilled them all.
Reassembled and it is much better than before, but still a little bit of lifting on the high E and one or two others.
Messed around with it and found that even without a spring, the screw is still holding the saddle up.
Without the screw, the saddle sits flat.
So I might need to drill the hole a little larger still. I think that the hole in the back of the bridge plate is big enough. But there's a lot of black plastic material and I think that it is holding the screw up at an angle so that the saddle can't settle down. I might try enlarging the hole in the plastic with a 1/8" drill but (hopefully) stop short of the metal backing.
I also tried different springs and small washers in various combinations, but none of those were an improvement. Increased spring tension makes it worse.
-Steve W. |
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Posts: 1128
Location: NW Washington State | To conclude this thrilling thread, I used a 5/32" bit (not 1/8", my mistake) to enlarge the holes through the plastic only. I stopped short of the metal at the end of the bridge.
Now the screws aren't holding the saddles up. They sit flat.
I think that on the next one I'll just drill out the plastic part with a 5/32". Probably not necessary to drill through the metal plate.
-Steve W. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Steve,
This has been a great thread!
Thanx for sharing your efforts and pics. I think I may have the same issue as yours. This will definitely be a terrific guide.  |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Yes good job Steve!!
AJ |
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Solidbody Saddles Slanted - Repair Ideas?
