It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:52 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 3:34 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
Can anyone here help me to confirm/figure out exactly what length saddle height screws my 2011 American Special (CBS Fat-Head) Stratocaster came with from the factory?.. I bought this Strat used around mid-2012 & overall the guitar is great but it did need to be setup better than it was..

I used Fender's Stratocaster setup instructions to put everything back to spec initially & then a few months later I began dialing it in to my preferred settings.. Everything was business as usual until the saddle height screws started exiting the threads through the bottom of the saddles leaving them unable to continue raising the strings.. My setup is at about 90-95% complete since my last setup attempt & after 3-yrs of regularly playing this Strat I'm ready to get off my butt & order the screws that I need so I can finally complete the setup process for this particular guitar..

Long story short, before I order longer screws I want to know for sure that I'm ordering the screws I need & not the ones I already have, or worse yet, ones that won't work with my saddles..

Cheers!..


Last edited by frethand101 on Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:56 am, edited 2 times in total.

Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:25 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
First, if you've ran out of adjustment space on saddle screws (either way, high or low), maybe you should check the neck angle & probably shim (it may also be something simple, like that the neck joint screws are loose).

In case that doesn't remove the long screws need:
Trying to calculate via the internet which screws would end up at the precise level you want in this particular guitar is a bit demanding. You can always get long screws and cut them (Dremel) to exact length.
Cut from the bottom end... :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:46 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:57 am
Posts: 2238
Location: UK
Could be the angle on your trem is a bit high/low?

On MiA's the two E string saddles generally have shorter screw posts than the other strings. Just a small point which may help.

_________________
John

After all this time I should be better.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:49 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
Thx for the quick replies guys, to clarify on some of the points brought up..

Neck screws are good & I don't use the tremolo so I've got that adjusted flush against the body..

I did attempt shimming the neck initially & it resulted with the strings needing to go even higher which was a no-go because of the saddle height screws already being too short..

I've got the shortest screws on both E-strings & the longer ones are under the middle strings so I'm feeling pretty good about what screws are paired with which strings..

Currently the guitar is set just about the same as Fender's "start here" measurements for roughing it all in which IMO is a mediocre setup compared to the setup I have on my '84 MIJ & '03 MIM.. I've put a few years on this guitar the way it's currently setup & it seems to me that if I had about 1/16 of an inch wiggle-room on my saddle height screws I'd be golden.. It's got me wondering if what I have is the shorter 1/4 vs. 5/16 length screws but my personal preference/specs requires the use of the longer 3/8 vs. 7/16 length screws instead..

For the money, cause these screws aren't exactly expensive, I may just roll the dice & order those two sizes to see what gives..


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:10 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm
Posts: 7998
Location: ʎɹʇunoɔ ǝsoɹ pןıʍ
Overdrive Saddle Height Screw Sets

These come in two length sets.
It might be a good idea to order one of each so you have some on hand for fine tuning each saddle.

_________________
Image
Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:32 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
frethand101 wrote:
I did attempt shimming the neck initially & it resulted with the strings needing to go even higher which was a no-go because of the saddle height screws already being too short..

Which end of the neck pocket did you shim..?
"Front side" (= headstock end) shim brings the saddles lower, when action is adjusted after shimming.
"Back side" (= body end) shim brings the saddles higher.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:26 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:57 pm
Posts: 1089
Location: Rossendale UK
Is the bridge installed and set up properly?

_________________
Chris :)

Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:57 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
How is the neck bow ? Did you check it ?

With a back bow neck, you may think you need to adjust height of the sadlles, this is wrong.

IM0, you dont know what you are doing.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 12:30 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
BMW-KTM wrote:
Overdrive Saddle Height Screw Sets

These come in two length sets.
It might be a good idea to order one of each so you have some on hand for fine tuning each saddle.


Kudos dude, that's exactly what I needed..

Good prices too, I'm getting ready order the final touch parts for this Strat from W.D. here soon so I'll be sure to add some screws from Overdrive to that list..

Thx Bro.. 8)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:23 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
jmattis wrote:
frethand101 wrote:
I did attempt shimming the neck initially & it resulted with the strings needing to go even higher which was a no-go because of the saddle height screws already being too short..

Which end of the neck pocket did you shim..?
"Front side" (= headstock end) shim brings the saddles lower, when action is adjusted after shimming.
"Back side" (= body end) shim brings the saddles higher.

I tried a shim in both spots initially but by that point I had already lost a few days dickerin' with it so I just set everything to Fender's recommended specs until I could afford to give it more attention.. At the time I had somewhere between 70-80 students, I was also in the middle of recording some stuff & considering that all my other guitars had long since been "true-n-tried", this Strat was too new to my arsenal to be allowed to sidetrack priority.. Since then it's become a different story, this Strat has gradually been earning its own personal "wow status" if you know what I mean.. But that's mainly to do with the pup's I finally settled on & the way I have the electronics setup.. I'm at that point where I can tell that once I get the action dialed in to my preferred specs this Strat will definitely be moving to a much higher rank in the studio food chain..

To put it another way, the fuzzy riffs are feelin' loose-n-juicy in every position on this Strat so needless to say I'm kinda gettin' anxious to get this Strat singin' through the clean channel too.. Really Anxious!.. lol


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:46 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
Well, since you have the too short screws syndrome, I'd definitely recommend checking & if needed, adjusting the neck angle. From factory it should be very close to 0° (= neck and body level with each other).
At least, eyeball it out, it takes just a few seconds: if the neck tilts noticeably back compared to the body line, this may be a factor in the screw problem.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:58 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
John Sims wrote:
Could be the angle on your trem is a bit high/low?

On MiA's the two E string saddles generally have shorter screw posts than the other strings. Just a small point which may help.


Good point & I think that's where the problem is coming from.. The previous owner installed a brass block, which was definitely an added bonus, but he did mention that it was his first time removing a block which told me that he might've mixed up the saddles & that the trem most likely came floating from the factory.. I've since put all the saddles back where they should be based on the saddle screw lengths but didn't float the tremolo & I'm think that that's why I'm coming up too short on the saddle screws.. I spent some time looking at various pictures of floating setups on Fender's site & it seemed to me that every example showed the saddle height screws protruding slightly from the saddle tops by the same amount of length that I'm lacking which is about 1/16 of an inch, or one screw size longer..


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:56 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
stratele52 wrote:
How is the neck bow ? Did you check it ?

With a back bow neck, you may think you need to adjust height of the sadlles, this is wrong.

IM0, you dont know what you are doing.


"How's the neck bow??"....... Did you even read the thread!??.. LOL!!

IMO, it is YOU sir that doesn't know what he's doing because any forum member that has as many posts as you have should definitely know better than to post without first thoroughly reading what has already been established.. The bow of the truss rod has already been confirmed as being set to Fender's recommended gap several times, it's not even an issue at this point..


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:29 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
Don't start snapping at people who are just trying to help.

On your skill level I can't comment. Anyway, nothing on a guitar is generally adjusted via comparing screw lenghts on other guitars. :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 2011 Am-Strat - "Saddle Height Screw Sizes"..
Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:33 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2017 2:22 am
Posts: 10
jmattis wrote:
Don't start snapping at people who are just trying to help.

On your skill level I can't comment. Anyway, nothing on a guitar is generally adjusted via comparing screw lenghts on other guitars. :wink:


Please keep in mind that I am saying this laughingly, but you cannot deny that the last line in that post was clearly rude & totally uncalled for.. Don't get me wrong, I do understand that the first two lines could be perceived as "trying to help".. Had they not been followed by an unfounded "off-the-cuff" insult I would have never given it a second thought.. But that wasn't the case, I mean what else can be said other than a troll whacked a bee's nest & he got stung, that's all.. :lol:
To be honest, I think it's more shocking that the rebuke of a blatant insult would be frowned upon more so than the act of insulting someone for no good reason.. :shock:


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: