Doesn't anyone knows where I can buy the 'horseshoe keys' (they look like tools with half-moon sape) for adjiust the radius curve of the saddles on the guitar bridge.
they are 7....each one for for example vintage strato,or modern strat,or for gibson,etc.. what's their exact name? thanx

If it's the keys to adjust the grub screws in the saddles then they are generally called Allen Keys or Hex keys (due to the hexagonal shape).

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MIM Std Tele, MIM HSS Strat, Homemade Mongrel Tele, Blues Jr, Champ600, coupla pedals...sweeeet!

Go to stewmac.com and search for radius gauges.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Out of curiosity, if you set the string height properly, since you do that at the saddles, wouldn't that set the proper radius curve? That would make the tool redundant.

Yep, that's my approach.

Still, there are uses for radius gauges. I like the understring ones on this page, though the others are fine too:

http://www.stewmac.com/Shopping;jsessio ... e&x=30&y=9

Cheers - C

In theory, if you set up the saddles to a consistent string height, it SHOULD match the fretboard, but it is tought to get it exactly right, and it is easier to do with the right tool. I have a set of the radius gauges, and use them all the time. They make the job very easy. It also allows you to set up the saddles to a different radius than the fretboard. say a 9.5" fretboard and a 12" radius saddle. Some players prefer a flatter saddle for their picking style.

How do you set them to a specific radius without a guide?

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

If you want to set the saddles to a different radius than the neck then you do need to use the radius gauges.
Otherwise you can set the action on all strings and the saddles should be at the same radius as the neck. Alternately you can set the action on strings 1 and 6 and then use the proper radius gauge for the remaining 4 strings. This might be easier if your eyes are not as young as they used to be. Don't forget to check for fret buzz.

Hi Voodoo Blues: may I? Decide on the action you want, usually measured at the 17th fret. Fender spec on a 9.5" fingerboard is 4/64", 1.6mm. Use a ruler or better still feeler gauges to set the saddles individually to bring each string to that height above the fret and, bingo, the strings must follow the radius of the neck.

My own approach adds a stage to that. If you prefer a lower action then having set up that "factory" spec you then start on the low E and lower it gradually in increments, playing it hard and soft in your own style at all the frets between each saddle adjustment. When buzz starts to appear you just reverse the last adjustment.

Do that for all the strings in turn and by the end you have the action set as low as it will go for your individual playing style. By that stage it doesn't actually matter what the radius of the strings at the saddles is, because they are all individually tailored to your own playing.

That's not right or wrong: just one approach.

Cheers - C

Oh, I didn't think about setting the height of each individual string against a fret. That must be a bit of a hassel to do the middle 4 strings. I do what Fuzzy John describes; adjust the height of the high and low E to where I want (not the same height) then use a radius gauge to set the rest. Easy cheesy.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Nah, totally simple. With feeler gauges, anyhow. Don't know how folks manage these tiny measurements with a ruler. But many seem to, so...

Cheers - C

Yes it is if you set the action flat say to 4/64 ,but if you set the action high on the bass say about 5/64 and lower on the treble 4/64 a radius guage helps

Greasy Grove Inc has the luthier gauges. I suppose you could use those. I go by sight and feel. I set the strings up visually (appears to be uniform in height) then do several runs to get a feel for any strings that my be too high (I stumble) or too low (excessive buzzing or fretting out during a bend).

I used to remove the strings and use cardboard to mark the radius. I set the cardboard at the base of the neck and traced the radius with a pencil. I found that I always ended up setting the height by feel so I stopped.

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Fender Road Worn '50s Strat
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The easy answer is to not bother measuring or restricting yourself to some stupid predefined curve. Just set the things to what feels right.

Everyone is different, how will accurately following a predefined curve possibly suit everyone. Myself I like a good height on my bass strings and little on the treble side. Following a 9.5" curve with my saddles is a utter waste of time. The low set High E (around 1.2mm@12th) and high set Low E (about 4mm @12) mean that the D string is ok but the G is rattling against the frets. How do you comnpensate for fret tops that are flattening out around the D&G area. That happens supprisingly quick.

The whole notion is a utter nonsense made up to sell tools.

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oh yes....these are they !! thanx....so,they are named 'radius gauges',ok.
Each radius gauge own a different measure in order to adjiust the radius curve on the bridge of different guitar(vintage stratocaster,post '70 stratocasters,gibson,etc..).
the radius gauge 'keys' with imprint the measure 0.725 should be for vintage stratocasters using,right?........it's the radius gauge 'key' with a radius curve more accentuated......vintage stratocasters pre-70 owned a keyboard section very convex,round,u know....0.725 is the 'key' with radius more small ....I dont know