i decided to change my strings this evening in hope of correcting some issues that has been popping up.
upon inspection of the saddles as no string was on them i noticed that all 6 of them have very loose screws ( the screws that adjust the string height ) in their bores. in all my years of engineering skills and experience, this has to be the worst and poorest design that i have ever come accross. or ( was this cut backs for the cheaper mim )
even the bridge plate that the screws rest on have no countersink holes which i am sure a kid in kindergarden would have put in so as to give the saddle screws a more solid seated area, and would give a more solid foundation for the bridge to settle in.
is this a design flaw?
or is this where companies like callaham make fender look stupid

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Dave
T&T

No design flaws with the Fender bridge. What purpose would "countersink holes" serve? You have to be able to adjust the string length by moving the saddle back and forth for proper intonation during a set up (You remember the discussions on that, right?). Once the strings are on the guitar and tuned to pitch, the saddles are held down tight. Callaham does not make Fender look "stupid".

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Bill

Some Strat-style bridges have grooves in the bridgeplate for the saddle screws to keep the saddles from moving side-to-side. For example, on this GFS bridge you can just barely see one of the grooves for the low-E saddle (the rest of the grooves are obscured by the saddles):


I seem to recall that some Wilkinsons have similar grooves, but they're pointless and unnecessary -- string tension keeps the saddles aligned. Callaham doesn't use them.

The loose fit of the saddle screws isn't a problem when the strings are on and tuned up -- the pressure of the strings locks the screws in the saddles. But when doing deep dive bombs or when changing strings, sometimes the screws do "adjust themselves". Callaham addresses that by making the threaded portion of the saddles longer and tighter. But most Fender bent-saddles never exhibit problems, and there's a simple time-tested fix for those that do -- after you adjust the saddles, put a tiny drop of clear or silver nailpolish on the threads (being careful not to fill up the allen sockets). The nailpolish will easily break loose with a twist of the wrench if you ever want to change the saddle height.

Be very careful with nitro-finished guitars -- the acetone in nailpolish will instantly eat nitro finishes. (Most nailpolishes actually are nitrocellulose.) Nailpolish won't mar poly if you spill/drip some.

Is the sloppy fit a "flaw"? Maybe. But Fender bent-saddles have always been like that -- vintage ones, reissue ones, USA, MIM, MIJ bent-saddles. Like I said, the fit only rarely causes problems and there's a simple fix for the occasional one that acts up. (My MIM Classic sports nailpolish on the threads because the high E used to lower itself on one side every time I changed strings -- I also ground down the bottom of the screws so they don't stick up and poke my palm to address another age-old so-called "flaw" of the bent-saddle design.)

+1

Just more reasons why basic adjustments like action, intonation, and neck relief should be checked with every string change.

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Bill

This Wilkinson Strat bridge obviously isn't vintage-style, but it clearly shows the bridgeplate grooves. On this design they sort of make sense because the saddles don't have rear intonation screws to help keep them in position.


Wilkinson doesn't use grooves on their 6-screw bridges with bent-saddles.

thanks for the pics and info
somehow i feel like i spent too much time looking at that area this evening, it is comforting to hear that it had this design since the begining, and that it creates no issues.
i personally found the saddles that look box shaped looks sturdier, are those a better design or just shaped different
i did like what i read on callaham site for upgrading, what do you think of their product?
what about graph tec string saver classic saddles?

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Dave
T&T

I use these saddles on my Fender Standard Strat, Squier Esquire, Ibanez, and Washburn Lyon:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-S ... p_773.html

Callaham is way overpriced and no better than Fender parts in my opinion.

Kenny Wayne Shepard swears by Graphtech saddles, others swear at them.

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Bill

thanks for that link you sent.
just looking at it alone i can see a beafier, sturdier design.
what role did you find it made as far as tone, tuning stability, durability.

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Dave
T&T

Tone - Slightly better sustain.

Tuning stability - no difference.

Durability - less prone to "saddle sink" due to the amount of material for the screws to grip.

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Bill