Members Cliff Fiscal Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 I've got a Hwy. 1 Strat that has the 6 screw vintage bridge.......the damn height adjustment screws on the lower string saddles are cutting the {censored} out of my palm. What do I do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC777 Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 You could wax em. I don't think you want to dremel them.although I've seen it done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Blues Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 Sometimes, it's a sign that your Strat needs a neck shim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keithcar Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 the hardtail on my tele deluxe was the same way, the saddle screws scraped the crap out of my hand... i ended up buying graphtech saddles to solve the problem. you could probably shorten the grub screws a hair.. easy if you have a bench grinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 I've encountered that problem before as well. I second the motion for graphite saddles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ILikeGuitar Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 graphtech saddles would make that better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members datstrat Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 I put a set of the Guitarfetish saddles shown below on my MIM. They are much more comfortable than the classic style saddles. At $12 for a set they're a real good deal too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Blues Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 If the guitar is setup correctly and the neck angle is right, you shouldn't have the screws poking out of the sadlles. I'd imagine your sadlles are almost resting on the bridge right? If the neck angle is right, the saddles will be off the bridge, the screws contained inside the saddle and still have a low action on the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Into Nation Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 I was looking at my bridges on a MIM and a Squier and found something interesting... Both are vintage type saddles, but the Squier appears to have shorter screws on the E strings. Never noticed it, but I never had a problem. I guess my palm never goes that low. First pic is MIM, second is Squier. Maybe you can either get or shorten the screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted January 13, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 fucking nasty looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Into Nation Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 fucking nasty looking. You could try lowering the bass E string a bit and see if you get buzz or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members irishstu Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 My American Standard has shorter screws on two of the saddles. They haven't been customised. Incidentally, in the past I had this same problem as you on a Fernandes Strat and managed to buy a set of screws that were shorter than the originals. The other option, as mentioned, is to shim the neck a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted January 13, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 You could try lowering the bass E string a bit and see if you get buzz or not. ?what? The low bass string is the one that's too low......already?It's the one that's poking my hand...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 Sometimes, it's a sign that your Strat needs a neck shim. WTF just order shorter saddle screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 WTF just order shorter saddle screws. Or grind those ones shorter. No reason to go 'round your elbow to find your ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Into Nation Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 ?what? The low bass string is the one that's too low......already? It's the one that's poking my hand...... Oh yea... Look at the B string. Are those short screws? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted January 13, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 Maybe I have the saddles in the wrong order (so the screws might not be arranged by height (if there's a difference:idk:)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Into Nation Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 It almost looks like the B and treble E have the short screws, instead of both the E strings. If you can back one screw all the way out and measure, then swap them if the B screws are shorter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 Or grind those ones shorter. No reason to go 'round your elbow to find your ass. That's what I've done to all of mine. It's sort of a tedious task... I take one out at a time grind off the bottom... sometimes it's hard to get them back in because the end of the threads are ground off so you may have to back them in. I can't stand having any part of the screw stick out because I rest my palm on the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Blues Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 WTF just order shorter saddle screws. A shim is no big deal. Cheaper than screws and will give you a nice even string height along the entire neck up to the bridge pickup, with usually a very noticeable action improvement beyond the 12th fret. Fender used the micro adjustment screw for the same purpose. When the screws are sticking out of the saddles like that, they are working out of the intended range. A shim will not only improve your saddle situation, it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted January 13, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 I had tried graphtech saddles, and I couldn't stand them..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 Ok thanks. But how do you know when you need a shim. Is it just something you have to learn from experience or is there a mesurment you can take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Blues Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 Ok thanks. But how do you know when you need a shim. Is it just something you have to learn from experience or is there a mesurment you can take. The string angle over the neck should be a good indication. If the strings don't keep the same height (or really close to it) along the entire neck and up to the bridge pup, you may need a shim. The poking screws are a good indication too. If you lower the saddles to where they are resting on the bridge or about to, you might need a shim. You should be able to have 1.6 to 2mm action over the 17th fret without having the screws stick out so much. A shim isn't a "fix all" solution, just one of the many adjustments in a good Strat setup. Besides the Fender site, you can find thousands of posts about it on the web and most of the major setup and maintanence books cover the subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 The string angle over the neck should be a good indication. If the strings don't keep the same height (or really close to it) along the entire neck and up to the bridge pup, you may need a shim. The poking screws are a good indication too. If you lower the saddles to where they are resting on the bridge or about to, you might need a shim. You should be able to have 1.6 to 2mm action over the 17th fret without having the screws stick out so much. A shim isn't a "fix all" solution, just one of the many adjustments in a good Strat setup. Besides the Fender site, you can find thousands of posts about it on the web and most of the major setup and maintanence books cover the subject. Ok my appollogies to you. I just tried this on my Highway One tele. I see what you mean. The saddle screws are in the saddles now not poking up. It didn't take much shim. I used a piece of sand paper cut to those fender spec. and put a piece of double sided tape on it to hold in place. I put it across the back of the heel in the body. The action is much nicer down the length of the neck. Thanks for putting up with asshats like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Blues Posted January 13, 2009 Members Share Posted January 13, 2009 Ok my appollogies to you. I just tried this on my Highway One tele. I see what you mean. The saddle screws are in the saddles now not poking up. It didn't take much shim. I used a piece of sand paper cut to those fender spec. and put a piece of double sided tape on it to hold in place. I put it across the back of the heel in the body. The action is much nicer down the length of the neck. Thanks for putting up with asshats like me. No apology needed and I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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