Lower the action on my FAT replacement bridge??

[KenthIJ]

Originally posted by allan grossman You know, I've been thinking. I installed a Gotoh 201 on a 2003? MIM Active Jazz with no problem but there are two people on the front porch saying the saddles are too tall. I remember thinking the saddles were tall, but was able to adjust them to something acceptable. The action was fine for me but I think it was too low for my buddy Bob Nyswonger, who is a bit more aggressive bass player than I am. Wonder if Fender changed something? Oh - here's the bass. Quad coil Barts, Gotoh 201, Schaller tuners, Warmoth and WD gold hardware. Another bass I wish I'd kept, but the damn thing weighed more than a T-40. We actually compared them at a Columbus meet

 

 

 

Allways nice with "engaged" members.

 

Nice bass to.

 

I think my bass is 2001 (ser.nr MZIII4366) I bought it used (orginaly, to host my Roland V-Bass GK2B pup and therefor I've "hotted" it ALL BLACK)

 

I used to have higher action (and harder touch) some years ago but the older (and Lazyer) I get, the more important low action and light weight (sadly,not on me though) will be. (my bass weights just around 4 kg wich is my Max nowdays.

[allan grossman]

I don't have light weight either

 

You'd like my new projects. Got an Ibanez SR406 with Kent Armstrong pickups that's about ready to recive a 5-knob U-Retro deluxe since I couldn't make an Aguilar OBP-3 work. Not really enough room in the control cavity for an 18v OBP-3

 

Gonna try one more time before I spend $350 on a bass preamp, though

 

Said in the other thread you're the third person today who's had problems with Gotoh 201 saddles being too tall. Since it went in perfectly in my MIM Jazz I'd say the problem was Fender quality control

[KenthIJ]

An other issue that I came to think of is the string angle, wich maybe will be to stright if I have to lower the sadles to much compared to the "stringholes" in the back of the bridge.This effect wont occure if I can get the whole bridge closer to/in to the bass body. *tearing my hear...the little thats left*

 

Now I'll try to get some sleep and... we'll se maybe I'll order a new Black orginal bridge tomorrow

[xbassman]

Hey Keith,

 

My bridge adjusted low enough, but I may have problems in the future since my bass is brand new. (E and G saddles are on the deck)

 

I wouldn't try to compensate by adjusting the truss rod. You will just create other problems.

A shim is the proper method of compensating for your bridge neck relationship.

 

here's a quote from Fender support:

 

 

Shimming/Micro-Tilt Adjustment Shimming is a procedure used to adjust the pitch of the neck in relation to the body. A shim is placed in the neck pocket, underneath the butt-end of the neck. On many of the American series guitars, a Micro-Tilt adjustment is offered. It replaces the need for a shim by using a hex screw against a plate installed in the butt-end of the neck. The need to adjust the pitch (raising the butt-end of the neck in the pocket, thereby pitching the neck back) of the neck occurs in situations where the string height is high and the action adjustment is as low as the adjustment will allow. To properly shim a neck the neck needs to be removed from the neck pocket of the body. A shim approximately 1/4" (6.4 mm) wide x 1 3/4" (44.5 mm) long x .010" (0.25 mm) thick will allow you to raise the action approximately 1/32" (0.8 mm). For those guitars with the Micro-Tilt adjustment, loosen the two neck screws on both sides of the adjustment access hole on the neckplate by at least 4 full turns. Tightening the hex adjustment screw with an 1/8" hex wrench approximately 1/4 turn will allow you to raise the action approximately 1/32" (0.8 mm). Retighten the neck screws when the adjustment is complete. The pitch of the neck on your guitar has been preset at the factory and in most cases will not need to be adjusted. Note: If you feel you need this adjustment to be made and you're not comfortable with the procedure, take your guitar to your authorized Fender Service Center.

 

[g.ghost]

Here's another idea to allow the strings to sit lower.

 

Remove the saddle and lock the end into the chuck of an electric drill.

 

Turn the drill on and it will spin the saddle like a mini lathe.

 

Use a rat tail file (round) and press it against the groove of the spinning saddle where the string sits.

 

Gradually wear the groove deeper into the saddle so the string will sit lower when installed in the bridge.

 

I did this on a saddle to allow a larger guage (.135) B string to sit lower on the saddle of my MIM jazz V. Worked great.

[groutt]

 

Originally posted by g.ghost Here's another idea to allow the strings to sit lower. Remove the saddle and lock the end into the chuck of an electric drill. Turn the drill on and it will spin the saddle like a mini lathe. Use a rat tail file (round) and press it against the groove of the spinning saddle where the string sits. Gradually wear the groove deeper into the saddle so the string will sit lower when installed in the bridge. I did this on a saddle to allow a larger guage (.135) B string to sit lower on the saddle of my MIM jazz V. Worked great.

 

 

This sounds a lot better than the 'grinding off the bottoms' that I was thinking of doing. And it won't add crazy angle to the intonation adjust screws. Any reason not to do this?

[KenthIJ]

 

Originally posted by g.ghost Remove the saddle and lock the end into the chuck of an electric drill. Turn the drill on and it will spin the saddle like a mini lathe. Use a rat tail file (round) and press it against the groove of the spinning saddle where the string sits. Gradually wear the groove deeper into the saddle so the string will sit lower when installed in the bridge.

 

 

 

 

Why didn't I got this (imo obviously good) idea ;-)

 

Maybe/Could it be even better to, just file down the sadle string slots on the upper side of the cylinder, to keep as much mass as possible?

 

(I'm still a bit worried about the decreased string angle, though)

[KenthIJ]

 

Originally posted by mrcrow pity...the badass II goes on without all that kefuflle:cool:

 

 

 

Actually my first choise was a black BadAssII but they weren't avaliable here in Sweden, so... eager to get along with my "mod." I went for the Gotoh 201, wich I thought was a "ready to go" replacement to :-(

 

Now, I think I'll begin with testing to file down the string slot on the upperside of the sadle cylinders.This seems (imo) like the least invasive mod. (in fact, some ruined sadles, or even bridge, wont ruin my budget ;-)

[KenthIJ]

Now I'v tested the idea

 

Originally posted by g.ghost

 

Remove the saddle and lock the end into the chuck of an electric drill. (I attatched some Gaffa/silvertape at the cylinder end thats clamped into the chuck, to avoid dents)

 

Turn the drill on and it will spin the saddle like a mini lathe.

 

Use a rat tail file (round) and press it against the groove of the spinning saddle where the string sits.

 

 

Gradually wear the groove deeper into the saddle so the string will sit lower when installed in the bridge. I measured the string gauge and then marked that position on the file so I could get the slot as wide as the string.

 

I filed down the slot diameters to 6.8mm (the orginal slots were 7.9mm) on all sadles and then I installed them and then (to lower G str. a little extra) filed the G str. sadle upper 1/3 end down to 6.0mm (to save as much material as possible).

But... I'd to be carefull... the slots tend to come to close to the intonation screw hole.

 

Now I can get some pretty decent aktion: G str. 2.5mm - E str. 2.9mm gap at 12't fret

 

But I'm not compleatly satisfied ( as I wont be with the shime idea either) so... I'll probably change that Gotoh 201 bridge

[KenthIJ]

I just came by a thing that actually made some difference i action hight, that's to say, to press down the strings at nut and bridge sadles to get stright line strings.