Jump to content

saddle notching question


bmast160

Recommended Posts

  • Members

the tailpiece is very close to the bridge on one of my guitars. when the strings come straight out of the tailpiece they roughly cross the center of the saddles, but the high and low strings are toward the inside of the high and low pole pieces on the pickup. i'd like to notch the saddles so that the high and low strings sit further out on the saddles. that way they'd cross directly over the pole pieces but if i do that there will be tension from the tailpiece trying to pull the strings back toward the center of the saddles - is this ok? or should i look to get a tailpiece that is further back from the bridge?

 

see the photo. the red lines are where i'd like the strings to be.[ATTACH]332280[/ATTACH]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

That's a really tough question because I can see the advantages of keeping a straight pull over the bridge and you are already pretty close to the ends. I know that a lot of people (Dan Erlewine in particular) are proponents of having the string pass over the pole piece, but as long as it's fairly close you're still going to be within the magnetic field of the pickup.

 

I mean does it play or sound like it's an issue?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

it sounds good both ways. the high and low strings are a little clearer when over the pole pieces and i have a little more room between strings for fingerpicking, so i'd prefer it that way but not if im gonna have more broken strings and strings that are popping out of the saddle notches. i'd probably have to notch them deeper to do this too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I wouldn't do a damn thing. If you really want your strings over the pole pieces i'd try to find a bridge with wider string spacing. If you try to notch these as close to the edge as the red lines you'll end up weakening the saddles to the point where they'll break eventually.
This is a definate, "If it works, don't fix it" thang.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...