Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

[SabbathFan0220]

I just put a Gotoh ABR-1 on my SG, and I can't get the intonation right on the E, A, and D strings. I need to flip the saddles but I can't figure out how.

It looks like this (not my pic, but the same setup):

The bottom 3 saddles point towards the tailpiece. I need to reverse them so they point towards the pickups.

Mine looks like the one in the pic, with screw heads on one side and hex nuts on the other. When you turn the screws, the hex nuts turn as well. I don't have a socket small enough to stop those nuts from turning...

 

[John_L]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

I just put a Gotoh ABR-1 on my SG, and I can't get the intonation right on the E, A, and D strings. I need to flip the saddles but I can't figure out how.

It looks like this (not my pic, but the same setup):

The bottom 3 saddles point towards the tailpiece. I need to reverse them so they point towards the pickups.

Mine looks like the one in the pic, with screw heads on one side and hex nuts on the other. When you turn the screws, the hex nuts turn as well. I don't have a socket small enough to stop those nuts from turning...

Needle nose pliers.

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

Needle nose pliers.

Thanks John, I actually tried that, but it was really hard to get a hold of them because of how small they are.

It might be my only option, but I was hoping someone here had a trick I hadn't thought of.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

Small crescent wrench, possibly turned the "wrong" way so the tips of the jaws are holding the hex nut.

Maybe.

Barring that, buy a tiny socket?

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

Thanks, Jessie. No one else?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

Get yourself an ignition wrench from Sears....I have the Gotoh bridge on my recent Ibanez purchase also and it requires a small 5/32" wrench..I just changed over to String Saver Saddles and luckily had a wrench that fit..I wasn't happy with the overall bridge curve/radius and the D string was too low...I replaced that saddle with a taller saddle and got the 12" radius dialed in where it should be now..

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

If you aren't dead set on the ABR-1 bridge,the Nashville bridge is a bit wider and will give you that extra intonation distance needed...Just make sure you measure the post thickness and bridge width..This is only if you switch the saddle orientation and you still can't get proper intonation..Personally I Like the look of the ABR bridge..

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

When you try to remove the nuts,they have lock-tite on them...Also be sure not to lose the 2 tiny white plastic washers from both sides of the screws...

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

Wow, thanks StratDeluxer, very helpful. I'll pick up the wrench after Xmas. Do I need to worry about re-applying lock-tite? What's it on there for?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

Wow, thanks StratDeluxer, very helpful. I'll pick up the wrench after Xmas. Do I need to worry about re-applying lock-tite? What's it on there for?

I didn't put loctite back on the nuts....It's there to keep the nuts from loosening and backing off,but it hasn't been an issue on my bridge...I just made sure they were fairly tight.

 

[formula73]

Re: Flipping the Saddles on a Gotoh ABR-1?

I've had to do that before, too. I used a dab of superglue on the threads because I didn't have any loctite laying around. It worked just fine.