saddle radius
- Thread starter john5959
- Start date
SabbathFan0220
New member
Re: saddle radius
On a straight neck radius, the saddles should match the neck. StewMac sells pre-cut guides to make sure they line up, which makes the job really easy. If you feel like taking the time to make your own guides, you can cut them out of thin wood or plexiglass, using a string to measure out the arc. I'm not sure if that answered your question...
EDIT: The way it's done is to get the proper height on both E's (higher on the bass side), and then match the middle strings to the radius of the neck. A guide will show you where the middle strings should fall once both E's are set.
On a straight neck radius, the saddles should match the neck. StewMac sells pre-cut guides to make sure they line up, which makes the job really easy. If you feel like taking the time to make your own guides, you can cut them out of thin wood or plexiglass, using a string to measure out the arc. I'm not sure if that answered your question...
EDIT: The way it's done is to get the proper height on both E's (higher on the bass side), and then match the middle strings to the radius of the neck. A guide will show you where the middle strings should fall once both E's are set.
Last edited:
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wolf5150
Guest
Re: saddle radius
Don'y buy some stupid tool dude that you'll only use once, get a cheap steel engineers rule.
I've got a Sil Special myself, this is how i set up mine.
I don't like a bridge to sit flush, so i raised the front edge slightly so that when I dip the trem it doesn't touch the body and I then tilted the back edge forward slightly.
I only use the trem for slurs and occasional vibrato, never extreme stuff.
THEN, measure the string height at the 12th fret ( top of fret to underneath the string ) and raise the saddle until you get the ideal height.
Do this on every string and when done, they'll perfectly follow the radius.
Once they're all done, sight along the neck to make sure the saddles are parallel to the bridge plate.
Takes a little patience to get it right but it only needs doing once, so it's worth it.
Don'y buy some stupid tool dude that you'll only use once, get a cheap steel engineers rule.
I've got a Sil Special myself, this is how i set up mine.
I don't like a bridge to sit flush, so i raised the front edge slightly so that when I dip the trem it doesn't touch the body and I then tilted the back edge forward slightly.
I only use the trem for slurs and occasional vibrato, never extreme stuff.
THEN, measure the string height at the 12th fret ( top of fret to underneath the string ) and raise the saddle until you get the ideal height.
Do this on every string and when done, they'll perfectly follow the radius.
Once they're all done, sight along the neck to make sure the saddles are parallel to the bridge plate.
Takes a little patience to get it right but it only needs doing once, so it's worth it.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: saddle radius
I think the radius gauges from Stew Mac or even the one's from Dan Erlewine's book are great. I use them to set up all my G&L Legacy. Time and vibration can cause subtle changes to the height screws, so I check them every so often.
And, using a radius gauge to properly set the height of tune-o-matic saddles on a Les Paul or other Gibson is absolutely essential if you want your guitar to play great. You may need to do some filing of saddle string notches, but absolutely worth it.
Bill
I think the radius gauges from Stew Mac or even the one's from Dan Erlewine's book are great. I use them to set up all my G&L Legacy. Time and vibration can cause subtle changes to the height screws, so I check them every so often.
And, using a radius gauge to properly set the height of tune-o-matic saddles on a Les Paul or other Gibson is absolutely essential if you want your guitar to play great. You may need to do some filing of saddle string notches, but absolutely worth it.
Bill
