Strat bridge replacement or saddle replacement

[esandes]

My strat has some nasty fret buzz even after adjusting the truss rod. The saddle height cannot be adjusted.

It's this type..
https://kcvintageguitars.com/produc...yd-rose-ash-blue-burst?variant=18504066531398

should I get a new bridge or new saddles? What are my options?

 

[esandes]

It looks like this

 

[esandes]

 

[Mincer]

Those are recognized as decent bridges. Maybe a fret dress or attention to the nut instead?

 

[Benjy_26]

Can't you just back the studs out a bit?

 

[ErikH]

That's the Fender/Floyd Rose bridge. That's a really really good bridge. The problems you describe have to deal with setup. Fret leveling, overall bridge height, etc. Those came with LSR roller nuts so that should be good. If you don't know how to do that work, get it in to a competent tech.

 

[Mincer]

Yes, more than likely, this is a fret issue, not a nut or bridge issue. Take the money you would spend on a new bridge and put it towards a setup. But hang on to that bridge, it is a good one.

 

[alex1fly]

100% agree that a tech should look at the guitar before you DIY some bridge repair. Even if you're great at doing your own setups.

 

[Masta' C]

OP, where is the fret buzz occurring? What adjustment did you do to your truss rod? How much relief do you have and how is the overall action now?

Have you tried adjusting the overall height of the bridge using the 2 pivot posts?

The screws on the underside of the base plate hold the saddles in place. You could potentially create shims for the saddles if you absolutely needed to.

 

[GuitarDoc]

My strat has some nasty fret buzz even after adjusting the truss rod. The saddle height cannot be adjusted.

It's this type..
https://kcvintageguitars.com/product...18504066531398

should I get a new bridge or new saddles? What are my options?

Bridges rarely cause fret buzz. That is usually a problem with the nut and/or the frets (unless the buzz only occurs at the higher frets).

I'm not familiar with that specific bridge but I don't think it's possible to replace those saddles with a different type of saddle, you'd have to replace them with the same type (which wouldn't solve your problem) or replace the entire bridge (which probably wouldn't solve your problem either).

The fact that you're asking this question tells me that you should read up on how to adjust your bridge (that's not a bad thing nor a value judgement against you, you just need to be more familiar with your guitar), and then take it to a tech to do some fret/nut work.

 

[esandes]

The nut is roller. I'll try adding height to the bridge. A tech did tune it up but maybe he's a novice.

 

[GuitarDoc]

If your fret buzz is at the lower frets, adding height to your bridge will mainly give you higher action toward your upper frets and may still leave you with fret buzz at the lower frets.
Where, specifically, are you experiencing the fret buzz? Which frets?

 

[Mincer]

THose nuts (at least when you buy them aftermarket) come with 6 metal shims. I needed 1 on the treble side, 2 on the bass for the buzzing to stop.

 

[esandes]

The fret buzz is literally everywhere along the neck. I don't have shims. When I play through an amp I don't notice it but when I don't plug in it is unbearable.

I adjusted the neck for more relief with a quarter turn.

 

[Mincer]

The fret buzz is literally everywhere along the neck. I don't have shims. When I play through an amp I don't notice it but when I don't plug in it is unbearable.

I adjusted the neck for more relief with a quarter turn.

Order them. That's probably one of the issues.

 

[GuitarDoc]

If the buzz is everywhere along the neck, you need to raise the nut (with shims, as Mincer suggested), AND you need to raise your bridge.

However...it is not uncommon to get fret buzz when you're unplugged because you tend to compensate for the lower volume by hitting the strings harder to increase loudness. It's a subconscious thing.