Tell me about notches in bridge saddles

[ThreeChordWonder]

Are they necessary?

My new Epi SG Special's wraparound bridge doesnt have them and ive just bought a genuine Gibson Nashville brige for my genuine Gibson SG. My acoustic doesn't have them either, but that's probably a completely different situation.

I have no trouble getting my nut files, or even a triangular needle file, out, but if theyre not necessary...

 

[beaubrummels]

Depends on the type of bridge. A TOM type without notches won't hold the strings in place. They'll pull off the saddle while strumming. They'll even do that if the notches aren't deep enough.

 

[Mincer]

I think only you will know if you need them. If you find the strings sliding around, you'd need them. If not, it isn't necessary. Some people have an extremely light touch.

 

[Chistopher]

I don't strictly think they are necessary. I've also seen people simply use a stop bar for a LP Jr bridge. The intonation suffers a little bit, but not all guitars are for genres that require precise intonation.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Thanks guys. I'll be getting my needle files out:eek1:

 

[Wound_Up]

I had to deepen the notches in the 2 Gotoh ABR1's I just bought.
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1 of the guitars seems to like the strings just to the left of the notches, so I've slid them over with no notches just to see how it played and whether it made a difference in intonation. It did not make a single difference. I also didn't have a problem with strings sliding but I was playing lead stuff and not strumming chords.

I keep considering filing new notches in the saddles where the strings want to sit but I've still not done it.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

^ I've seen that with Gotoh saddles too. It's kind of "We've marked the middles of the saddles where the notches should go. Now file them as deep as you like /need".

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, on Gotoh bridges, you're supposed to file them deeper for sure.

I honestly kinda hate that. I think tune o matics should have like a standard depth for the notches to be at. I mean, after all, 90% of the guitars Tune-o's are going in have the same fretboard radius specs. Or at least close enough so that the standard 12 inch would work. If not, maybe then, you can file them to your needs, but for buying an aftermarket tune-o to drop in a Gibson, Epiphone, or similar (which is like what 95% of us are going to drop an aftermarket Tune-O in), I don't see the need to have to take it to a tech or file them yourself when the maker can simplify that for you.

That's honestly the only reason I went for a roller bridge. Because of all the ones that I was looking at, the majority didn't come with pre-filed saddles.

 

[Mikelamury]

Yeah, on Gotoh bridges, you're supposed to file them deeper for sure.

I honestly kinda hate that. I think tune o matics should have like a standard depth for the notches to be at. I mean, after all, 90% of the guitars Tune-o's are going in have the same fretboard radius specs. Or at least close enough so that the standard 12 inch would work. If not, maybe then, you can file them to your needs, but for buying an aftermarket tune-o to drop in a Gibson, Epiphone, or similar (which is like what 95% of us are going to drop an aftermarket Tune-O in), I don't see the need to have to take it to a tech or file them yourself when the maker can simplify that for you.

That's honestly the only reason I went for a roller bridge. Because of all the ones that I was looking at, the majority didn't come with pre-filed saddles.

What did you put the roller bridge on?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

What did you put the roller bridge on?

My Gibson Les Paul Tribute.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

In the end I cheated and pinched the titanium saddles out of the original bridge and put them in the new Nashville bridge on my SG. Even with the wound string saddles put in backwards, I only just had enough adjustment on the g and low E, so I'm guessing I have to redo the setup.:sigh: