new strat bridge problem, help!

[sethjem7]

Hi All

I recently purchased an American series standard strat. It really like it put I have found a problem. The shop setup was crap so I brought it home to set it up, I adjusted the string heights at each individual saddle to my specs, the problem is that the 2 adjustable allen key screws are protruding up at the saddle on the A string, this is having a series effect on my playing. The other saddle screws are fine, the saddle is no where near resting on the base plate and my action is 2.3mm at the 17th fret so I am not trying to adjust it too low. It looks like the allen key screws are too long for the A saddle, has anyone got any suggestions or help.

PS. This is my first Strat

[Algiman]

Sounds like you need to shim the neck, on the body end of the neck pocket. Does your model has the micro tilt adjuster to change the neck angle?

[sethjem7]

Thanks for the reply

The guitar doesn't the micro tilt adjuster, I was hoping to avoid shimming the neck as the other saddles are fine and I dont want to put them out of place, by visual inspection, the screws on the particular saddle seem longer than the other ones. I might have to take this one apart to get familiar with the bridge, I am going to try and find replacement shorter screws.

Cheers

[jb4674]

Why did you lower the A string saddle so much? If anything, the allen screws on the low e string should be the ones with this problem. What i can't understand is how this is affecting the way you play? The a string isn't sitting on the screw, so I still don't understand why this bothers you. Unless you're resting your hand on the bridge, then the worst thing is that you're feeling the allen screws on your palm. If they bother you that much, you can try filing them down. i still think there's something wrong with the height on that saddle. Take a pic and let us see.

Jimmy

[Vim Fuego]

This *used* to be a problem on strat bridges but I think Fender have since tried to modify the screw lengths to a match the saddle height. Could you swap the A screws for the D or G saddle screws which should be higher and therefor need longer screws? other than that new screws or get grinding with your "Dremmel"
Jim

[ryanb]

This has nothing to do with neck shims, etc. You just need to either get shorter screws or grind down the ones you have to fit. It bothers some poeple more than others. Fender did at some point change the length of some of them to reduce this problem, but if yours are sticking up you need shorter ones. That is assuming, of course, that you have the radius set right. I think you can buy them from Fender, or just run down to the local hardware and save yourself a bunch of money.

[sethjem7]

Originally Posted by jb4674

Why did you lower the A string saddle so much? If anything, the allen screws on the low e string should be the ones with this problem. What i can't understand is how this is affecting the way you play? The a string isn't sitting on the screw, so I still don't understand why this bothers you. Unless you're resting your hand on the bridge, then the worst thing is that you're feeling the allen screws on your palm. If they bother you that much, you can try filing them down. i still think there's something wrong with the height on that saddle. Take a pic and let us see.

Jimmy

I didnt lower it so much, I never said that, in fact there is a good distance between the saddle and the baseplate on the bridge, and the saddle is up higher than the e-string saddle.

[sethjem7]

Thanks for the reply all, I have had a closer inspection and found that the length if the allen-key screws vary from saddle to saddle and that the longest ones are on the a-saddle, hence the problem. I will run around to a few hardware stores and try and find the proper ones. If I adjusted the a-saddle to compensate for the allen-key screw clearance I'd have and a-string 5mm above the fret board at the 17th fret, thats not going to happen!

Cheers All!

[Algiman]

Complete sets are about half way down this page:

http://www.axesrus.com/axehardware.htm