Saddle height problem

sadmoodyfrazier

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
102
Hi...

I have this problem over my PRS with the hi e saddle almost touches the baseplate of the bridge.

I made a regular setup following Marr's directives to set up the bridge height with 2.5 mm hex wrench and I made the action following PRS specs from official website.

I will post a picture later. I'm unable to right now.

By the fact that the bridge is an aftermarket one I suspect that the saddles are too thick.

May you tell me how much thick at the front end are the PRS USA and SE saddles for reference and to find which problem I have here?

Thank you in advance.
 
My high E is nearly/is touching the bridge plate too, I'm sure it probably shouldn't be but I've lived with it just fine. Just limited in action height adjustments at that point, so if you're happy with your action/relief in the setup, should be OK I'd think.
 
If the saddle has tension on the height adjustment screws and the action is where you want it to be, there is no problem. Some actually feel the tone of the string is better the lower the saddle is. There was a thread on another forum about this where they were comparing the heights of saddles on the Gotoh 510 bridge and it was pretty much a consensus that the guitars sounded better with the saddle heights lower.
 
photo-2022-11-08-18-01-05.jpg


Ok... this is my situation. HI-E string saddle have tension over height screws just because i raised the action just a little bit from the specs to not let the saddle touch the baseplate.
 
If the saddle is allowing you to adjust it to the radius of the fretboard and your action is were you want it then I don’t see a problem with the saddle touching the baseplate. For me and the way I play the problem I see in your picture is the height of the adjustable Allen screws. I would need them to be filed or ground down on the contact side of the saddle on both the high and low E so I couldn’t feel them with my hand. If the height of the high E saddle needs to be lowered remove some of it thickness from the bottom, since it’s brass and relatively soft you should be able to remove it from the guitar and sand it down on a flat surface, probably wouldn’t take much to get it we’re you want it.
 
photo-2022-11-08-18-01-05.jpg


Ok... this is my situation. HI-E string saddle have tension over height screws just because i raised the action just a little bit from the specs to not let the saddle touch the baseplate.
Can you take a picture from the side of the guitar? I am wondering how far off of the body and how level to the body the trem is.

I prefer my action lower than PRS has set them from the factory for a good while. I have one trem equipped guitar that I did have to adjust the pivot screws on a little to get it where I wanted it. You have to be very careful how you do it if you do it or you can damage the knife edges on the trem base.
 
Can you take a picture from the side of the guitar? I am wondering how far off of the body and how level to the body the trem is.

I prefer my action lower than PRS has set them from the factory for a good while. I have one trem equipped guitar that I did have to adjust the pivot screws on a little to get it where I wanted it. You have to be very careful how you do it if you do it or you can damage the knife edges on the trem base.
Thats a good point.
 
2.5mm is a really good starting point but can be fine tuned to fit your action needs. I have used a 2mm allen also.
IMHO is you want some more adjustment on the saddle lower the bridge screws 1/4 turn see if that works for you if not go another 1/4 turn
 
This is the side.

photo-2022-11-09-06-35-08.jpg
You could lower that a little bit. I am talking like start with a 1/4 turn of each screw. You DO NOT want to do this with string tension on it. I put something under the tail end of the bridge to protect the body from the bridge then loosen the strings. You want the bridge to be completely free of string tension. I have pulled the springs out of the back when doing this as well just to make sure there is no tension on it. Turn each 1/4 of a turn, no more than 1/2 of a turn then put the springs back in and tune it up.
 
Back
Top