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Installing a Strat style bridge

I just installed a Strat style bridge on a guitar I made and I got lucky, it worked out perfectly! Not knowing exactly how to place it for height relative to the finger board and scale length, this is how I did it.

The wood of the fingerboard was 1/4" above the soundboard, no layback in the neck, it was parallel to the soundboard. This got me a nice low action over medium frets with the height adjustment screws just below the top surface of the adjusters. If I did it again I'd shoot for 3/16" just to have a little more wiggle room and the ability to raise the action a bit if desired.

For the scale length, I turned the length adjustment screws in to the adjusters three full turns and set the end of the adjusters right on the edge of the ideal scale length line. I had read that when you set intonation you almost always need to be just a touch longer than ideal length and I figured three turns would be the absolute minimum to hold the piece in place. I was able to set the intonation perfectly on the three string going from a low to high G. Once again, I'd probably got with four turns in next time for a little more wiggle room.

So, I hope this helps anyone who is planning on installing one of these. I's also like to hear how everyone else does theirs.

Thanks,

Scott

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on March 28, 2018 at 9:23pm

With string intonation and scale length, the saddle position will ALWAYS be longer than the theoretical scale length, so setting the saddles at almost maximum reach is the right way to do this. A couple of extra turns of the intonation screws thru' the saddles will give you a bit of leeway in case your bridge placement isn't perfect. Here's video I did about this very subject:

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Permalink Reply by Ducati Scotty on March 29, 2018 at 3:54am

Thanks John!

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Permalink Reply by David L. on March 28, 2018 at 10:58pm

the saddle height adjustment screws are M3 grub screws and are really cheap off eBay. They come in various lengths with size increments of 2mm so you can get a higher string height if needed (or if you go for a very low action it avoids having them sticking out of the saddle to catch your hand on).

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Permalink Reply by Ducati Scotty on March 29, 2018 at 3:55am

Good tip! Easier than most of the other ways you’d need to reconfigure.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Jordan on March 29, 2018 at 7:48am

What about advice for cutting one in half.,.,?? It seems like you could make 2 3 string trems from one old strat copy bridge.,.,.,.,hmm.,.,hacksaw and some tap n die oil.,.,?? the gears are grinding.,.,.,

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Permalink Reply by Ducati Scotty on March 29, 2018 at 8:15am

If you have one on the shelf and some time, go for it! A Dremel tool would make short work of it. If you cut one in half you'd need to figure out mounting holes on the cut side. It wouldn't look as clean, which might be just right for a junky guitar ;)

I like the pre-made ones for 3 and 4 string CBGs that Gitty carries. They've got different colors and finishes available, strings together or individual units, they're inexpensive, have good string spacing, and the mounting holes are ready made.