Bridge adjustment on a 2500

play4zero · #1 05-12-2008, 11:46 PM

Let's try again. I want to adjust the bridge on my 2500 (side to side). I've even taken the set screw out of the bridge and it doesn't adjust. There is a piece of plastic that appears to be a shim, but I can't tell whether it goes all the way through, or if it's just a shim.

sunbeast · #2 05-13-2008, 12:21 AM

The G&L bridge wasn't designed to allow adjustment of the saddles from side to side, only to allow you to screw the saddles together tightly to create more resonance. Why do you want to move the saddles over? do the strings not line up perfectly with the pickup polepieces? I had that issue on my old L2500, but didn't notice any tonal problems because of it. Part of the issue is that they use 2 identical pickups for the neck and bridge despite the fact that the string spacing gets wider as you move towards the bridge- alot of basses are like that though, and as I said, it doesn't seem to have much tonal effect...

If you really want to remove the plastic spacer, you can just loosen the G string and pull the saddle up (or push it forward and backwards a few times) until the spacer falls out.

Karl

spideyjg · #3 05-13-2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Tension Screw Set
Complete set of (6) tension screws w/ nylon bushings. These are the little Allen screws that hold the vibrato arm in on G&L Dual Fulcrum tremolo-equipped guitars and are also used on the side of G&L Saddle Lock bridge to lock the saddles together.

As stated it is a nylon bushing that they put in. I believe they set it in the threads then the screw pushes it though the bridge.

Jim

**Chef** · #4 05-13-2008, 09:09 AM

hey jim;
are those available on the webstore? I have several basses that either came to me without, or went missing, etc...

edit: yep, they are:
http://www.glguitars.com/shopping/sh...dge+Components

play4zero · #5 05-13-2008, 09:25 AM

Your comments are right on target. I did lift up the G string saddle, but the little spacer stayed put. I don't want to move it unless I can make sure it won't get lost. It would just be perfect on the other side of the saddles if I could get it to stay there and still have the set screw press against the other side.

play4zero · #6 05-13-2008, 10:53 AM

Incidentally, the reason I want to move the spacer to the other side is that the strings will line up perfectly if I can just lock the bridge down with the spacer on the other side.

spideyjg · #7 05-13-2008, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by play4zero

Incidentally, the reason I want to move the spacer to the other side is that the strings will line up perfectly if I can just lock the bridge down with the spacer on the other side.

Remove the G saddle, the set screw for the saddle lock, and then try to push the bushing deeper into the screw hole. If you can do that make a shim to place on the E side to get them where you want then tighten the set screw.

I did have to shave the end of the bushing on one with an Xacto- knife to get new saddles to fit.

Jim

play4zero · #8 05-13-2008, 05:18 PM

Some great ideas. Thanks guys.

whacker · #9 05-13-2008, 07:48 PM

On my used USA L2500 (my first G&L), I messed around with the saddle lock feature, but found that when I did have it in place properly and pushed against the saddles, not only were the strings (mostly on the bass side) off center of the polepieces, but the strings were no longer making much of a straight pull out of their anchors and over the saddles on the way to the nut. I dispensed with the saddle lock feature. It's all still there, just not tightened up. I don't think it does all that much.

play4zero · #10 05-13-2008, 11:57 PM

All's well. I took the G string off again and loosened up the set screw and then moved the saddles over one at a time until I had enough space to slide in a small spacer on the B string side. I then compressed the little plastic giz on the G string side until I could get the G string saddle back in and then set the intonation. It was actually a fun exercise. I now have an excellent sounding set of strings on the bass. While I was at it I removed some of the relief in the neck and straightened out the saddles so that they're closer to the centers of the pole pieces. I was also thinking of lowering the saddles, but for now I'll see how it plays. It certainly sounds much better.