Saddle Lock Question

[rappa29]

So what does this do and how do I know if it's engaged or not on my Trib L2500?

I was working on my setup over the weekend. I did not notice a visible or physical difference when I had the Saddle Lock screw tightened or loosened.

I was adjusting the saddle of the E string to lower the action. It got to a point where the saddle screws were no longer in contact with the bridge but the saddle wouldn't drop down. It was stuck. It was suspended in the air with no contact to the bridge under it.

I loosened the saddle lock screw and no result. I finally just pushed the saddle down so that it was finally resting on the saddle screws at the adjusted height, as normal saddles do.

So when adjusting the saddles, does it matter if the saddle lock screw is engaged or not? I couldn't tell either way. When I engaged it, the saddles were tight. When I loosened it, the saddles were tight. No difference.

[TomB]

Here's a quote from a G&L site re: the theory in locking the saddles together:

"The patented G&L Saddle-Lock® bridge, is used on all many ASAT® models, as well as the full range of G&L basses. This design was revolutionary for a number of reasons. The most significant feature is a small Allen screw on the side of the bridge, which presses all the saddles together so they resonate as though they were one single mass. This eliminates the loss of string vibration energy caused by side-to-side saddle movement inherent in other designs. Further, the strings no longer needed to be routed though the rear of the body for optimum sustain as well as allowing the strings to enter directly through the rear of the bridge..."

In my experience, if you loosen the lock screw enough the saddle should drop down just under string tension, like other saddles. Then you can retighten them after you're satisfied with the adjustment.

[tornadobass]

Loosen...but don't remove...the saddle lock screw on the side of the bridge when you want to change string height. Otherwise, the saddles will not respond to the height screws.

Be sure to tighten the saddle lock screw when you're done setting up string height. It helps sustain, at least in theory.

[fender3x]

There are a lot of things about the bridges on 2500s and you may want to check them out. That said...

Did you have the strings on when you did this? If you loosen the saddle lock screw, sting tension alone should have brought the saddle down. They should move freely so that they can be intunated and so hight can be adjusted.

[rappa29]

Originally Posted by fender3x

There are a lot of things about the bridges on 2500s and you may want to check them out. That said...

Did you have the strings on when you did this? If you loosen the saddle lock screw, sting tension alone should have brought the saddle down. They should move freely so that they can be intunated and so hight can be adjusted.

Yes, but I loosened them enough so that they weren't putting significant pressure on the saddle so as not to impede raising the saddle if I had to.

I loosened the lock screw, then I loosened the string for the saddle i was working with. Adjusted the saddle, tighten string and tune.

Perhaps for future adjustments, after loosening the lock screw, I'll leave the strings at regular tension and adjust saddles from there to allow for string tension to drop the saddle.

I'm fairly novice at set ups, although have had pretty good success with my Stingray and Jazz. It's possible I may have left the lock screw locked.

It's good to go now, but I'll keep those tips in mind for future adjustment.

[fender3x]

Originally Posted by rappa29

...I loosened them....Perhaps for future adjustments, after loosening the lock screw, I'll leave the strings at regular tension and adjust saddles from there to allow for string tension to drop the saddle.

I would recommend this. Loosen the saddle lock screw to make height or intonation adjustments, but leave the string in tune. You should be able to raise or lower the saddle with the string at full tension.

I think Leo does not get enough credit for his bridge ideas--partly because they are so simple. Going back to the p/j bridge, the string anchor is either as low as possible or through the bass, so that string tension holds the saddle firmly in place. Bridge is then firmly mounted to the body. Simple, easy to mfg and cheap.

The big innovation of the saddle lock over MM/P/J bridges is that it "locks" the saddles together once they have been adjusted so that none of the string vibration is "lost" in lateral movement of the saddle.

So the bridge works fine, and adjusts fine without the saddle lock screw...you just should get a bit better sustain with it when you set the screw. That's the theory, anyway ;-)

What is amazing to me is that no one seems to have made a bridge that is as good AND as simple. Many bridges don't do as good a job as even the original P/J bridges at locking the saddle down vertically. Most don't even really try to lock down lateral movement. Of the few that do, the ones I have seen are complex and notoriously difficult to adjust.

The great thing about the saddle lock is how ingeniously well it works despite being simple and easy to adjust.