BA II bridge saddles: Cut string grooves? Or not?

[MysticMichael]

Well, I just got my basses back from the repair shop - with new grooves in the BA II string saddles...and Wow! What a difference!

Not to drop names, but I had my first BA II installed about eight years ago on my 1992 Carvin by Roger Sadowsky. And he did a fine job (as one would expect), but declines to accept jobs on any non-Sadowsky instruments these days...

So he referred me to his former ace apprentice, a cat named Norio Imai, who has set up his own shop in Manhattan (http://www.imai-guitars.com/about.html). I dropped off the instruments two days ago - and got them back just tonight...

My basses now have all the zing, punch & resonance that I knew was in there, but couldn't get out until now. And it turns out I did have an intonation problem after all. Due to the inexact "speaking point", the tone was just blurry enough so that the lack of intonation wasn't quite...uh, clear...

Anyway, that's my report: For good grooves, get grooves...

MM

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Well, I just got my basses back from the repair shop - with new grooves in the BA II string saddles...and Wow! What a difference!

Not to drop names, but I had my first BA II installed about eight years ago on my 1992 Carvin by Roger Sadowsky. And he did a fine job (as one would expect), but declines to accept jobs on any non-Sadowsky instruments these days...

So he referred me to his former ace apprentice, a cat named Norio Imai, who has set up his own shop in Manhattan (http://www.imai-guitars.com/about.html). I dropped off the instruments two days ago - and got them back just tonight...

My basses now have all the zing, punch & resonance that I knew was in there, but couldn't get out until now. And it turns out I did have an intonation problem after all. Due to the inexact "speaking point", the tone was just blurry enough so that the lack of intonation wasn't quite...uh, clear...

Anyway, that's my report: For good grooves, get grooves...

MM

I'm sold...I'm willing to do it myself, though...as soon as I see my old P-bass again (It's been 4 1/2 years...I'm waiting... )

[vyvyn mtl]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Thanks for the feedback, guys. But there's no intonation problems here - it's still an issue of insufficient attack, resonance & sustain. I don't play with a heavy hand either. Quite the contrary, I'm reknowned for keeping the action low, turning up the volume and playing with a very light touch...

pkr2, there's no loss of confidence in Mr. Luthier. The guy's done many hundreds of set-ups and clearly knows what he's doing. It's just that I'm still getting used to his methods & philosophy; he's still getting used to my preferences & expectations...

My theory about why it may sound better with the string grooves is that there is more of the string surface making contact with the saddle - thus transferring more vibrational energy into the body, which in turn reinforces the vibration of the string itself - thus creating more resonance & sustain. I'm no physicist, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it...

MM

There are plenty of guitar set up and repair books at the library. Filing nuts and saddles takes some practice. It is not impossible though. If you don't feel confident doing it yourself. Paying a luthier is the way to go.

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by pkr2

I must be missing something, Hambone. What part of my post are you talking about? In the final line of my post it seems that we are in agreement.

Had I stated That they absolutely must be cut, the posters who stated that they didn't cut them and they worked just fine would justifiably argue that they were doing it. There's really not much argument with success.

I didn't credit you with the info that the factory recomedation called for cutting them because I didn't really remember who posted it.

I was mistakenly thinking of the saddles as being round but that doesn'y change the gist of my post.

If this is why you've been silent then I should explain...

I sort of figured that when it was as cut and dried as the manufacturer made it clear, that you would be circulating the same recommendation - not as ambivalent as you came down. Sorry - didn't mean to offend.

[bannedwit]

I just got a DREMMEL Rotary Tool, and that thing comes with all the files needed to do this job....

Better than doing it with files by hand.

Just remember do it many times at small increments so you dont take too much metal away...