Grooves in saddle
 

Hi all,

My question is about the grooves on the saddle. I understand the forward and back saddle adjustment for string intonation, but I'm wondering about left to right. Each saddle has three grooves. Should I always put the strings in the middle grove, or can I put the strings in the left or right grooves? Does it make a difference? If yes, then what does it change? I really want to make sure that I am using the correct groove: the middle, the left, or the right.

Many thanks.

uh, what kind of instrument is this?

with fenders, the idea is that you put the string in the groove that lines the string up right between the pickup magnet pairs.

Those grooves are there to help align the strings - even spacing, over the poles, etc... Use whichever groove aligns the strings.

df
 

"Those grooves are there to help align the strings - even spacing, over the poles, etc... Use whichever groove aligns the strings."

I have an American Deluxe Fender Jazz 5 string. I'm not sure what you mean by the above. I want to align the strings, but which groove is best? Right now, they are all on the left side of the saddles. Should I put them all to the middle?

The following advice only works if your pickups have visible metal pole pieces: that is, they aren't topped with a smooth plastic cover. If each pickup has two pole pieces per string, use the groove that puts each string closest to the middle of the two pole pieces--for both pickups. If each pickup has a single pole piece per string, use the groove that puts each string right over its respective pole pieces--again on both pickups. This alignment helps to insure you don't get signal fall-off as the string deflects from its unplucked position, especially during string bends etc.

Great thanks. I did that. Looks more in the middle now. Thanks for the help. Much appreciated.

Haha. Perhaps I spoke too soon. I changed the strings to the middle groove in the saddle. They now sit perfectly between the white circle (poles) on my back pickup, but seem to be off now with my front pickups. What is best in terms of sound?

What is best in terms of sound?
 

What sounds best, to you.

I've been fiddling with my slots (I've fiddled with a number of slots over the years ) and my goal was to achieve equidistant string spacing and also to place the strings where my fingers seem to expect them to be located. And to keep the E and G strings away from the edges of the neck. I'll check the string location relative to the pup poles when I get home, but the tone is fine. I think I'd rather have the strings where my fingers expect them and, if necessary, adjust pup height to fix tone anomalies.

Unless someone insists that strings HAVE to be EXACTLY in the center between the two poles, in which case I would consider that information.

pickups dead-center between magnets is a goal, not a requirement.

what subtle tonal difference there is decreases with distance from the pickup, so lowering them a little serves to wash out the variations a bit.