MIM J5 saddles

BuffaloBass · #1 10-21-2009, 10:46 AM

Guys, I'm no setup pro, but I have my "new" MIM J5 "beater" set up as best it can be and the strings are still pretty high.

It's playable, so I'm not going to get anal on this, BUTT....

The G string saddle is bottomed, and I can still drive a truck under that wire.

I don't want to shim/rout anything, so the question is, has anyone ever tried different "barrels" for the saddles that arent as thick?

Shimming is such sorrow, yet I have a flat dense piece of lead paper I can use or some steel bedding compound I use to bed rifle barrels. But I won't. Yet, it would seem that a dense epoxy applied to the neck pocket and then sanded to fit is something that Roger Sadowsky or Nino Valenti would do. It would augment the transferrence of vibration, I should think.

But saddles first. THNX!

Nino Valenti · #2 10-21-2009, 11:27 AM

I would recommend a shim. I've used them and Sadowsky sometimes uses shims. Has no effect on the overall tone of the bass.

BuffaloBass · #3 10-21-2009, 11:32 AM

THNX Nino. Certainly easier than machining the saddle barrels. Materials choice?

Nino Valenti · #4 10-21-2009, 11:34 AM

What I've used in the past is the thicker paper from a set of Sadowsky strings.

jmain · #5 10-21-2009, 11:47 AM

Is this one of the older in-line 5's or the newer ones? Just curious about the newer ones.

BuffaloBass · #6 10-21-2009, 12:38 PM

Sir, I have no clue. Just got it in trade for an MM-stlye Kingston. Frets look good, although board radius is frickin' huge. Must be 6-8".

Heavy paper huh? Cool. I might try my "lead sheet", or at least mike it to see how thick it is as compared to heavy paper.

BuffaloBass · #7 10-24-2009, 08:04 AM

Well, the heavy paper helped, but .... it gave it maybe .020" and it looks like it needs another .050" so I can set this thing up for slap.

Is a metal shim acceptable , or does it cause other issues??

THNX folks.

StringThing · #8 02-17-2010, 12:59 AM

I have 2 MIMs V Js, both very similar models and years, and have high Gs with perfect setup otherwise and Bottomed saddles. I think I'm going to dremel the saddle instead of shimming. hits the problem area that is only 1 string. shimming effects all of them.