New Saddles Vs New Bridge

[kyral210]

Is it worth replacing the whole bridge on my '97 Fender Precision Bass Deluxe (USA) or should I just throw some Graphtech saddles on?

The E saddle keeps unscrewing itself during playing so it falls down and touches the metal plate beneath it. I want to solve this, and not sure if its a new saddle or new bridge thing. I love the look of the Fencer VHM bridge, is there any tonal improvement if I string through the body?

[Slowgypsy]

Originally Posted by kyral210

The E saddle keeps unscrewing itself during playing so it falls down and touches the metal plate beneath it. I want to solve this, and not sure if its a new saddle or new bridge thing. I love the look of the Fencer VHM bridge, is there any tonal improvement if I string through the body?

The classic fix for set screws that unscrew themselves is to (1) remove the set screw from the saddle (2) coat the threads with nail polish (3) let dry (4) install set screws. The nail polish will add just enough "stick" to permanently fix the problem.

As far as thru body stringing... there's been countless threads on this. My vote says if there is an "improvement", it is very, very subtle.

[testing1two]

Originally Posted by Slowgypsy

The classic fix for set screws that unscrew themselves is to (1) remove the set screw from the saddle (2) coat the threads with nail polish (3) let dry (4) install set screws. The nail polish will add just enough "stick" to permanently fix the problem.

As far as thru body stringing... there's been countless threads on this. My vote says if there is an "improvement", it is very, very subtle.

+1 for clear nail polish and top loading the strings. Both are proven to be simple and effective.

[JLS]

The E saddle keeps unscrewing itself during playing so it falls down and touches the metal plate beneath it. I want to solve this, and not sure if its a new saddle or new bridge thing.

Nail polish or loctite on the screws

I love the look of the Fencer VHM bridge, is there any tonal improvement if I string through the body?

No. It just makes changing strings more difficult.

[kyral210]

If the new VHM bridge makes no difference then why did Fender introduce it?

[96tbird]

Consumer demand.

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by 96tbird

Consumer demand.

+1. Kind of like 1x15/4x10 stacks. The only benefits to string through that I've ever been able to detect are 1) it helps to keep the fat diameter of certain strings off the tuning peg, which can help prevent string breakage, and 2) it puts more downward pressure on the saddles, which tends to keep them nailed down better. I run my D and G through body for this reason alone. Which probably makes no difference whatsoever, but it makes me feel all warm and tingly.

[walterw]

the '97 would have the string-through only bridge and the grey steel saddles; it's my favorite bass bridge by the way.

i don't usually hear about these drifting, since there's plenty of pressure on each saddle; you want to space the strings slightly wide, so that the outer saddles get pushed in towards the inner ones, holding everything together.



that said, a drop of mild loctite or nail polish is all it needs.