Widen saddle grooves on a Fender string-thru bridge

[DJJazzV]

Widen saddle grooves on a Fender string-thru bridge.

Thanks to the change to the Fender taperwound strings, I'm considering widening the grooves on my Deluxe Jazz bass saddles. Just for the B and E saddles. They are meant for taperwound strings. When I use regular strings, I get a vibration buzz on ringing open B & open E strings when I use the string-thru option. The string looks like it's sitting on the top tips of a "V". The smallest amount of saddle contact possible.
Since these are round saddles, I was planning on using a file to widen the groove on one side to accommodate normal strings. If I ever find taperwounds again that I like, I can just flip the saddles over and use the thinner grooves again.

Does anyone see any issues with this? Perhaps any other suggestions? Thank you.

[walterw]

those saddles are "meant for" any kind of string you put on there. doesn't the deluxe already have wider grooves on the lower saddles since about 2001?

if these are the early grey steel ones, i suppose you could widen the groove a little, but it really shouldn't be necessary. (also, those are nice steel saddles that you can't get anymore.) if you do widen them, make damn sure you have the spacing exactly where you want it first!

[DJJazzV]

Great detailed reply. Thank you. You nailed it with the year. The Deluxe 4 is a '99, so all the saddles have very skinny grooves. The 5 string is an '02. The B and E grooves are wider, but the strings still sit on the top of the "V" and give that "vibration/buzz/rattle" on the open E and B. Frustrating.

I will be very careful with widening them. I like the fact that I can just flip them over, and then I still have the "normal" untouched grooves again.

Maybe it's the brand of strings I put on? Same on both, and same rattle results after a split second of an open ringing note. Just for laughs, I'll put a different brand on the 4, and see if it still happens. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by walterw

those saddles are "meant for" any kind of string you put on there. doesn't the deluxe already have wider grooves on the lower saddles since about 2001?

if these are the early grey steel ones, i suppose you could widen the groove a little, but it really shouldn't be necessary. (also, those are nice steel saddles that you can't get anymore.) if you do widen them, make damn sure you have the spacing exactly where you want it first!

[testing1two]

Make sure when you string up that you push down on the witness point where the string touches the saddle. Sometimes with thicker strings (E and B strings) you don't get a clean witness point unless you press down on the string where it touches the saddle.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by DJJazzV

...the strings still sit on the top of the "V" and give that "vibration/buzz/rattle" on the open E and B. Frustrating.

whatever that is, i'll bet 2 to 1 that it's not the saddle.

Originally Posted by testing1two

Make sure when you string up that you push down on the witness point where the string touches the saddle. Sometimes with thicker strings (E and B strings) you don't get a clean witness point unless you press down on the string where it touches the saddle.

big +1

this is true of all strings, the thicker the more evident. they tend to curve up off the contact point, straightening out towards the middle of the string.

you need to do the same thing at the nut, pressing at the witness point to get a truly straight string between the nut and the saddle.

it's still not the cause of string buzz, though.