I have an American Vintage Jazz bass with the original bridge. It's fine and I don't feel the need to upgrade it *except* for the fact that it doesn't seem to stay put after I've set it up. Recently, I've noticed that the action gets messed up, I can visibly see that the saddle is way further down on the set screws than I originally set it. In the past I've also noticed that the intonation screws back out of their correct positions. Short of swapping the bridge, is there anything I can do with a vintage Fender-style bent plate bridge to get it to behave better? Loctite? Or should I just bite the bullet and get another bridge?
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How do I keep my bridge saddles from moving?
- Thread starter DanGouge
- Start date
You're on the right track but with a few refinements.
*Remove the culprit screw(s) and apply a scant amount of blue Loctite.
*Re-introduce the screw and adjust to a near-normal position....here's the trick...
*Using your hex key or screwdriver, spin the screw repeatedly / 360 degrees for a minute or two until you can hear the assembly start to squeak.
*This will prevent inadvertent movement and allow for future adjustment without having to re-apply the Loctite. Gotta warn you per personal experience: the screw will be tighter than all git-out but will yield with a couple extra lbs / sq. inch. I just did all the height adjustment screws on my headless basses.
Riis
Be very, very careful using loctite. A little too much and you will have trouble ever moving those screws again.
A little clear nail polish has always worked for me, and many, many other players.
A little clear nail polish has always worked for me, and many, many other players.
Yes. I use a toothpick and dab a little dab of white interior carpenter glue (Titebond) on the threads where needed. Dries, easy to readjust.
Elmer’s glue is another alternative.
Same thing, a little dab will do ya
And if you need to readjust it easily breaks loose
Same thing, a little dab will do ya
And if you need to readjust it easily breaks loose
IIRC, Sally Hanson "Hard as Nails" will serve as a substitute. The application procedure remains the same, though. The idea is to fill the voids / gum-up the works.
If you're really brave, you can also gently deform the screw threads with your needle-nose pliers. Same results / outcomes but not reversible.
Riis
If you can find putple loctite, it’s more girgiving than blue, which is ideal for this purpose.
The issue with Fender bridge saddles is the pitch of the screw threads - 32 tthreads per inch is too steep to stay put. Metric bridges use .5 mm pitch (50.8 threads per inch$. Those don’t move.
One detail thst Leo….didn’t get quite right.
The issue with Fender bridge saddles is the pitch of the screw threads - 32 tthreads per inch is too steep to stay put. Metric bridges use .5 mm pitch (50.8 threads per inch$. Those don’t move.
One detail thst Leo….didn’t get quite right.
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DJ said Elmer's and someone else nail polish. Both are a good solution to the problem.
Lots of options here for fixing it, but I'll go the other way and suggest that replacing it isn't as hard or complicated as you might think, especially if you choose a bridge with the same screw holes. It's not a whole lot more work than putting on a new set of strings and a basic setup, and also pretty satisfying when finished because now the bass is custom in the way you wanted it. You can go with top loading, high mass, or other features of your choice that the stock bridge doesn't provide.
Personally, I found that bridge swap, my first little adventure in customizing, to be so much fun that I went and built an entire other bass from a kit, and I'm contemplating building another, once I decide which....
Personally, I found that bridge swap, my first little adventure in customizing, to be so much fun that I went and built an entire other bass from a kit, and I'm contemplating building another, once I decide which....
Elmer's white glue stick on the threads. will never move again. remove the threaded screws. apply and let dry, then reinstall.
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Loctite purple is the correct answer. Blue is too strong for this purpose. I remove each screw and apply a tiny drop of Loctite onto the middle of the threaded area. Then insert the screw and set it to somewhere around the correct height. After 24 hours of curing, I will make fine adjustments to the saddle height. Note that Loctite is anaerobic and the screw must be inserted in order for it to cure.
I have also had success with a drop of clear nail polish on top of each set screw on a vintage style Fender bridge. But I will only do it that way if the saddles are 100% at the correct height first.
I have also had success with a drop of clear nail polish on top of each set screw on a vintage style Fender bridge. But I will only do it that way if the saddles are 100% at the correct height first.
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The "blue" is tenacious, I'll give you that, which is why I spin it for 1-2 minutes. I refuse to buy any more Loctite, including the purple, until I've found the other (13) 90%-full tubes I've misplaced over the past months. I think they're in hiding with my graphite powder.
The absolute worst thread-lock is the stuff Hipshot uses on their Ultralite machine head tensioners.
Riis
That happened to me, losing tubes of Loctite around the shop. I did find a tube of gasket sealer in my last search and used that, it worked. Three days later I found the Loctite
I have to buy new loctite every time. The poltergeists seem to like it even better than 10mm sockets
Good to know... I like to have flexibility - especially on a 35 year-old bass.
I've definitely swapped bridges before, and I'd be open to doing it again. I do like how this bass looks with the original bridge, but it is also not necessarily the greatest piece of kit Leo ever invented. Even if I lock down the action, the saddles also migrate side-to-side a bit.
