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jc1funk

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Posts posted by jc1funk

  1. If it makes you feel any better, the saddles on my Memphis 335 are also notched off center, and so were the first two I rejected (not for that reason). I would not consider that a flaw. If the strings are centered and spaced correctly and the guitar will intonate properly, then what's the problem?

    yep that does make me feel better, and so no, i guess there aint a problem except the fact that's it's so close to being perfect

  2. It's normal to have all the saddles notched off to the side like that. On ES guitars, Gibson installs the bridge and then lines up the strings with the neck and then notches the saddles as required to achieve the right alignment of the strings and the neck. Sometimes it turns out that the saddles need to be notched off center like yours.

     

    With all due respect this raises more questions than it answers...

     

    1. How do you know this is a standard manufacturing process?

    2. Why would this only apply to ES guitars when the ABR style bridge and tailpiece is a constant across most Gibson lines?

    3. If it only happens sometimes isn't this just an error by the craftsman?

    4. Why haven't I seen this issue before? I look at lots of guitars in my travels...

  3. Should not be done under tension. Slackening the particular string you work on is strongly recommendable.

     

    you're probably right in that you'd be less likely to distress the string at the saddle, but I've never had an issue doing it at pitch. LBE (laziness breeds efficiency)

  4. Rookie question here.

    How do you access the intonation screws when you have a string under tension in the saddle?

    Do you adjust the intonation screws by listening to the plucked string?

    If the string is not in the saddle and not under tension, how do you know when the intonation screws are correctly positioned?

     

    1. Best done with new strings and ensure all other set-up tasks are complete, intonation is last

    2. Tune guitar to pitch

    3. Lightly fret a string at the twelfth fret, if the note is off pitch use a screw driver to adjust the saddle (towards the nut if 12th is flat, towards the bridge if sharp)... access shouldn't be an issue on a standard bridge. Can be done while under tension but if it's stiff you may want to slacken the string to make the adjustment easier.

    4. Wash, rinse and repeat until the open string and the 12th fret are both at pitch. Do every string.

     

    There are lots of videos on youtube. Good to watch someone do it.

  5. So I put the original bridge back on, the universe is now back in order.

     

    Next question: is this repairable? Can the bridge pins be moved without too much damage or creating a larger problem?

     

    Looking at the distance they'd have to move (slightly less than the radius of the pins) I'm guessing not... too risky right?

  6. On the original bridge on my 335, the saddles are notched off-centre. All of the notches are aligned with the side of the intonation screw on the treble side of the instrument (as opposed to aligning with the centre of the screw).

     

    IMG_2152_zpsbc81978e.jpg

     

    Q1. Is this normal?

     

    The replacement bridge which is currently on the guitar has the saddle notches aligned with the centre of the saddles, and are therefore aligned over the centre of the intonation screws. However, as a result, I've notice that towards the upper frets, the strings are not running down the centre of the fret board, they are closer to the bass side of the fret board.

     

    Q2. Is this normal or an issue created by the replacement bridge saddles not being notched specifically for this guitar?

     

    Overall I'd prefer to return to the original bridge once I receive a replacement intonation screw for the one that's missing... just checking that this is going to be the being course of action.

     

    Thanks for your help.

  7. Not uncommon, since the pickups are basically suspended at two points and can rattle against the rings. I've got a couple that did this and i ran a strip of foam around the underside of the cover so that it butts against the underside of the ring. Can't see the fix from above.

     

    Having said that, I've never had these kind of "rattles" translate to the amp. That would concern me that something within the pickup itself is loose. Very unusual, but I suppose it could happen. I'd check the solder connections holding the cover to the pickup base at the next string change (tomorrow!). I'd even shake the pickup, plugged in, to see if anything's amiss.

     

    In any event, congratulations on the new guitar. I hope it all works out.

     

    EE

     

    Cheers for the pointers, EastEnder. Fingers crossed it's an easy fix...

  8. I have a new 335. It has a rattle that appears to come from the pick ups, ie if I apply pressure to the pickup cover the vibration disappears. It is an intermittent issue, but when it's bad it's bad and it affects the tone of the note/s played (usually in the bottom octave). The issue translates through the pickup to the amp, so in it's current state, I don't consider this a working guitar.

     

    I've been doing a lot of research and found these two articles:

     

    http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/66211-gibson-es-335-buzzing/

     

    http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guitar-amps-gizmos/15635-pickup-rattling.html

     

    Can anyone else shed any more light on this and possible fixes before I go ahead and pull the pickups out during the next string change...???

     

    Or should I be taking this under-warranty guitar back and asking for a refund/replacement? And that's a hard question to ask considering how much time I spent playing 335s before settling on this one...

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