Qustions about the '60's adjustable saddle replacement

[onewilyfool]

I think someone posted a "kit" for do-it-yourself replacement of those pesky adjustable saddles....wood insert with compensated saddle slot, bone saddle???? If you have the link can you re-post? Thanks

[bobouz]

I don't have any info on such a kit,

but I'd recommend first trying the mod in a reversible fashion,

just in case an anticipated change in tone doesn't pan out.

 

Also, if the current adjustable saddle is rosewood,

it might be interesting to first try the ceramic version.

 

Regardless, have fun experimenting!

[QuestionMark]

I think someone posted a "kit" for do-it-yourself replacement of those pesky adjustable saddles....wood insert with compensated saddle slot, bone saddle???? If you have the link can you re-post? Thanks

 

 

Philadephia Luthier Tools & Supplies at www.philadephialuthiertools.com had item #45T85113N97684801 called a Replacement Adjustable Bone Saddle for Gibson Acoustic Guitars that I previously purchased/installed in my 1964 CS J-45 Reissue (which came with a tusq adjustable bridge saddle...which in the reissues replaced and improved upon the original ceramic or wood saddles that were in the original adjustable bridges. I thought I would try the replacement bone saddle and found I prefer it over the tusq one (although I also liked the tusq one that came with it.) It should be able to just drop in to any adjustable saddle after unscrewing the adjustable saddle in there and using the same screws in the adjustable saddle mechanism. I've heard some may have had to slightly sand the replacement saddle, but I found no need to and liked its tight fit (which still allowed the saddle to be raised or lowered with the mechanism screws.

 

Hope this helps. You might try locating their the Philadelphia Luthier Tools phone number and calling them or locating their e-mail and writing them if its not on their site anymore.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[onewilyfool]

Philadephia Luthier Tools & Supplies at www.philadephialuthiertools.com had item #45T85113N97684801 called a Replacement Adjustable Bone Saddle for Gibson Acoustic Guitars that I previously purchased/installed in my 1964 CS J-45 Reissue (which came with a tusq adjustable bridge saddle...which in the reissues replaced and improved upon the original ceramic or wood saddles that were in the original adjustable bridges. I thought I would try the replacement bone saddle and found I prefer it over the tusq one (although I also liked the tusq one that came with it.) It should be able to just drop in to any adjustable saddle after unscrewing the adjustable saddle in there and using the same screws in the adjustable saddle mechanism. I've heard some may have had to slightly sand the replacement saddle, but I found no need to and liked its tight fit (which still allowed the saddle to be raised or lowered with the mechanism screws.

 

Hope this helps. You might try locating their the Philadelphia Luthier Tools phone number and calling them or locating their e-mail and writing them if its not on their site anymore.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

Thanks Jeff...good source. I'm really looking for a kit to remove all the metal parts, and fill the opening with wood slotted for a regular saddle. Like what a luthier would do to convert it to a standard saddle/bridge. I thought someone posted something like that before on the forum.

[QuestionMark]

Hmmm..the only posts I recall were about someone who took the original version of the adjustable bridge off and showed photos of how the original version of the bridge was screwed on, plus, how the original and (the same) reissue version of the adjustable saddle. Also, I think there was discussion on that link of how the reissue version of the adjustable bridge is glued on, and only has the white circles at the ends of the saddle for cosmetic asthetics (and no longer mask the screws holding the bridge that the original had.) My memory may be wrong on this all..but,the kit that was discussed in that post was only about the replacement bone saddle for the adjustable saddle mechanism...although, there might have been discussion about removing the mechanism and just having the bone adjustable replacement saddle simply sitting directly in the slot without the mechanism (which might actually be significantly similar to just the adjustable saddle being the lowest it can be (so the thin metal on the bottom of the mechanism is flush against the guitar as is the one saddle then flush against the mechanism, except the thin metal piece is removed...not sure if it makes any difference.) I suppose one could remove the metal piece and splice a bone or wood shim under the saddle piece to make direct contact at any height if one wanted. There was also discussion and speculation that the slight gap of the adjustable mechanism when raised could cause tone loss, but, what I found interesting was that the higher I raise the adjustable bridge mechanism...the more the tone actually improves although that might be from the added volume of slightly higher action or slightly increased string tension from the higher height.

 

To remove the entire bridge and reglue a new bridge is, of course, luthier work...no recollection of there being a specific kit. It would seem to just be a new bridge over where the old one was. Maybe there was discussion of filling the holes when left from the original bridge. Not sure.

 

Hope this rambling was helpful.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

[fredcapo]

I posted something a while back...I removed the bridge from my 67 Hummingbird and sent it to my luthier friend. He installed a rosewood insert and bone saddle. Since the intonation and neckset were fine it was a simple procedure. It looks great. Not even going to try to post a pix on this forum.

[j45nick]

I'm really looking for a kit to remove all the metal parts, and fill the opening with wood slotted for a regular saddle. Like what a luthier would do to convert it to a standard saddle/bridge. I thought someone posted something like that before on the forum.

 

 

Robert,

It isn't easy to remove all the metal parts without removing the bridge, due to the original assembly process. You can remove everything but the threaded brass inserts that go through the top and the bridgeplate. Those have a little "top hat" flange on the top of the insert that sits on the top of the guitar beneath the bridge, and the flange is larger in diameter than the slot in the top of the bridge for the adjustable saddle.

 

It's easy to remove all the other metal parts, which consist of lock washers, big steel nuts, and the funny little threaded posts with the screw slots in the top that are actually used to raise and lower the saddle insert.

 

There is a way you could probably remove all the metal parts, but it is also possible to do damage to the bridge or the top of the guitar under the bridge while doing it, so I would not particularly recommend it.

 

In this picture, the metal part that is difficult to remove with the bridge in place is the brass-colored piece with the nut threaded on it on the right.

 

 

With basic woodworking tools, it's easy to make a rosewood insert to fill the slot. The hardest part is cutting the saddle slot to exactly the right size unless you have the proper tools