Raising String Saddles

jaymenon

I wonder - when you raise string saddles (by turning the grub screws) the length of the grub screw between saddle and baseplate becomes longer and longer right? Does that impact upon tone?

i.e. if the saddles are closer to the baseplate (with the baseplate higher if necessary) is that somehow better, than if they are elevated on high grub screws...?

WezV

I assume we are taking about fender styles saddles.    I prefer the saddles set high so everything is held in place better and the screws don't try to eat my hand.  I do think it sound better that way too

jaymenon

 Having the saddles closer to the baseplate doesn’t necessarily mean that the grub screws irritate your picking hand (you can of course use shorter length grub screws).

I do realise that raising the action often makes a guitar sound better. But for instance with a twin pivot bridge you have the option of raising the whole bridge plate and lowering the saddles...

ICBM

jaymenon said:

I wonder - when you raise string saddles (by turning the grub screws) the length of the grub screw between saddle and baseplate becomes longer and longer right? Does that impact upon tone?

i.e. if the saddles are closer to the baseplate (with the baseplate higher if necessary) is that somehow better, than if they are elevated on high grub screws...?

As Wez said, the best adjustment is with the saddles high enough that the screws don't rip your hand up - ideally, you want the E, D and G saddles to have the screws flush with the saddles and the A and B just very slightly protruding - which also increases the downward string pressure on the saddles, and helps stop them tipping and the screws 'self-adjusting' with vibration. I also think that they sound best like that.

If that can't be achieved, you need to lower the bridge (2-post) or adjust the neck angle with a shim or neck tilt mechanism (6-screw), or whatever combination is necessary to get it there.

skunkwerx

If its even percievable it would all be relative. 

You could slam the bridge as low as it would go to maybe achieve better tone.. 
But then whatever you use to raise the baseplate would alter tone.
Probably taking away moreso than lowering the saddles would have given.

By doing that you *might* have also altered the break angle. 
Im trying to visualise it but its hard. 
Lowering the saddles would change it. 
Or raising the entire baseplate would change it. But lowering one and raising the other, might not cancel each other out as you’d expect. But I could be wrong. 

 You’d also have to cut down the grub screws otherwise they’d dig into your hands. 

digitalkettle

Raising Saddles?

https://youtu.be/FXHkFZ-nG4Y

WezV

jaymenon said:

 Having the saddles closer to the baseplate doesn’t necessarily mean that the grub screws irritate your picking hand (you can of course use shorter length grub screws).

I do realise that raising the action often makes a guitar sound better. But for instance with a twin pivot bridge you have the option of raising the whole bridge plate and lowering the saddles...

I prefer to shim the neck so the saddles can be set high whilst maintaining a low action.   9 times out of 10, I prefer the sound this way

ICBM

WezV said:

I prefer to shim the neck so the saddles can be set high whilst maintaining a low action.   9 times out of 10, I prefer the sound this way

Yes, same here. I think it disproves the idea that full wood-to-wood contact is important and a shim ruins the tone.