I need a low profile roller bridge

Roland

For my latest headless build I wanted to keep close to a Telecaster, and chose a top loading Tele bridge. 



This hasn’t been entirely successful because the strings tend to stick in the saddle. Not surprising when you look at the string path:



So I’m thinking of using a roller bridge. There isn’t room for a tunamatic, even if I bury the posts. I’ve wondered about a Schaller STM which looks a little lower, or a Schaller 3D (nickle picture here because it’s easier to see than black on black).

Does anyone have a better suggestion?

ICBM

I would use an actual Tele bridge - that one is a hardtail Strat bridge - with three compensated saddles and notch the back of the bridge as if you were fitting a Bigsby.

gavin_axecaster

^Same, or swap the saddles and strings so the string path goes through the saddle holes. May not work - you'll probably need to open up the current string holes to fit the saddle screws and the current string holes may be too low for the saddles but worth a try.

TheMarlin

What about a Rutters Half Bridge. You can order them with cutouts for string passage.  Will help give you that Tele bridge look and sound. 

http://ruttersguitars.com/Hot_Rod_Parts.html

ICBM

gavin_axecaster said:

^Same, or swap the saddles and strings so the string path goes through the saddle holes. May not work - you'll probably need to open up the current string holes to fit the saddle screws and the current string holes may be too low for the saddles but worth a try.

Actually that looks like it may work! A ruler held across the screen from the saddle top to the tailpiece runs almost straight through the intonation screw hole.

Roland

@gavin_axecaster your idea does work. Tuning is a lot smoother. You can see the straight through string path:



... but there are a few downsides. The intonation screws are now hidden by the tuner block, and can’t be adjusted without damaging the screwheads. Happily I measured the offsets with a micrometer before disassembling the saddles. The top E screw is a bit short for the new angle. It’s not a metric thread and I’ve not got a replacement, so intonation is very slightly out.

Most importantly its changed the string angle over the saddle, and the bottom E jumps out when I hit it hard. I also think it’s changed the tone because the bridge contact pressure has changed. However I fiddled with the pickup height whilst I was working on the guitar so it’s hard to tell. My fault. I have a rule about only changing one thing at a time, and I broke it.

I’ll play the guitar for a few days before deciding whether to leave it like this, angle the tuner to match the new string path, or change the bridge/saddles. 

gavin_axecaster

I figured it was worth a try. Getting to the intonation screws due to the angle/height of the hole was one of my concerns. The bottom E issue could be sorted by deepening the slot in the saddle a little , assuming there's enough thread left in the height screws to account for it.

Danielsguitars

I've got a schaller roller bridge on a strat style and it's very low profile, it also has a second plate if you need to raise it a bit

Roland

Thanks @customkits. ;I’ll try out the Schaller if this arrangement doesn’t hold the strings. Otherwise i might try it in a future build.

CasperCaster

Plenty of good ideas above, but a couple of other things spring to mind, though I haven't thoroughly thought them through.

(i) Get a set of offset saddles (old Fender US Std style, e.g. from Graphtech) and drill the bridge for the offset intonation screws, and use the existing intonation screw holes for the strings, as you have above. If memory serves me correctly, the old Fender elite saddles had no section across the back, and might be ideal, and I think Graphtech used to do a version???

(ii) Get longer saddle height screws and crank up the saddles and bring the strings over the top edge of the bridge. Rout a recess for the bridge to maintain string/action height.

(iii) depending on where your pickup rout is relative to the bridge, try something like the bridge below. Recess if necessary (as per ii).
https://www.guitarfetish.com/Xaviere-Telereg-Roller-Bridge-for-Vibrato-System-BLACK_p_4421.html