Discover Top Posts Tagged with #strobe tuner

Ok - so not so long this time...

Typical. I'd been waiting on these items for AGES and decided not to wait any longer... The day after I post they arrive.

Having replaced the Mustang bridge with a roller I thought I'd do the same with the tune-o-matic on my Bigsby Gretsch.

*I have to say that having had this guitar for a couple of years I STILL love how it sounds and would recommend it to anyone. Especially those that think any guitar made in China will be crap. Honestly this thing (and the Mustang) were impeccably put together. I don't expect anyone in any country to know how I want my guitars to play - so I'm happy to uphold my end of the bargain.

/rant*

ANYWAY. I had been looking around for a replacement when I came across the usual spend £££ getting close, or spend ££ getting less close when inspiration hit me. I remembered a few years ago browsing the Axes'r'us site and thinking "WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO BUY TWO ROLLER SADDLES?!?" Of course the relevance now is that I could just buy 6 to replace the saddles only... this would save the pain of finding a suitable post spaced bridge, keep the original radius matched saddle height AND keep the string spacing... So simple. And only £6!

So I took a punt.

The first thing is that the supplied screws are too long. No problem - use the existing screws in the new saddles:

OLD SADDLE & OLD SCREW

NEW SADDLE & NEW SCREW

Horrible carpet

Swap the screws over and test fit:

OK so far so good. Saddle can travel freely in the slot. Obviously is taller than the standard type but a quick eyeballing says that there is more than enough travel on the bridge height to accommodate the new saddles. Ploughing on:

Lovely job. I need to restring with 11's (it is popular belief that Bigsby setups behave better with heavier strings) and do a proper setup - not least because I messed up cutting the nut (I just about avoided completely ruining it...) In fact - I think I'll order a replacement... done.

So here it is installed (minus the little retaining wire - now present):

The intonation was set using a new method (for me) by employing a decent strobe tuner; I'd read that these were better but didn't fancy spending £££ on a Peterson so I Googled it and found LS TUNE. Its a strobe tuner for windows and, did I mention, its FREE!

I can honestly hear that the guitar is much more in tune over the neck now. Which in some ways is good, and in others means that I need to check all my others... Hmmmmph.

Just as an illustration of how goofed the nut is look at the relative position of the 'A' saddle... that ain't right!

Til next time.

#DIY Audio #Guitar Repair #strobe tuner #roller bridge