How do the bridge saddles actually adjust?

milo · Post by **milo** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 3:25 pm

I just brought home a used 4003S last night that I posted about a few days ago. It took over an hour with Meguires just to get all of the gunk off the fingerboard. I also had to reassemble the mute since the pad wasn't stuck to the plate and the springs were floating around underneath.

My problem now is that I'm not sure how the saddles are supposed to adjust for intonation or if they are just sort of messed up, it's been 22 years since I had a Rick bass (I've got a 330 and 350). When I turn the adjustment screws they are either tight and won't turn, or they back out of the saddle. The other end of the bridge looks threaded, but the tips of the screws don't really look like they are going into those holes too much if at all. Am I supposed to back the screws out a bit, turn them until the saddle is where it should be, and then try to rethread the end of the screw into the bridge or is there something wrong with my bridge? On my old one I thought that the saddle moved when I turned the screw, just like the guitars.
Thanks.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:13 pm

That's the way it is SUPPOSED to work, Jeff, but I have had much trouble getting mine to adjust that way as well. Most of the time, unfortunately, I have ended up moving them manually (AKA Pushing Them With a Screwdriver!) to get them to move back enough to intonate. Sometimes I have had to flip the saddles over to increase the travel distance. I've never tried to adjust a brand new one, most of the ones I get are 30 years old.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:13 am

Always completely loosen the string before you try to adjust the intonation, I too sometimes have to push the saddle towards the body end after I loosen the screw. spray a little WD-40 on the screws or tuner cleaner (which is probably the better way to go unless you are careful) they will turn much easier.
The other end is not threaded but the tips are supposed to stick through the little holes. If I can't intonate the bass, I'll do a set up, that usually cures it.
Hey I'm a senior member again!

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:31 am

Hey new guy!

Congrats on being a senor member!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 8:44 am

haha! Many thanks. I gotta get rid of Robert D young Jr now. I might be a new guy for the third time soon.

milo · Post by **milo** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:21 am

I didn't think they should be threaded, but even with the bridge off the body the screws just tighened and locked up when turning them clockwise. I'll have to see if the casting is bent and binding the screws. I also just placed an order through a supplier for a bunch of screws that are supposed to be identical to the factory screws but have a socket head and adjust with an allen key. I had to order a boatload of them so if they work properly and anyone is interested in buying a set for their bass (cheap) let me know.
Thanks for the help.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 11:57 am

I usually end up drilling out the holes just a little bigger (some may need to be larger than others on the same bridge) until the screw can freely turn the saddle. Then I install a tiny spring underneath between the screw head and the saddle. The spring has to be very weak and have a low height when completely scrunched up so that the E and A string saddles can go all the way back. The spring keeps the saddle in place.

I have 6 Ricks with this same bridge and they all had the same problem: Screws wouldn't turn, guitar tech would round out the screw head. Sometimes the screws were bent. Sometimes the saddles were bent. Sometimes the holes were drilled in the saddle so that it would be impossible for a screw to go from front hole in the bridge to back hole in the bridge AND pass through the saddle. Drilling them out and adding the springs seems to take care of the problem. You need to be careful not to drill the hole too big however because if you do the saddle can move back and forth and buzz.

Does anybody else do this or see any problems with it?

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 3:18 am

I absolutely agree with Jeff Rosenkranz that the hex-socket headed screws make intonation adjustments a lot easier. All pre-2001 intonation screws are very soft and get stripped or bent easily. I replaced them with black screws of the same specs (4/40 thread, .725" length) with hex slot on the head that can be easily turned by the 1/16" RIC bridge adjustment wrench.

My way of keeping the screws from backing out is to start with the intonation sharp on all strings and turn the screws clockwise (a little at a time, with the strings loosened) until I get perfect intonation. Turning them counterclockwise will always make them back out, unless you add a spring between the screw head and the saddle,IMHO.

Hey Jeff, are the screws you ordered black too?

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:09 am

I don't know how else to put this but, anyone know how to get a screw like that?

My saddles are bare

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:14 am

A Duh!
I should have read Jeff's post. I e-mailed you on them Jeff, let me know.

milo · Post by **milo** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:21 am

Hey Paul and Mark,
The screws I ordered are chrome or nickel (I can't remember) like the factory screws. These were pretty hard to find. I would have liked black but I checked through a bunch of suppliers and only one place had them and it was the bright finish.

If you guys or anyone else from the Forum need some let me know and I'll get a set out to you for the cost of postage and the mailer envelope. I think I had to buy 200 screws so I'll have extras.

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:27 am

I don't descriminate based on color. Only performance.Keep us advised!

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 12:20 pm

Do these fit mid '73 bridges? If so, I'd like four of them or maybe eight so I have spares.

milo · Post by **milo** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 12:50 pm

I'll be trying these on my 1991 4003. Once I make sure that the screws I ordered are the correct size I'll start a new thread with my results and hopefully some of the more learned members will be able to chime in on what years had this size screw. As I mentioned, I had to order a couple hundred and I'll only need 4 and a couple of spares. I would love to offer the extras to fellow Forum members for whatever the final breakdown on cost is after the minimum order and shipping fees ran me "per screw" and whatever it costs me to package and mail them. It's probably going to be about $1 for a set of four and then whatever kind of envelope the P.O. requires. I'm not looking to make any big profit off this and I know they're hard to find so hopefully my extras will be able to help some folks out.

I'll most definately start a new thread with pictures and we'll try to figure out what years these will work for.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:31 am

I believe they work for all post-mid-'73 bridges that don't have a gap in the mute pad. They work perfectly on my '86 Shadow and '98 4003.

As the pre-'73 brdiges are narrower (front to back) I had to have them cut for apprx. 1/16" shorter to fit my '72 4001.

Jeff, you'll be the Messiah for lots of RIC bass owners as lots of stock screws are already stripped/unturnable and as these hex screws are really hard to find! Kudos, my friend.