File Down Bridge 'String Slot'?

[johnnysain]

I have a 4001.

Has anyone filed down/widened the E string slot/groove on the bridge piece?

The low E rests noticeably higher than the A string (both bridge pieces are in the same position, furthest from pickup).

I'm thinking that I can lower the 'action height' of the E to match the other strings (particularly the A) by filing.

Anyone have any experience/advice in performing this action?

Thanks in advance!

[doctorwho]

IIRC, there are some older threads about the cutting of nut slots, as well as about the measurements that should be made before doing the cutting. If I get a chance I'll see if I can find one of those threads.

[FretlessOnly]

I recently bought some unslotted saddles and slotted them myself with a small triangular file. The keys to deepening the slot are:

1. Try to maintain the geometry of the existing slot; and
2. Make it deeper, not wider. At least not appreciably wider - to get the string to drop to the lowest part of your modification, some widening may be necessary. You just want to avoid having the slot being wide enough for the string to move laterally.

Depending on the coarseness of the file, it doesn't take much effort to slot an unslotted saddle, so making an existing slot deeper might only take a pass or two. I did mine without making any measurements and it came out fine (then again, I play fretless and the saddle had an existing slot); I suppose the extra caution of measurements wouldn't be a bad idea.

The main reason I did this was because the D saddle on my '73 4001FL was slotted well off-center and the D was rattling against the tooth of the tailpiece (and the spacing felt odd).

[aceonbass]

The proper tool for filing string slots in saddles is a nut file, not a triangular file. A gauged nut file will ensure better string to saddle contact and keep the string from binding in the slot if you raise or lower the action.

[FretlessOnly]

Well, I had a triangular file on hand, studied the existing saddle slots, and with two or three well-placed strokes, duplicated the slots in the other saddles on my '73 FL. It may not be the "right" tool for the job, but it easily duplicated the way things looked as the bass looked when I got it. Whether these saddles are original or not, I cannot say, but they look to be cast aluminum as opposed to the zinc-y look of the more recent saddles.

[aceonbass]

Although RIC did use triangular files in the early 70's, the saddles were die-cast zinc then too.