Bridge adjusting - saddle/screw loose.

[EagleMoon]

I was just adjusting the intonation on my 4003 (for the first time) and now the saddles are loose and move back and forth (side to side) when I move the string. Especially the D string. There's a little click when I play the string. Is there a trick to keeping the saddle screws tight? The screw doesn't really catch in the hole on the other end. Help!

[rickfan60]

Was your bass made in the last few years? Some of the newer ones do that. The bridge on my 4003DCM rattles a lot and I have not taken the time to work out a fix yet but tape has been suggested by some.

[EagleMoon]

Yeah, it's an '08 model. The only way I can get the saddles to tighten up is if I pull them back against the springs so that they hold them in place. But that really makes the intonation flat

Where exactly would you put the tape?

[beatlefreak]

On the bottom of the saddles, I believe, to act as shims.

[EagleMoon]

The problem seems to be that the screw isn't catching in the hole. If it did, then the saddle wouldn't move, I don't think. Is this a defect?

[rickfan60]

If you are the original owner, it should still be under warranty. Give RIC customer service a call. Kenny will steer you in the right direction.

[paul_yan]

From 2001 on, the saddles' base posts have been a bit narrower and their screw holes have been about 1/64" lower than pre-2000 ones leaving a gap between them and the bridge, and wiggling in their tracks. My way of stopping the wiggling is to wrap the posts, right under the triangle, with 1/16" wide thin adhesive aluminum foil. 2 wraps should be enough. I wish for the pre-2000 saddles to come back.

[rickfan60]

I was thinking along those lines Paul. Thanks for the tip!

[paul_yan]

Haha, not at all, Ted! Hope this helps those who have "WSS (wiggling saddle symptom)".

[cassius987]

What MONTH of 2008 was your bass made? I noticed a huge transition from my Aug. 2007 to my July 2008 4003s (one is an FL) in terms of this*. My 2007 drove me to use a Hipshot because even with lots of help I couldn't get the wobble to stop, but my 2008 has a bridge/saddle setup that is perfecto. I think the bases of the saddles (where the screws pass through) are wider on my 2008.

One thing I do with my 2007 to get the bridge working is I shim the sides of the saddle bases from the underside of the bridge. (Take it out and invert it. The squarish part the screw passes through is what I'm referring to as the base.) You will probably see a gap between the bridge assembly and the saddle bases, esp. with the worst-behaved saddles. Use wax paper (thank you iiipopes) to shim these. It only takes one or two layers per side. After this my saddles have totally stabilized--no more clicking!

*Another thing that led me to believe RIC changed its stock was the color of the saddles. The 2008 (and 2009) saddles on my basses are "zinc metallic blue", the 2007s were a much duller grey (faded aluminum in color).

[rickfan60]

Paul is right. The screw hole in the saddle post was drilled lower than it has been since the early 70's. The saddle caps don't sit on the bridge but ride slightly above it. As a result, the saddles can wobble and rattle.

[paul_yan]

Glad you agree with me, Ted.

The distance between the thread hole's center and the triangle's bottom is greater than 6/32" for post-2000 saddless whereas the pre-2000 saddle's is 5/32". The resulting 1/32"+ gaps between the bridge and the triangle bottoms are not too easy on the eyes, IMHO.



I gotta be extra careful with my wording in order not to offend anybody or RIC, but I really can't understand why these incorrect spec new saddles continue to be used...

[rickfan60]

Your measurement is consistent with mine Paul. I have no idea why they would have changed them like that unless it was a mistake. But then again, they usually fix their mistakes pretty quickly. Maybe there is a good reason for it.

[weemac]

Your measurement is consistent with mine Paul. I have no idea why they would have changed them like that unless it was a mistake. But then again, they usually fix their mistakes pretty quickly. Maybe there is a good reason for it.

To make us really thankful when the new bridge/tail comes out!
Eden.

[paul_yan]

You're a braver man than I am, Ted. To be "PC", I dared not use the word "mistake" in my previous post!