Special tool for adjusting the intonation?

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:59 am

Does anybody know of a screwdriver that works best for adjusting the intonation on the bridge?
It's almost like you need a right angled screwdriver to get a grip on the screws without stripping the heads out. I have tried various screwdrivers and still have not found one the is just right. Help!!!

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:01 am

Sorry, I forgot to mention this is for a bass,
4001 or 4003.

marty · Post by **marty** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:17 am

I don't know of a tool to adjust the screws on a Ric bass bridge, but you could swap the existing screws for hex type screws and use the appropriate size allen wrench is is right angled to do the adjustments.

There's a thread somewhere regarding the issue....I'll see if I can find it.

marty · Post by **marty** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:25 am

Bob,

Have a look here and scroll down to Paul Yans post:

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jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:52 am

Paul has an excellent solution there. I would add that flat head Allen screws are typically available in two finishes: black oxide (like the ones Paul uses) and stainless steel. The black oxide ones will rust in time, depending on your bass care regimen and the climate where you live. The stainless ones might be a bit hard to find in this size (4-40). But they can be buffed on a buffing wheel to a polished finish that will look like chrome and stay that way.

A good source for weird hardware like this is McMaster-Carr Co. (www.mcmastercarr.com) The parts number for these screws from them is 92210A113. These are the stainless ones and they cost 6.38 per box of 100 (not available in individual screws.) MM-C also has these in some exotic finishes not found in your neighborhood stores.

Note that the screw I recommend is .750" long, Paul's recommendation is for .725" long.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 11:57 am

Thanks, Marty and Paul.

harvey49 · Post by **harvey49** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:29 pm

If you don't want to go to the trouble of replacing the screws in the bridge to hex head, you can actually buy "offset screwdrivers" They are usually made from round tool steel and have a right angled bend at each end of the rod with either a flat blade or phillips driver. If I can get them here in the land of Aus - you with definately get them in the US! They can be a little awkward to use, but if you take the tension off the string first the saddle should be easy to move. Hope this is of help
Cheers
Ron

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:37 pm

If you're setting the intonation, it's easier if you first move the saddles towards the tailpiece. They're easier to adjust if you're moving them forward (towards the nut).

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:42 pm

Strictly speaking, the screws suggested by Paul Yan are called "flat head Allen" screws, not hex head screws.

Of course you can get offset screwdrivers here in the Land O' Plenty. The biggest headache is that, unless you go to a specialist supplier, the darn things are really kinda cheesy and depending upon brand and model, the blade might be too wide or thick.

The best kind are the ratcheting ones that don't need repositioning every 1/2 turn. McMaster-Carr (again) lists one at $7.58, number 5695A8. It's a combination, 1/4" slotted one end and #2 Phillips the other.

harvey49 · Post by **harvey49** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:00 pm

Well there you go, you can get a ratcheting offset driver - that's why I love this place, always more to learn, I guess I should spend a bit more time in engineering tool stores, but then ..... maybe not! And your right again Paul, Allen screws not hex head - what was I thinking!

Ron

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:59 pm

No problem, Ron. Speaking of spending time in engineering tool stores, where is there one?

MM-C is a HUMONGOUS faceless warehouse in an industrial area of central suburban LA. When you go in for a will call, all you see is a yellow counter (maybe they've repainted it by now) and endless rows of industrial shelving. Yet they have never failed to ship anything I've ordered! No back-orders for me. The weirdest stuff is always in stock, and the service is first rate. I get next day to SF if I order in the am.

It's their CATALOG you want! It is THE reference tool for anybody building anything from paper clips to guided missiles. 3400 pages and about 8 pounds.

But if you thought RIC catalogs were tuff to find, MM-C prints once a year and when they run out, you're SOL. (562) 692 5911 is their number if you want to give it a shot.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:59 pm

Website duplicates the catalog but can get you catatonic just looking at weird wrenches and ambihelical hexnuts...

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:17 pm

Quite surprisingly, the black oxide flat head Allen screws on my babies haven't shown signs of rust yet after their installation 2 years ago. I guess I'm lucky that the ones I have are of pretty good quality. It's also a good thing that their hex slots match the 1/16" bridge height adjustment wrench that comes with a new RIC bass so that I didn't have to look for a wrench of another size to do the job. Being identical in the .725 length like RIC's stock screws, the heads don't protrude and affect the height adjustability if you like really low action.

Adam,
I have a different view regarding the way of setting intonation. IMHO, as the screws are turned from behind, it's easier if you start with your intonation a bit sharp (saddles closer to the nut than their optimal positions) and then tighten the screws to make them move towards the tailpiece to get perfect intonation. This assures the screws to be tightly counter-sunk to the bridge base. Doing it the opposite way tends to make the screws back out of the bridge unless springs are installed to the screws between the saddles and screw heads. Just my very humble opinion.

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:59 pm

IMHO, MMC has about the best website going if you're trying to find pieces parts. It's amazing how easy it is to find the stupidest stuff.

Paul,

Doing it your way also helps to ensure that the nut doesn't come off of the saddle screw. Don't ask me why there's a big pink gob on a lot of my saddle screws.

I've always done it my way because you're working with the string tension instead of against it. I figure that the bridge itself isn't threaded, so turning the screw shouldn't move it back and forth. I also thought that, in either case, the string would pull the saddle towards the nut. And I do have springs on some of my saddle screws.

Nonetheless, I can certainly see the merits of your approach.

Even more to the point, given the POS tuner that I've got here, I've got about 1/4" of movement before it detects a change in pitch, so just about any method will work.

lowendbob · Post by **lowendbob** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 3:46 am

Ron, I tried the offset driver. I have a Craftsman, and like Paul W. said the blades where too thick, and the diameter of the tool was also too thick for postioning it on the screw. As a matter of fact I even scratched the chrome a bit trying to use the dam thing. I will check out MM-C for the correct offset driver, if that doesn't do the trick, I'll go with the flat head allen's. Thanks for all of the informative feedback as usual.