Shortening Saddle Height Screws

[xfriendsonfirex]

I've been trying to shorten the saddle height screws on a guitar I'm working on, because they are absurdly too long. Is there an easy method to doing this? I was just going to take a dremel to it, but I'm afraid to hold it in a vice, because after the first one, the vice ate up the threads to the point that it won't go back in the saddle.

Any suggestions?

[low end fuzz]

i would get get some pliers and another hard item (another set of pliers or screwdriver?) grab your screw with the pliers; bottom side (the one without the allen key opening) out and grind them on a disc sander whilst using your screw driver to push down the oposite end down (for control) against the table; not nesesarry but safer!

[NotYou]

I had to do this recently on a build I did for a customer. He complained that the screws were rubbing his hand. They were nickel, which isn't very hard, so I used my fret nippers. I just had to make sure to hold the end I was keeping in a pair of pliers so it didn't shoot away. It worked great.

[Our Souls inc.]

measure the amount of extra screw height you have on each one.

mark that amount out on the BOTTOM of the screw.

screw them down almost flush with the top. ( leave a little sticking up - room for error / later adjustments )

Use a pair of diagonal cutters AKA dykes and chop off the measured amount from the bottom of the screws.

Dremel the cut part smooth with a grinding blade.

My $.02 - hope it helps.

[soapbarstrat]

I have always used a Dremel with the brown disc (the ones that break so damn easily) with the screw sticking out of a scrap of wood (although I think a scrap of laminate flooring would be better). The scrap of wood is what's clamped in the vise. A tight enough fit into the scrap, so the screw won't turn while cutting. A caliper measurement of the original protrusion will tell you how far to let the end of the screw stick out of the scrap block, which you'll cut off flush at the scrap block. Thread distortion should be minimal with the Dremel cut-off wheel (for rougher cut-offs, like with a hacksaw, I like to first put a bolt onto the threads which will clean up mildly distorted threads when backed off).

Good idea to round ("safe edge") the cut-off screw end, so it won't make ugly marks on the bridge base-plate.

[low end fuzz]

sounds like some of those methods would leave burrs that might damge the inside hole of the saddle; maybe not but thats why i alway choose to grind parts that need to be threaded in

[NotYou]

sounds like some of those methods would leave burrs that might damge the inside hole of the saddle; maybe not but thats why i alway choose to grind parts that need to be threaded in

I also file the bottom down. I forgot to add that. It's looks almost factory, except the bottom is completely flat.

Edited May 9, 2010 by NotYou

[Prostheta]

Grinding a nice smooth rounded end on the bottom (ho ho ho) will prevent scratching on the baseplate and be the finishing touch also.

[ooten2]

I had this same problem on a build a while back, the set screws stick up out of the bridge and scratch the heel of your hand. My solution was to take a saddle to lowes and find a screw that matched the diameter and thread count. (Of course, Lowe's doesn't have any set screws short enough) Then go to McMaster Carr and order some set screws that are sized the same diameter and thread count, and are shorter than the original ones. Problem solved, and very cheap, too.

http://www.mcmaster.com

[brian d]

I solve the same problem on one of my guitars by adjusting the neck angle and raising the saddles so the screws weren't poking up. Not too hard with a bolt-on neck. Not exactly answering the question, but another way to solve the problem.

Brian.

[low end fuzz]

although raising the neck angle works; your changing the instrument a lot;

your moving the physical distance of the strings from the pickups; (which of course can be raised aswell) and (im assuming you raised the angle with a shim) leaves a gap in the neck to body contact inside the pocket.

doesent seem the way to go when string height and overall functionality issues arnt the problem, just fixing a nuesance with as little disruption as possible

[akvguitars]

umm, am I the only one that's faced his vice with plywood so as to not mar guitars???

Most vices have screwholes so that you can attach something to the faces. Grab some scraps, screw them on, and crank it down without fear! Another bonus is that the screw will dent the wood, so it holds it even tighter. I've used this method for this exact issue, and it worked wonderfully.

Cheers,

Kyle.