Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi

Soon be at the bridge positioning stage on my build and wondered what you guys use to position it

I used the stewmac calculator and a ruler last time but somehow ended up a bit of a sharp intonation on my last kit build.

Was looking through youtube and seen this guys jig and wondered if it was worth making

I have not used one of these, but I know one guy who did and ended up with his intonation way flat.
Why?
Well he had the action too high
I you use this device or the other alternatives like the stewmac adjustable saddles, you really need to
-get the neck relief correct
-cut the nut slots to final depth
-set the saddle height to get your desired 12th fret action
Then and only then check intonation and adjust bridge position.

I can't tell from the photo how that jig helps to position the saddle.

I've used a long ruler with fine divisions on the scale which worked fine, but required a lot of careful attention to get position right on the mark. I have positioned three bridges using the StewMac Saddlematic tool and it worked perfectly each time. In fact, I'm using it this afternoon to position the bridge on my current in-progress guitar.

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Bridges/Saddlematic.html

_________________
Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

+1 for the Stew Mac Saddlematic. No math, no mistakes, no fuss. Works every time, on everything from new builds to checking vintage repair jobs.

_________________
It will probably be alright.

Thanks the saddlematic sounds great will see if they do it in the uk.

Just for my own reference heres pictures of the difference in tuning when open then fretted at 12th on my first kit build





I have been going back to my previous build and tweeking it just to try to learn about setting up my next build

I set the relief yesterday then lowered the saddle then the nut and it plays lovely now but would that of made the intonation worse or better
Also would this be adjustable at the saddle (filing a new one ) or is it to far out.

Thanks

Doing all those things will have reduced the 12th fret sharpness and improved the intonation.
Recheck it before getting too concerned.

Food for thought:

Instead of trying to position your bridges with the saddle slot already cut consider positioning the bridge, gluing it on, and then cutting the saddle slot exactly where it needs to be ON the guitar with the bridge already glued on.

This is how we do it and this is one of the intended used of the Collins Saddle Mill. It also gives you the ability to correct a poor saddle placement by plugging the recutting.

http://www.annarborguitars.com/styled-5/index.html

This has been a shameless self-promotion.....

Dear Santa...

_________________
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

All do respect -- as a tool designer I find the gizmo in the OP a little goofy and likely will lead to inaccurate results in actual operation. ie. Its compressing the sound board rather than pulling it into a dome.

Like Hesh shameless as well ---- KMG offers scale specific "Bridge Setter" fixtures at a very reasonable price.

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

I also route the saddle slot after the bridge is glued on. That way I can locate the slot with micro accuracy rather than trying to micro-locate the bridge during bridge glue up. It certainly can be done either way (and I have done it both ways) but routing afterwords is much better for me.

_________________
It will probably be alright.

Got one on your bench