Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Wanted & Wishing => Topic started by: gtrguy on August 15, 2022, 10:29:04 AM
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Need Alembic bass bridge saddle.
I am setting up a 5 string and for some reason the low B bridge saddle is too short, which messes up the action and play ability. I need a normal one (around the usual .5 inch tall). String notch size not too important, as it will be notched to fit a low B when I get it.
If a USA Alembic forum member has one they can spare I would be grateful. Let me know how much.
Thanks
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They also sell the individual saddles in the Alembic shop. :)
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Need Alembic bass bridge saddle.
I am setting up a 5 string and for some reason the low B bridge saddle is too short, which messes up the action and play ability. I need a normal one (around the usual .5 inch tall). String notch size not too important, as it will be notched to fit a low B when I get it.
If a USA Alembic forum member has one they can spare I would be grateful. Let me know how much.
Thanks
I see that you might not need another saddle. Someone has switched out the saddles placing a high string slotted saddle in the low B position. The smallest slot saddle should be for the G string. Re-install the other string slots in order with the bigger slots heading to the low strings.
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I know, However, all the other saddles are the same height but this one. Alembic bridges have the saddle attachment holes set in a curve to match the fretboard radius, which means that wherever I put the short one it will still be too short.
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Maybe a fresh one will have more meat to work with.
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Yes they do. I need to speak with them about this same thing with my new build. I keep the B and E string about the same height as the A string.
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There is someone on eBay offering replacement saddles as well. It's not made by Alembic themselves, but could be an alternate (~slightly cheaper) option. They say it's compatible with Alembic basses.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185502984242?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=rS0baBFAQWm&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
I can't vouch for them myself; just offering another option.
Good luck!
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Well it turns out I am wrong. I found a saddle here from a bass I worked on some years back and it's the same size. I am going to have to find a small piece of suitable brass and mill out a taller oversize saddle myself in order to get the setup on this bass that I want for the B string.
Sorry to have wasted everyone's time.
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Never a waste of time. This is why we're in here!
The other way to do what you're trying to do of course, is to raise the bridge on the B-string side to the height you want that string to be and then cut down the slots in the E, A, and possibly D string saddles to where you want them to be. Just an idea.
Jimmy J
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In case you need... https://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/babrsa.html (https://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/babrsa.html) for replacement saddles made by Alembic.
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Jimmy J. you are right, I am overthinking it. And Mica, you are always so helpful as well!
Now if I can find my lost bridge and nut files...
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I've got a couple suggestions if you get into reshaping your saddles... But take these with a grain of salt because I have no actual skills!
I suggest making a radius guide out of cardboard to help you with your bridge slotting. I believe we're working with a 12" radius here, and you can check the cardboard guide against any fret to see if you've got it right.
You can use this guide to site the bottoms of the slots you are cutting - OR- you can also use it on TOP of the strings while they're on the bridge saddles. That's because the growing string gauges from G to B more or less reflect the same radius as the bottom of the slots, if you see what I mean.
Also, I recommend moving the saddles to the edge of the bridge (pickup direction), or securing them some other way so that your filing doesn't pull them back and forth on their mounting screws and rods. No need to add any additional wear to those parts!
On last one: I made nut files out of old strings and a chunk of wood. Brass is fairly soft so I found I could "file" it away using just the strings as abrasives. At least the slot size comes out right that way!
Good luck!
Jimmy J
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All good advice. I have it set to where I like it now, but the bridge does have a bit of a slant to it!
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A slant is perfectly acceptable, mine all do too. That B string simply needs to be higher than the G to avoid rattling against the frets. Just be sure the E isn't higher than it needs to be. The 12" radius should still be the goal.
Jimmy J
PS: found a couple pics from the last time I was carryng on about this subject... :)
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I took a close look at my B string and noticed the ball end was skinny the first inch or so and crossed the bridge before getting up to normal width. I replaced it with another I had that is all the same size down at that end. That boosted it up nicely! Details, details.
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Oh, you were caught by the old "tapered core" feature. Yeah, that's something they forget to mention when selling that particular innovation; you need to modify your bridge.
The idea kind of makes sense - like a piano string, just the core passes over the bridge. In fact my fretless is set up with an old set of Rotosound "Superwound" strings - which I don't think they make anymore - and all the saddles on that bridge just have small V shaped slots.
Thanks for the update.
Jimmy J