BBender saddle - screws rising out

[nubsy]

Hi all. This is my first post here, and it's a cry for help. I have an American made Fender Tele w/ a Parsons BBender. I love it. However, although I oil the saddle regularly, and tension is factory set, the screws continue to rise out of the saddle. Obviously this happens quicker with constant bender use, but it happens both with finger bends and I noticed today, without bending at all!

I don't have any other experience with this sort of thing happening on any other guitar, and am a bit stymied here. I mean, what do I do: wrap the treads in plumbers tape? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks a ton.

[cacibi]

The way I read this is that you have a 6-saddle, American Standard style bridge, and the two allen screws are rising up (or, in other words your saddle is lowering by itself) as you play - or just due to the existing string tension.

This is mainly because you are oiling it. The oil is making it less resistant to the downward pressure of the strings because it's lubricating the allen screws as well.

Use a dry lubricant, and apply carefully so that you are only lubricating the contact point with the string. Examples of dry lubricants would be graphite powder or the 'dry' version of Triflow, a common teflon lubricant for bicycle chains or other applications.

[jmiles]

You may need to get all the oil off those screws and their corresponding holes. A soak in some thinner should clean them up. If they're that loose, I would be tempted to add a teeny-tiny drop of Loktite as I was resetting the saddle's height. A very small drop, put on with a toothpick should stop this problem, even if you get some oil in there again. There are a couple different strengths of Loktite. Use the weakest, non-permanent type. If you use the ultra-strong variety, you may never be able to loosen those little allen screws again. And those small allen wrenches round over fairly easily. If those screws are "self-adjusting" just from normal string vibration, they gotta be a pretty sloppy fit. Maybe a good time to invest in a quality after-market bridge and saddles.

[nubsy]

Yes, I have the six standard saddles. Sorry for not being clearer. But thanks a ton, guys-very helpful. I will clean them up and try a dry lubricant before buying new saddles. I thought I was being pretty careful, and cleaning off any extra lube, but I guess I must've been working some in there. Again, thanks very much, and I'll report back in with results.

[johnnylaw]

You could always (after cleaning) apply a tiny droplet of blue LocTite on the offending saddle screws. It can be purchased in motorcycle and auto supply stores.

Then dry lube, or minimal high viscosity (graphite grease, Chapstick, Bag Balm) applied SPARINGLY at the the appropriate friction points only.

Steps all worthwhile for a good bender.