Something's Not Right About Six Saddle Vintage Bridge

[Trimac20]

I suspect I know what the problem is, but I'll run it by you case I'm wrong...

Firstly, it's a pain my camera isn't working because that will make it easier to understand. But this is the one I'm talking about:

http://www.angela.com/catalog/guitar...0083754534.gif

Just this morning I decided the replace the 3-saddle on my 52Ri with the included 6-saddle (it's a lefty btw, for those who don't know). On closer inspection, it appears the saddles are the wrong way around...I.e., if you look closely at the photo, you'll see the screws are on the left-hand side of each saddle, and the grooves are on the right side. You'd expect the lefty version to be the opposite: mine's not! Hence, the grooves do not align with the tuners. I suspect Fender forget it was making a LEFT handed bridge, and while made sure the pickup hole.etc were correct, they forget about the saddles themselves. I'm thinking I could just unscrew the screws which control pickup height and flip them around, but the main reason I wanted to use the bridge was to keep default action, although I suspected I might have had to adjust action after installing the new bridge (would installing a new bridge give you roughly factory spec action?). Anyway, this is a bit of a pain and I'm wondering if I am right, or if there's a slim chance it is supposed to be like that and there' some weird way to re-string through a 6-saddle vintage bridge. Help appreciated!

Btw, just another little thing wrong with the bridge. The Ashtray bridge (which fits the 3-saddle fine) is too big for it - it won't stay on. Would you recommend banging the bridge into shape? I don't really use the ashtray much, just for display purposes, when I like to admire my axe, lol.

[6x47]

Mine is a lefty as well but I'm missing what you're trying to say so I'll just concentrate on 'the grooves are on the right side'.

Unscrew them and turn them 180 degrees so the grooves are lined up with the string through holes.

[maestrovert]

Jes' flip 'em over, run the height adjustment screws in from the other side and voila' ! problem solved.....

[yegbert]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

...but the main reason I wanted to use the bridge was to keep default action, although I suspected I might have had to adjust action after installing the new bridge (would installing a new bridge give you roughly factory spec action?)

I wouldn't assume that new bridge had its saddles adjusted for either its action or its intonation to be correct. You should check and make the necessary adjustments to both.