Intonation problems with compensated saddles

[Keith Caldwell]

I just installed a set of StewMac compensated saddles in my 69 Thinline RI. I'm still having a bear of a time getting the intonation right. Any further suggestions?

Keith

[Tele295]

Conventional wisdom and usage suggests to install the saddles
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However, I recently copied the slant pattern from one of Gatton's old bent saddle bridges
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I was able to get the intonation much closer than with the conventional setup. I'm still dialing in the guitar (new strings, pips, etc), I expect it will be pretty close to dead on.

[Kevin Nybo]

It's been my experience that most "compensated" saddles whould be better labled "slanted". In most cases, the two outer saddles are drilled at the exact same angles to cut down on production costs and time. Also, the middle saddle is usually a mirror of the 2 outer ones, with the same angle used on all three. This allows just one jig to be required for all the drilling processes.

On a truely compensated set, the E-B saddle will be at just a slight angle to compensate between the .010 & .013(on a 10-46 set) strings, while the saddle for the A-E stings should have a much greater angle. The middle saddle for the G-D strings is somewhere in-between, but closer to the angle of the A-E saddle..

I have only came across one maker who actually uses the correct angles for all three saddles. They were my Vintiques, which are on the Tele of TDPRI'er in Sweden right now(I'm more fond of threaded steel saddles myself). Of course, this is one of the reasons the Vintiques sell for $65/set.

About the best you can do with slanted saddles is split the difference between the 2 stings, just as you would with standard straight saddles.

I have tried 4 company's 'fixed-angle' compensated saddles. If I were to go back to compensated saddles I would probably try the Wilkinsons adjustable-angle compensated saddles. This way you could get them exact at a price much lower than the Vintiques.

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Kevin Nybo

On a truely compensated set, the E-B saddle will be at just a slight angle to compensate between the .010 & .013(on a 10-46 set) strings, while the saddle for the A-E stings should have a much greater angle. The middle saddle for the G-D strings is somewhere in-between, but closer to the angle of the A-E saddle..

I talked to somebody at Barden about their new saddles, and he brought this up to me - said their E/A slant was more pronounced in order to compensate for the thicker string diameter. I ended up ordering them, but I haven't gottenthem yet...

NF

[Keith Caldwell]

Thanks! I'll try the suggested saddle placement next time I change strings, and if that doesn't work, maybe I'll spring for a set of truly "compensated" saddles.

KC

[Mike Better]

Why don't you just bend the screws?

[tdp46]

Having phaffed about with a Wilkinson bridge and saddles for months and really got nowhere; bingo! altered slants have solved most of the problems :D Muchos gracias

[Telecaster]

I have made my own brass saddles out of 5/16 brass. All three are of different angles. The Stew-Mac's I believe, are all the same angle, that is why they are only $13.00.

[sean001]

I have used Stew-Mac, MannMade and Vintique compensated saddles. None were perfect. I had to split the difference on all of them. I ordered Bardens and even with them screwing up my order I still got my saddles in 3 weeks so that is about 5 times faster than Vintique AND Barden answered the phone everytime I called. The Bardens are the only saddles I have used that more or less get it perfect. I have a very, very precise tuner, not one of those digital led jobs. I can just about stand the needle straight up on every string. I suspect Callaham and Music One saddles would probably work too BUT I know for sure Bardens work and the ends of Barden saddles are cut at an angle so the saddles all fit flush with each other. It looks much more pro. Additionally, I dunno why but I swear on my father's grave that for whatever reason the Bardens sound the best. To be honest the Vintiques sounded the worst. I am still using my Vintique bridge plate but I have Barden saddles in it now. The only thing they could possibly improve with the Bardens is if they had shorter height adjustment screws like the Vintiques. I did swap the height adjustment screws from the Vintiques into the Bardens. If rubbing your hand against the stock Fender height adjustment screws doesn't bother you, then the Bardens won't bother you either. Still this is a niggle all makers should have addressed years ago.

Get the Bardens - No shill, just finally happy with someone's brand of compensated saddles.