Correct procedure for adjusting a wilkinsons bridge

[kaydubs]

hi! I've had a compensated wilkinsons bridge on my tele for quite some time and have just gotten lucky for the most part with my intonation and some minor fiddling. I have switched and found my new favorite strings, daddario half rounds 11-49, and i want to set up my guitar CORRECTLY. Can someone please tell me in what order I should adjust the bridge and how? Thanks a lot in adv.!

[jwells393]

Setting intonation with the Wilkinson shouldn't be any different than any other bridge. Using an electronic tuner, tune an open string to pitch. Play a 12th fret note on the string ........ if the fretted note is sharp, move the saddle back......... if flat, move it toward the neck. You may have to compromise a little if two strings on the same saddle can't be set right on.

[kaydubs]

Thanks for the reply. I'm actually more concerned about string height and individual screws on the saddles. Any tips on these? I know it's obviously personal preference but currently all my strings are lined up nicely but my D string buzzes like crazy and it seems the only way to remedy this is to pull back the saddles with the screw to compensate for poor height... but the string heights all seem fluid to me.

Also, do the saddles tend to be offset in an "intonated" position? like... at a slant as opposed to all 3 lined up when set up properly? or is it different for all guitars

[PJ]

Three saddle Tele bridges, even the compensated ones, are a balancing act between the two strings. I usually set the first string on the saddle as perfectly as I can. Then check the second string and blanace from there. If you have to split a fraction of a cent between the two, sometimes that's the best compromise.

For height...make sure your neck relief is set to specs - .010" for 9.5" radius neck, .012" for vintage 7.5" radius. Then, set your saddle height according to your preference, while matching the curvature of a board radius. With the Wilkinson bridge, which is real good, you shouldn't have any problems.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by kaydubs

Thanks for the reply. I'm actually more concerned about string height and individual screws on the saddles. Any tips on these? I know it's obviously personal preference but currently all my strings are lined up nicely but my D string buzzes like crazy and it seems the only way to remedy this is to pull back the saddles with the screw to compensate for poor height... but the string heights all seem fluid to me.

Also, do the saddles tend to be offset in an "intonated" position? like... at a slant as opposed to all 3 lined up when set up properly? or is it different for all guitars

Some folks set up their saddles barrel or individual so it mimmicks the curve of the fret board. Especially if it's a 3 saddle set up where 2 strings are sharing a barrel. Fret buzzing problems can be caused from a variety of situations and many times a combination of conditions. But let's say for the sake of set up your frets are all pretty level and there's no issue with those.

Typically fret buzz can be a combo of saddle height and neck relief. It's been my experience to set up the neck relief first, then move on to saddle height last. If you have to much relief no matter where you set your saddle height, the buzz may may remain. Go here for a place to start to dial in your neck relief: Fender set up page

Other than the proper size hex wrench, a screwdriver and a metal measuring rule with increments of 64th's (Home Depot $2-4) is pretty much all you need to get the job done. Once you're done with your neck relief than saddle height will be easier to achieve. Without actually seeing you guitar it can be difficult to diagnose. This'll put you in the neighborhood anyway.

[PJ]

It's a rough sketch, but this is what you're trying to accomplish in following the fretbaord radius with a three-saddle bridge:

[Fatmanstratman]

Originally Posted by kaydubs

...currently all my strings are lined up nicely but my D string buzzes like crazy and it seems the only way to remedy this is to pull back the saddles with the screw to compensate for poor height...

Are you sure that the string is "buzzing" because it is rattling against your frets? You noted that you are now using 11-49s, but were you using a different guage previously? If so, the D string may not be seated correctly in your nut, which will certainly cause a buzzing....

Originally Posted by kaydubs

Also, do the saddles tend to be offset in an "intonated" position? like... at a slant as opposed to all 3 lined up when set up properly? or is it different for all guitars

If you are referring to their position relative to the back of the bridgeplate, rather than their height from the BASE of the bridgeplate, then yes, the saddles DO tend to be offset when your intonation is set correctly. But YES, it IS generally different from guitar-to-guitar.

This is a standard 3-brass saddle Fender bridge - intonation just about perfect:



Another Fender bridge, but this time with Glendale compensated brass saddles - intonation absolutely spot-on:



Another Fender bridge, StewMac compensated brass saddles, but on a Partscaster - note the odd positioning of the B/E saddle, yet the intonation is just about perfect (members here have doubted the fact, but my tuner shows both strings to be spot-on when played both open and at the 12th fret - belive me, the intonation IS correct!).

[kaydubs]

thank you for all the informational replies. here are some pictures of my guitar to help out.



i am a little afraid to go near the truss rod, but i remember that the one time i did take off my neck to do some inspection i didnt mess around with it, but i did screw it in and unscrew it but barely felt any tension? so i screwed it in and backed it out to a websites recommendation... but that was before now and since that time the guitar hasnt had any problems and was intonated "just fine." i just want to start new, from ground up and set this bad boy up right.

i am going to mess with it for the next hour or so and report back later on and see how it comes out.

and prior strings were usually heavy/light hybrids and daddario chromes (11s and 12s).. the guitar actually seems to like heavier strings better.

[PJ]

Kay....press down on the 15th fret on your low-e-string and hold it down. Cut that in half, say to between the 7-8th fret. The distance from the bottom of your low-e string should be about the thickness of a business card at the fret between 7 & 8. That's your neck relief - which should be about the thickness of a business card. If it looks bigger than that, you'll have to give your truss rod a turn (clockwise to tighten) - only in like - 1/8 turn increments, until the neck flattens out and that space we were looking at shrinks down to that business card thickness.

If, that low-e is touching the fret, you need to add relief, by turning counterclockwise in 1/8 turn increments, until you get to the desired
relief.

Just don't over tighten your truss rod. But, see where you are first, before making any adjustments and take it in small turns of the wrench and you'll be fine.

After you have your neck as flat as it needs to be, you have two other adjustments to make - string height and saddle length - one for action and the other for intonation, respectively.

So, they're the three things required for a complete set-up. But don't worry about your 11s, so long as they'll fit in your nut slots without binding, you should be OK with them.

Drop a note if you get stuck anywhere.

[kaydubs]

ok after a long process i think i got the thing intonated pretty darn well. unfortunately i didnt see your post but i tried that experiment and luckily it seems im right where i need to be. the strings are definitely not touching the fret between 7 and 8 and im sure a fraction of a turn couldnt hurt but i am not experiencing any buzzing and the action is set up just great right now. i appreciate that tip very much though i will always remember that.

[PJ]

Stratman....if you're tuned-in. Look at his saddles in the end-bridge photo - are the saddles backwards? I don't have a Wilkinson rig, but
don't the strings go over the machined portion, rather than the radiused part? A couple of his saddles look like they might be threaded on the screw "right way around" as you would say in the UK.

[kaydubs]

well if it is incorrect, this is how it came from guitarfetish.com. i never messed with that..

but even if i did screw them back on backwards it would be the same thing. the only alternative would be switching a middle saddle out to the b and e string one..

[Fatmanstratman]

Originally Posted by PJ

Stratman....if you're tuned-in. Look at his saddles in the end-bridge photo - are the saddles backwards? I don't have a Wilkinson rig, but
don't the strings go over the machined portion, rather than the radiused part? A couple of his saddles look like they might be threaded on the screw "right way around" as you would say in the UK.

Sorry, PJ - I wasn't online and missed your post.

No, the way that the saddles are fitted on kaydubs's Wlikinson bridge is correct.

[kaydubs]

I still have an annoying buzz that rings at the 7th fret on my D string. All the harmonics on the guitar ring out beautifully and everything sounds just right, but there is just buzz in this one spot. It doesnt bother me enough to have to reintonate the whole thing but is this a truss rod problem?

[Goluphi]

Originally Posted by kaydubs

I still have an annoying buzz that rings at the 7th fret on my D string. All the harmonics on the guitar ring out beautifully and everything sounds just right, but there is just buzz in this one spot. It doesnt bother me enough to have to reintonate the whole thing but is this a truss rod problem?

Sounds like you need a fret level done.

[PJ]

Usually, if its just one string, at one fret, it's a high fret that's interfering with the string as its resonating. The fretted string
has to be clear of the adjacent frets. If one is high, the string,
as it's vibrating, will fret-out on a neighboring fret. It's a simple
fix for a luthier with the right tools.