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anthm
Registered User
Joined: 05/17/20
Posts: 66
anthm
Registered User
Joined: 05/17/20
Posts: 66
10/24/2021 8:25 am

Hi all,

Thanks in advance to any of the guitar Tecs that take the time to go through this.

It relates to the bridge on Fender Strat with 6 individually adjustable saddles. (My Strat recently purchased (Player Series))

I do have a question on the approximate intonation settings of bridge saddles. In particular, the initial settings of the individual saddles, pre fine-tuning of the sadlles. I have copied and pasted this Quote off the fender website. (I recently bought a Strat and the saddle settings were NOT set as in in the quote below)

[u]Firstly the Quote:[/u]

""You can preset the basic intonation of your guitar by taking a tape measure and measuring from the inside of the nut to the center of the 12th fret (the fret wire itself; not the fingerboard). Double that measurement to find the scale length of your guitar. Adjust the first-string bridge saddle to this scale length, measuring from the inside of the nut to the center of the bridge saddle.

Now adjust the distance of the second-string saddle back from the first saddle, using the gauge of the second string as a measurement. For example, If the second string is .011" (0.3 mm), you would move the second-string saddle back .011" (0.3 mm) from the first saddle. Move the third saddle back from the second saddle using the gauge of the third string as a measurement. The fourth-string saddle should be set parallel with the second-string saddle. Proceed with the fifth and sixth saddles with the same method used for strings two and three."

[u]Now the Question.[/u]

Do you subscribe to the theory above? "I have heard this called string thickness compensation." Personally, I can not seem to fathom how or why this would work. I just purchased a Strat and it came out of the shop with the string saddles were in an arrow shape, Es further from the nut and D and G closer to the nut and A and B between the two to create the arrow that points towards the Nut. ( Basically, my guitar came out of the shop in contrary to the above quote)

Anyways, if you have time I would be interested in your take on the subject, or any other experts that happen to read this. Thank you in advance.

[br]Kind Regards

Anthony