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Strange Saddle Positions

pgfitzgerald

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
8
I feel kind of dumb for asking this...

I'm checking out used Les Pauls online and for some reason I'm put off when I see saddles in odd positions like this on a right-handed guitar. Completely backward from what I expect.



I figured most of the time it's probably due to a poor setup.

However, I'm worried that it could be indicative of a problem with the guitar itself and not correctable by a good setup.

Thoughts?
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
Looks like someone has the slide in backwards and some internetted dunce followed it...
 

Zentar

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
830
The owner took the bridge off to clean it and reinstalled it backwards
 

Monroe

Active member
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
Messages
1,139
Are you concerned that they are out of adjustment?
Or that the guitar is intonated but the saddles are not where you think they "should" be?
Lots of things can effect the intonation.
Worn fret crowns or poorly crowned frets,
Improperly cut nut,
Crappy or worn out strings,
Even neck relief.

All the above are correctable.
The likelyhood that the actual fret slots were cut wrong on a Gibson is near zero.
 

pgfitzgerald

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
8
Are you concerned that they are out of adjustment?
Or that the guitar is intonated but the saddles are not where you think they "should" be?
Lots of things can effect the intonation.
Worn fret crowns or poorly crowned frets,
Improperly cut nut,
Crappy or worn out strings,
Even neck relief.

All the above are correctable.
The likelyhood that the actual fret slots were cut wrong on a Gibson is near zero.

I don't have a lot of experience purchasing used guitars. I'm just concerned that it could perhaps indicate an issue that I couldn't correct with a proper setup.

I know every guitar is going to be a little different, but some of the guitars I've seen show some super funky saddle adjustments -- backward like this, fairly well straight across, completely bottomed out in one direction of the other.

So are you saying it's not really something I ought to be worried about and that a proper setup after acquiring the used instrument will almost certainly correct any issues?

Thanks!
 

GeraintGuitar

Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2017
Messages
115
jesus thats THE worst strat copy ive ever seen !

post a pic of the rest of the guitar dude
 
Last edited:

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Don't obsess over things you imagine may indicate non existent issues. That picture means nothing. First thing I do for any guitar, new or used, is a complete pro set up. Most "problems/issues" real or implied fail to survive a precision set up. Serious issues are evident in hand and I can deal with the seller for a return or appropriate refund.

Those that lack expertese should make prearrangements to have a competent tech do this.
 

jtees4

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2010
Messages
209
The saddles move, and can be turned around....sometimes for a good reason. Irrelevant IMHO. Not everyone knows what they're doing, I've learned that over the years. I've bought guitars where the owner probably thought they were ripping me off because the guitars played horribly or had a loose wire or something. I've never met a guitar I could not set up to play very good to great. I've bought and sold many many guitars, kept some and made money overall.
 
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