Why do my Les Paul’s saddles not stagger or stair step like other guitars?

willie_wanky · Aug 13, 2020

I just had my Les Paul professionally set up with a new ABR-1 bridge and it sounds and plays great. I checked the intonation and it seems spot on. Yet when I look at the position of the saddles they do not seem as staggered as pictures I’ve seen of other Les Pauls. Most of the saddles are close to being maxed out. I do know it is an unknotched ABR-1 bridge with Elixir .10 optiweb strings if that makes any difference. What do you you guys think is going on?

https://i.imgur.com/b9vcLYl.jpg

fred dons · Aug 13, 2020

you have a little bit of a stagger as the saddles on the woundstrings are reversed but agree it does look to see it so maxed out

MeHereNow · Aug 13, 2020

You write:" new ABR 1 bridge"
Was there a ABR 1 on it originally or was it a Nashville tune-o-matic?

rick c · Aug 13, 2020

What's really weird is that the bridge is almost parallel to the pickup and tailpiece. I have never seen this before, not even on a Chibson. If the low E end of the bridge was angled as normal, further away from the pickup ring, then the low E, A, D and G saddles would not be hard pressed against the back end and the saddle arrangement would look a little more like normal. Even the high E end of the bridge looks closer to the pickup ring than it is on mine (87 LPC). I think your bridge holes are in the wrong position and you are really lucky that the thing can intonate at all. It's really hard to believe that this is the case based on the two straight lines shown in the picture.

renderit · Aug 14, 2020

Bent bridge posts?

garywright · Aug 14, 2020

the pickup looks loose ( or unable to be fully screwed down )..plus appears to be crooked

Strings Jr. · Aug 14, 2020

It's always tough to diagnose an issue without the instrument in-hand, but here are a few things I can offer as observations / suggestions:

1) You say the bridge is un-notched. Why isn't it notched? Notch the saddles to the proper width and depth according to the string gauge, ensuring the notch is angled down toward the tailpiece.

2) Be sure the strings aren't touching any other part of the bridge in front of the saddles, such as the screws themselves. Especially when depressed at the 12th fret.

3) The bridge posts seem a little low, especially on the treble side. If they are too low it could cause a slight, forward "lean" to the bridge.

4) Confirm the nut slots are cut correctly. The slot should begin at the front of the nut and follow the same angle as the peghead.

5) Always use a good quality tuner when setting intonation. One that can be plugged in, not a cheap clip-on.

6) How long have you owned the guitar? Has it always intonated this way, or did it change after a setup or some other modification?

Good luck!!

gmann · Aug 14, 2020

Professionally set up but no notching of the saddles? That's strange.

MeHereNow · Aug 15, 2020

Again.. i believe this guitar had a nashville bridge originally, which has more travel in either direction of its saddles.
The main reason i think it was a nashville equipped guitar is because seeing the domed topcarve on this GT is a dead giveaway for a late Norlin era guitar.
So, i think this is a nashville/ABR bridge conversion gone wrong..
The holes for the new ABR posts were drilled to close to the bridge PU

Minibucker · Aug 17, 2020

MeHereNow said:
Again.. i believe this guitar had a nashville bridge originally, which has more travel in either direction of its saddles.
The main reason i think it was a nashville equipped guitar is because seeing the domed topcarve on this GT is a dead giveaway for a late Norlin era guitar.
So, i think this is a nashville/ABR bridge conversion gone wrong..
The holes for the new ABR posts were drilled to close to the bridge PU

Bridge PU looks crooked and parallel with bridge itself. Maybe this was a Deluxe that was routed for hum buckers, but the bridge one was mounted crooked/tilted?

rick c · Aug 17, 2020

OP: Please post more pics showing the whole top side. I'm sure what we will see is an oddly, very mildly angled bridge indicating that the original bridge posts are not correctly drilled. If the thing truly is intonated then all is OK; I just can't believe that this is the case based on the single picture provided. As others have noted, the set-up was poor if the saddles were not notched; this is a critical part of bridge set-up and the pup ring screws are loose.

TheArchitect · Aug 19, 2020

rick c said:
OP: Please post more pics showing the whole top side. I'm sure what we will see is an oddly, very mildly angled bridge indicating that the original bridge posts are not correctly drilled. If the thing truly is intonated then all is OK; I just can't believe that this is the case based on the single picture provided. As others have noted, the set-up was poor if the saddles were not notched; this is a critical part of bridge set-up and the pup ring screws are loose.

I would have to agree

Wilko · Aug 21, 2020

Saddles don't need as much of a notch as many people think. My preference is smaller the better. all it has to do is stop lateral motion and down pressure is plenty.

With all sdlles maxed out, I''d make sure the bridge isn't leaning too far forward. There is usually enough play on a les paul to lean it back while stringing, then set the intonation.

in pictures, too much saddle differences point to the bridge arch being off. Particularly one string too high or low will end up with a saddle in an odd looking place.

jtees4 · Aug 24, 2020

willie_wanky said:
I just had my Les Paul professionally set up with a new ABR-1 bridge and it sounds and plays great. I checked the intonation and it seems spot on. Yet when I look at the position of the saddles they do not seem as staggered as pictures I’ve seen of other Les Pauls. Most of the saddles are close to being maxed out. I do know it is an unknotched ABR-1 bridge with Elixir .10 optiweb strings if that makes any difference. What do you you guys think is going on?

https://i.imgur.com/b9vcLYl.jpg

If the intonation is spot on, then the saddles are exactly where they need to be.

Why do my Les Paul’s saddles not stagger or stair step like other guitars?

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