Why are the bridge saddles screws black?

[kats]

'04 R8. CA

The screw heads for the bridge saddles are black - is that normal? While I'm at it, the wire is black as well.

 

[C-4]

This may be wrong, but the black screws may represent aging, as the guitar is a custom authentic.
I received a Cloud Nine R9 with the same black screws and every damn one of them was bent, which meant that I could not adjust the intonation!
I called the dealer and they sent me a new bridge with regular chrome colored screws and wire.

I've seen Guitar Center R0's that were CA's with the same black screws and they were all bent as well. I think they are doing the face of the guitar with the hardware on it for final buffing or whatever, OR they are too hard when doing the CA treatment to the hardware, which causes these screws to be bent.

In any case, it's bad.
Stephen

 

[DonP]

Yes, it's normal.

My GC R0 CA has black as well. I've seen some where they left a puddle of rust on the screws on the bridge. Not my idea of aging. I'm glad they didn't age my Custom Authentic too much - I prefer to let it happen naturally.

I pulled my low E and A saddles out and reversed the direction (I had plenty of room for intonation). The A was a b@t$h to get back in. Probably a bend screw as C-4 said.

 

[bvmjethead]

I have an 04 R8 CA and my screws and wire is black as well. Part of the aging.

Murphy aging was too much for me but I really liked the look of the CA. They come from the factory looking like a 5 year old rather than a 45 year old.

When I recently had her intonated the tech had to put some penetrating oil on several of the bridge saddle/intonation screw joints as they were frozen shut due to the aging process. This is pretty common as well.

 

[HHB]

thats just crazy, making a screw that crucial to the working not turn as part of a cosemtic package is nuts for me

 

[Mark Kane]

There's two things going on with the screws that won't turn. 1) they notch the saddles by tapping them with a hammer with the strings on them bending the end of the screw. The strings then put the notch in the saddle. On a new guitar the wound strings are often practically cut through over the saddle. 2) they either went to a different supplier for the saddle screws or the supplier they had changed production. Many of the adjustment screws have weird ends on them. Extra metal going off on the end, often at an angle. You'll notice when you try to adjust the screws if they'll turn at all they turn off axis and the screws ride up and down in the slot. I've bought several brand new replacement bridges and half the screws in them wouldn't turn right out of the package. I had to take them apart and clean up the screw ends with a dremel tool.