CJTopes Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 I just had some work done on my Millie DC. After our gig last night I was cleaning some of the gig spew off of it and realized that the bridge was put on opposite of the way I had it. What is the correct way that the bridge is supposed to sit. Are the screw heads supposed to face the tail piece or the Pup? Thanks in advance for any info........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 With an ABR TOM (these have skinnier screws that mount directly into the wood). Heritage uses the Nashville TOM were the screws of the TOM thread into the metal insert studs in the wood. The ABR has it's intonation screws facing toward the headstock. The Nashville TOM bridge that Heritage usually uses has the intonation screw heads facing the stop tail piece. If you have a pic, it is easy to tell if it is on correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 What Kuz said goes with the design due to the size of the screw heads. I will add a great tech will file and shape the saddle slots and/or turn a couple 180 degrees doing the setup so it holds tune and intonates better. As long as the strings are not touching the intonation screw heads or the back of the bridge you are ok either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJTopes Posted May 27, 2012 Author Share Posted May 27, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The saddles are on the correct way round - the slope on the saddle goes toward the tailpiece. It doesn't matter which way round the main part is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 The biggest thing for me is functionality, when initially setup the saddles will be filed for the gauge of string AND alignment over the pickup poles... If the fat groove is on the thin e string I would reverse it and re intonate it. I also received a guitar back from a full fret dress with the bridge was turned 180 degrees. I love zebras! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith7940236 Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 That is how the bridge is installed on my Prospect. I believe that it is the correct orientation for that bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 Normally, for that Nashville TOM the screw heads would face the stoptail. Can you turn the screws without hitting the pickup ring? If not you may need to turn it around and change the saddles to their corresponding strings. If you can turn the intonation screws, then I might just leave it alone. EDIT: after a closer look, I don't see how you could turn the high E string intonation screw. I would take it back to the set-up guy and have them fix the way it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 That is how the bridge is installed on my Prospect. I believe that it is the correct orientation for that bridge. Really, unless you have an ABR bridge, the screw heads should face the stoptail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJTopes Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 One other thing that I did notice is that the E and A strings were not in the groove on the saddle. I put them where they belong and now I'm getting a buzz on the low E. I had the set up done two weeks ago but this might be going back.....how ever we did just have a big change in humidity around these parts Millennium Maestro: Those Pearly Gates sound pretty good in that DC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 You should be able to tell based on the grooves cut into the saddle. There are several different makers of Nashville style TOM bridges out there, and some seem to put the intonation screws on the stop tail side, and some put them on the neck side. When I got my H150CM, I found out that the bridge was in fact on backwards. I checked the pictures from Wolfe's, and sure enough it was backwards there too. So I flipped it around, and re set it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 You could always loosen the strings enough to put the bridge back on right.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 You could always loosen the strings enough to put the bridge back on right.... If you like the action where it is, take some painter's tape and tape down the TOM adjustment wheels from turning. Then take off the top of the TOM. You then have to take every saddle all the way off ( remembering which saddle goes to which string), take the intonation screws all the way out and put them back in with the saddles on the opposite side. Then put it back on top of the bridge, tune guitar, and you will have to intonated every string. You can do it, it should not be that hard. But it will take an hour or two. The most important thing will be taping down those thumb wheels some the height of the bridge doesn't move and mess up the action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 the action will change due to the differences in the string slot depth. Better way would be to get an action gauge from Stew-mac. Then you don't have to worry about messing up the action, as you can just put it back right where it was. Best money I ever spent with stew mac: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Straightedges/String_Action_Gauge.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=236 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 the action will change due to the differences in the string slot depth. Better way would be to get an action gauge from Stew-mac. Then you don't have to worry about messing up the action, as you can just put it back right where it was. Best money I ever spent with stew mac: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Straightedges/String_Action_Gauge.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=236 If uses the same saddles, just reverses them when he turns the bridge around, how will anything have changed? How will the string depth change if he uses the same saddles in the correct order? just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Or he takes it back where he had it set up and says, "yo, uhh, bad day at the office?" From the photo, two things APPEAR out of whack to me. It appears that the slot width in the saddles is reversed (the high e string has a large notch while the low E string has none) and the E and A are touching the back of the bridge en route to the stoptail, behind the saddles. That's the biggest issue, along with string slots, IMHO. The direction of slope of the saddle means nothing to the string...it really affects the amount of travel of the saddle's apex. Top wrap that bad boy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Top wrap that bad boy!! Always! Unless I didn't restring the guitar. Just seems to feel so much better that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJTopes Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm going to take it back in. I dont know if they will do anything or not. After some research I've seen the screws on either side and the saddles facing both ways. I cannot tell in the notches are bigger on one side or the other. On all my other guitars it's obvious but not on this one. The biggest problem is that the low E is buzzing pretty bad. We're opening for Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials next week and I'd like to be able to use this axe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm going to take it back in. I dont know if they will do anything or not. After some research I've seen the screws on either side and the saddles facing both ways. I cannot tell in the notches are bigger on one side or the other. On all my other guitars it's obvious but not on this one. The biggest problem is that the low E is buzzing pretty bad. We're opening for Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials next week and I'd like to be able to use this axe! Again, just trying to be helpful, the Nashville TOM with the metal posts in the guitar ( like yours) the screw heads face the tail piece. On ABR TOM, where the threads of the TOM go straight into the wood of the guitar, the intonation screw heads face the headstock. I have never seen any difference from what I have described. I am NOT trying to be a "know it all" but I am trying to make you confident that your set up guy should definitely fix his mistake. It definiely did not come from the factory that way. And another thought, how did they set the intonation go your guitar after the set up. They did not set the intonation. I would have them fix or get your money back and then look for a new luthier/set up guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith7940236 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I was told that it is easier to access the adjusting screws with the heads facing the headstock with the pickup lowered rather than access the adjusting head from the tail piece end in some cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I was told that it is easier to access the adjusting screws with the heads facing the headstock with the pickup lowered rather than access the adjusting head from the tail piece end in some cases. Not with a Nashville TOM. If you look at the pics, on the high E string you could not even get a screw driver in there. Plus do you want to lower the pickups every time you change strings and set the intonaton? Keep the ABR screw heads face toward the headstock and the Nashville TOM screw heads facing to the tail piece and setting the intonation is easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJTopes Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 I got him to flip the bridge the correct way and reset the intonation. Also raised the action a little bit. Most of the time I try this stuff myself but that Millie has been giving me fits.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 So how is it now? Playing much better and ready fo the show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJTopes Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 I'm taking it to rehearsal tonight and then to an open jamm. I should know if I like it by then.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith7940236 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I'm curious about what happens if the bridge would have been left as it originally was? Is there a difference in how the guitar plays? Is there a possibility of damage? Thanks, Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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