Wraparound bridges/Action adjustment

[Tim Lee]

Hi everyone,

Got any good ideas on how not to damage those soft metal screws when adjusting the action on a wraparound bridge?

Tried covering the screw slot with a cloth and then gently applying a screwdriver blade but it’s always a ‘ testy ‘ time when doing so. How do y’all do this when adjusting the action on a wraparound bridge?

Thanks,
Tim

[GnLguy]

Hi Tim

Since there are so many different designs on bridges, could you post a picture
so we can see what you are dealing with?

[Tim Lee]

Sure, exactly like this epiphone sg bridge. Same as the Epi LP Junior.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone/Limited-Edition-SG-Special-I-Electric-Guitar.gc

I think the trick may be to ensure you have the strings loosened before you turn the screw and then it’s a case of going back and forth with it. Don’t like this design of bridge very much.

Tim

[GnLguy]

I agree with you on this design – loosen the strings and adjust the height. I didn’t know if you may have had an aftermarket bridge with different adjustments.

[Aussie Rick]

Yeah Tim, the best way to avoid damaging the head of the studs is to make sure your screw driver is the right size, so that the blade of the screw driver fits snugly, without play, in the slot of the screw. If the blade is a loose fit, it’s going to turn a little in the slot when you turn the screw driver, and the corners of the blade will dig in and damage the slot.

All the best,
Rick

[Billy]

Longer the screwdriver the more even the downward pressure, I would loose the strings off as mentioned, proper fitting screwdeiver with a long shaft..

..Billy..

[Tim Lee]

Thanks guys for all the help.

Gonna give this a shot and see how I do.

Tim

[Marty V]

Um, just in case — you’ve checked/adjusted the relief of the neck first, right? There’s no point in adjusting the bridge if it’s the trussrod that needs adjusting.

[Tim Lee]

Marty,
Good point. Neck is fine. I just need to lower the strings a tad.

Thanks,

Tim

[Marty V]

Speaking of wraparound bridges… Gotoh makes (or made) an aluminum replica of the original LP Jr bridge. Much lighter than those cheapo wraparounds, without that intonation ridge. I put one on my Melody Maker, makes a big difference.

[Tim Lee]

Marty,

Thanks for the info on Gotoh. Have not heard of them so will check them out.

Tim

[San Luis Rey]

We used to call it a 10 cent screwdriver when a dime would work in a pinch when you didn’t have the proper tool. You can save 9 cents on this bridge because a penny fits perfect. Loosen strings, insert penny, dispose of tool as desired. (hey Billy, Be careful with long screwdrivers around shiny objects. I speak from an experience I don’t like talking about)

Mike

[Tim Lee]

Mike,

I’ll try a penny and see how I do. I have seen some folks on youtube butcher the screws so don’t want to do that!

Thanks,
Tim

[sunburst]

I’m youtubing how to set pickup height ,,wondered why it is all preference,,but think it is more than just pick ups ..i just want to experiment..i’ll be counting turns with the screw driver.. as for intonation..i know a good electronic tuner helps but for pickup height, think it is more experience with ear,,also watching a few youtubers on this,,very interesting

[Gary Boats’Blues.]

If I remember right PRS suggest using a quarter on some of Theirs and I would think that a coin would be much a chance of marring it. It is aggravating to mar a nice piece of metal work,
Gary.

Boats'Blues.

[sunburst]

Gary Boats’Blues. wrote:

If I remember right PRS suggest using a quarter on some of Theirs and I would think that a coin would be much a chance of marring it. It is aggravating to mar a nice piece of metal work,
Gary.

yes, it is easy to set it by spec using the string gauge ruler but sometimes it is cool to experiment to understand how adjusting effects,,like I said, just curious,, bright setting for bridge on a prs is likely to be close if not the same as factory settings..some other guitars like gibsons may need more extreme and adjustments to any wil likely create more adjusting..it will be a first for me to mess gauging pickups.Bridge is probably best left as is before checking intonation,, My suggestion is to do a search on youtube and spend some time watching DIY adjustments before adjusting anything

[Marty V]

I always used a coin for this too — I always thought that’s what those slots were made for!

I never loosened the strings for the adjustment, but that seems like the right way to go.

If you’re truly concerned about intonation, you should replace the bridge with a Badass type. I like the sound of a not entirely intonated guitar (the G string that is), which is why I put on the Gotoh.

I still have my old Leo Quan bridge!:
https://reverb.com/item/952476-authentic-leo-quan-badass-guitar-bridge-chrome

[Billy]

Im not sure how intonation is adjusted on that style of bridge, are those adjusting grubscrews on the rear of the bridge?

..Billy..

[Marty V]

Billy wrote:

Im not sure how intonation is adjusted on that style of bridge, are those adjusting grubscrews on the rear of the bridge?

They work the same way as Gibson’s Tune-a-matic — you can move the bridge piece for each string backward or forward.

They’re very heavy (at least the originals were) and quite thick, so they don’t work great with every guitar (there’s only so low they can go). Still, back when they were invented, they were a good solution for people who needed perfect intonation.

[Billy]

The guitar that Tim linked to didnt look to me as if it had a tuneOmatic bridge. Maybe i am missing something cos i am viewing on my phone.

..Billy..

[Tim Lee]

Billy,
You’re right. It’s not a tuneomatic bridge. There are no intonation screws for each string. I think it’s a ‘ compensated bridge ‘ in that the zigzag outline on the bridge is supposed to compensate for the intonation and you raise or lower the action with the 2 screw studs at either end.

Tim

[Tim Lee]

I think the official word for the design of the ‘ compensated bridge ‘ is a ‘ lightning bolt ‘ design which provides the intonation for each string by virtue of its’ staggered design.

Tim

[Marty V]

Billy wrote:

The guitar that Tim linked to didnt look to me as if it had a tuneOmatic bridge. Maybe i am missing something cos i am viewing on my phone.

I thought you were referring to Leo Quan’s Badass bridge (I kinda sorta hijacked this thread into a more general discussion of wraparound bridges ;-D ) Leo Quan added in tune-a-matic style adjustments to the wraparound bridge design.

For the wraparounds, you can only set the distance at either end. The compensated bridge added a lip to the G/3rd string, since it tends to like to be forward of the other strings in order to be intonated properly. They also tend (in my experience) to chew apart strings.

You tend to find these compensated wraparounds on lower-end guitars. That’s why there’s an aftermarket for replacement bridges.

[GnLguy]

Some older designs like shown below has a set screw on each side that helped adjust the intonation. The design shown also has fine tuning adjustment screws as well as the set screws but many of the older ones only had the 2 set screws on each side

[Tim Lee]

Epiphone uses the wraparound bridge as I described on their Les Paul Juniors, SG Limited Edition and it’s also on their new Epi SL guitar. It’s a budget bridge but works well on the LP Junior so it’s functional – it’s just a pain having to adjust the action.

Tim

[Billy]

Tim Lee wrote:

Billy,
You’re right. It’s not a tuneomatic bridge. There are no intonation screws for each string. I think it’s a ‘ compensated bridge ‘ in that the zigzag outline on the bridge is supposed to compensate for the intonation and you raise or lower the action with the 2 screw studs at either end.

Tim

Yes Tim mate. I get that the action is lowered or raised by the two end screws. What I was wondering about is what looks like two grub screws on the rear of the bridge which might be for adjusting intonation by pushing against the retaining screws of the bridge..
I have marked them with a red X

..Billy..

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