Correct Bridge Positioning

[dansk_84]

Hi Guys

This might seem like a novice question but im building a guitar with a 25.5inch scale and when I go to fix the hard tail bridge to the body, do i line the string saddle that is positioned further back on the bridge with the 25.5inch point or the saddle that is positioned further forward.

Or do i just line the bridge up with the 25.5 point being in-between the rear positioned saddle and the front positioned saddle.

If anybody doesn't understand what im on about just ask me to clarify, i think i have confused myself with what i have wrote. lol

Dan

 

[Explorer]

So, basically you want to know how far back to install the bridge so the saddles intonate correctly, or so they require little intonation. The lower wound strings will require a bit more length to compensate for the bending, and resulting pitch rise, caused by fretting.

For a 25.5" scale length, you'll want to set your bridge saddles in the center of the bridge, and then measure so the distance from the bridge saddle to the middle of the 22nd fret are 7.0 inches for the high E string, and 7.1 inches from the low E string.

Is that what you were looking for?

 

[SargeantVomit]

7.0 inches for the high E string, and 7.1 inches from the low E string.

Really? Almost 1/8" off center?

 

[Explorer]

Sorry, I made some assumptions about the kind of bridge he's installing. One could go the other route, setting the difference between the high and low E strings at .05, and then do the bridge placement measurement from there.

But, in answer to your question, there is easily 1/8" of an inch difference between a normal high and low E string for correct intonation with normal stringing. Taking a quick look at the pictures in the classifieds here, it doesn't seem like such a stretch. Why, what does the difference measure on your guitar?

 

[Daiephir]

Actually, the way you are supposed to set your bridge is when all of your saddles are fully extended (towards de nut), the spot where your string leaves the saddle is your point of reference , then thats your scale mark, then you intonate as normal (I dont have a pic to illustrate my sayings unfortunatelly)

 

[Explorer]

So, to be clear, you're saying to set all the saddles as to the nut side of the bridge, and then measure both the bass and treble high strings to the same distance, counting on not ever having to move the highest saddle closer to the nut?

Could be. I know I had to re-intonate my highest strings (either B4 or A4, above the normal high E4) when I started using full fifths, and that's why I'm sensitive to not having enough room to move the bridge saddles closer to the nut....

I'll admit, though, that my knowledge of this is purely because I talk this stuff out with my guitar tech, not because I build instruments. She's the one who has to deal with it when a guitar can't deal with my whacky demands. *laugh*

Alright, I'm out. I just didn't want the guy to be hanging. *laugh*

 

[Daiephir]

Well if you think of going higher than standart high e then putting them as far as you can to intonate would be a bad idea since you couldn't intonate the higher ones anymore. Then the solution would be to have the fartest extended saddle be intonated for high a already, e being a little bit back. (I don't know if I was clear on this one, kinda tired, been up since 5 am )

 

[dansk_84]

Cheers guys

This has cleared us the whole intonation thing, up till now ive built 3 guitars and each one ive just bodged it, they all sound good so it looks like ive got away with it. On my current project i just wanted to make sure was doing it correctly.

Dan

 

[SargeantVomit]

Just measured my stock tele which is 25.5". The left rear of the bridge from the back of the nut is 26 5/8" and the right rear of the bridge is the same. Perfectly centered. I would assume that you would never install a bridge off center.

 

[xwmucradiox]

Just measured my stock tele which is 25.5". The left rear of the bridge from the back of the nut is 26 5/8" and the right rear of the bridge is the same. Perfectly centered. I would assume that you would never install a bridge off center.

A tele or strat style bridge gets aligned perfectly perpendicular to the strings. A TOM bridge would be installed on an angle because there is less room for intonation adjustments.

 

[SargeantVomit]

Ah I getcha now, I've never owned a guitar like that before so it wasn't crossing my mind. <<<<<Dumb.

 

[dansk_84]

Cheers for the reply guys, its been very helpful.

To clarify, non of the string saddles should be moved away from the nut passed the point of the 25.5inch scale, instead the only saddles that are required to be moved are to be moved closer to the nut.

In short am i right in thinking that there should be no string that is longer than the scale length of the guitar?

 

[Daiephir]

Actually it's the other way around, the high e string is the 25.5 scale mark (when non intonated) and it's actually a little bit farther back when intonated, and the other strings are longer than 25.5 scale when they are intonated. (I don't know if you understand me correctly, my english is kinda bad)

 

[dansk_84]

I think your English is probably better than mine

When you mean the "other strings are longer than the 25.5 scale when they are intonated" do you mean all of the strings when correctly setup will be longer than 25.5 inchs?

 

[Daiephir]

Well ya:

You can see that the high E would be at the 25.5" scale mark, slightly backwards towards the plate when intonated and the other string (lower) are pulled even further back to intonate correctly. And I think that having a high A string would have the intonation further towards the neck (other direction than the low E for example) since it's tuned higher than high E. Do you understand me?? (really wants to be understood lol)

 

[dansk_84]

Cheers mate, I understand you load and clear.

I just seem to have trouble getting my head around this whole intonation topic, but i understand it now.

Cheers for you help

 

[Daiephir]

No problemo, anything else, just ask and I'll be more than happy to help (yes, it's my inner luthier coming out )