Slightly misaligned bridge - tuning issues?

[Pat]

Hi there - recently installed a new 6 screw trem on my guitar. Had to fill and drill then outer screw in front of the low E.

When redrilling I got it slightly out of line so it's about 1mm closer to the nut than the other holes. It's also ever so slightly wonky so the screw itself leans back towards the saddles slightly.

Is this gonna cause any tuning issues? The saddles can be moved to compensate for the slight wonkyness, but will the tilted screw cause any issues with the trem returning to zero? I have it floating so when pulling back I can get about 2 semitones out of the G string.

Thanks! Go easy on me, it's my first attempt!

 

[Drew]

It'll change how you have to intonate the guitar, for sure - whether or not it'll cause tuning issues will really depend on if you have enough adjustment range in the saddles to compensate for that missing 1mm.

Speaking personally, I just replaced a bridge on my Strat that for some reason, and my best guess is knife edge wear over the last decade, I absolutely could not get to intonate on the low E, for a new bridge that now works flawelessly. I've got no clear idea what was wrong but whatever the misalignment was it cant have been much more than 1mm. It very well may cause you problems.

 

[Pat]

Thanks - I've strung it up and it intonates okay luckily I'm more worried about the wonky screw now

 

[wheresthefbomb]

I had to fill & drill to install a hipshot on a PRS mushok sig, it was my first such operation and I ended up with a very similar misalignment. TBH it didn't seem to affect intonation or playability but once I noticed it I didn't even want to touch the guitar anymore. Eventually fixed it and sold the guitar with a clear conscience. You live and learn. The experience of getting it right was worth the tribulation and headache of re-doing the whole operation, now I could do it again if I had to, but my biggest takeaway was honestly to just buy drop-in replacements from now on.

 

[ChAoZ]

Fill and re-drill, otherwise the screw out of line might cause binding issues, you could also try taking the offending screw out and see if tuning stability improves???

 

[Pat]

Thanks all, I've opted to fill and redrill it - hopefully straight this time!