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Help! Cutlass SSS floating bridge + replacement saddles

PaoloGilberto

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
484
Location
Romania ...that's a country ...in Europe :))
Hey guys,
Cutlass SSS advice needed on 2 aspects:
1. For a floating bridge which version is more recommended : bridge tilted forward or paralele with the guitar body?
I had it tilted and just changed to parallel.
Coming from JPs I see more logic in being parallel with the guitar body for perfect tuning stability.
The only downside for this version is how much you want to pull the tremolo bar upwards and what string action you want.
With the current saddles I have now the bridge plate at about 1.5 mm from the guitar body ,being able to have a half step bar pull on the high E.
The lowest action I can get this way is 1.5 mm on the high E and 2 mm on the low E measured at the 12 fret .
the E saddles are flush with the plate,can't go lower would have to buy new lower profile saddles .anyway needed a solution because those long screws are killer 😂
I would like to get to about 1.3 mm high E and 1.7 mm low E action.
The current one is pretty difficult for my not healthy hands.
I had 1.25 mm /1.6 mm with the bridge tilted .


2. What replacement saddles people got ?
I am looking at Gotoh , S 11 set .
I've thought about replacing the screws but those are not cheap on Amazon in Europe and only solve the slicing hand part :))
Thx a lot

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The EBMM bridges are not really designed to float. They are meant to be decked, which is why there is no recess under most of the bridges. The JP models are an exception to this, and have a recessed route for the bridge. If you want to float the bridge and get low action you may need to shim the neck.
 
Tilted floating was good enough for Jeff Beck and is good enough for Lukather for 30 years, it's good enough for us. And as you said, you get more up-pull when there is no space routed behind the bridge.

If you can't achieve the action you need with saddle adjustments, a shim in the neck pocket is the way to go. That will allow you to get lower action with the saddles higher up on the screws. (y)
 
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