son of frog Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 So i was looking to buy some new saddles for a really old bass since the little height adjustment screws are old, rusty and stripped, And i came across a bridge with these "knurled saddles" and i have them on my mexican 50's precision, fender claims that they improve the tone in some way, Is this the possible mysterious reason why i think the 50's p basses sounds so much better than a standard mexican ones? For anyone who has no clue what i'm on about, heres a pic. And does anyone know where i can get a set of four bridge saddles on their own without the baseplate? (Knurled or Not, im not bothered) haha because the bass i'm changing the saddles on is a Japanese Jazz copy made by a company called Morris, and the baseplate isn't fender standard size, The saddles however are. I shall enclose a picture below, Thanks, Frog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 [quote name='son of frog' post='1159994' date='Mar 12 2011, 11:09 PM']...fender claims that they improve the tone in some way, Is this the possible mysterious reason why i think the 50's p basses sounds so much better than a standard mexican ones?....[/quote] It's not very likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Fender are all about claiming things to make production cheaper and easier are 'for the tone'. Probably gonna be cheaper to score a whole basic bridge than just saddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Allparts No. BP-2125-001 gets you 4 knurled saddles with length screws and springs. £14.40 + postage. Maybe try them and report on any perceived improvement in tone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbloke Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I wouldn't know about improved tone, but one benefit of knurled saddles over grooved, especially on a 5 string, is the ability to increase string spacing, which is what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I always thought that the knurled saddles are to compensate for the rather random way some Fenders are put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 As a previous post said, Fender can be a bit slapdash with positioning of nuts and bridges which can mean the strings are not always aligned accurately (ie the E or G string can end up too near the edge of the fingerboard). I don't know about the difference to the sound of a bass they make but I have them on my 62 RI Jazz and it's really easy to adjust string spacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son of frog Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='1160165' date='Mar 13 2011, 08:38 AM']Allparts No. BP-2125-001 gets you 4 knurled saddles with length screws and springs. £14.40 + postage. Maybe try them and report on any perceived improvement in tone?[/quote] thanks, good idea, I will indeed, and yeah i think also its doubtful theres much tone improvement... Probably as you all suggested helps more with string spacing issues, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 from my experience that doesn't look much like knurling. To me they look more ....(ahem) ribbed... that is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonzoooroo Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1161442' date='Mar 14 2011, 09:53 AM']they look to me like a bit of threaded bar. Tap and die set and make your own [/quote] yep - a bit of stainless studding, saw to length, some awkward cross drilling, tap the cross drillings and off you go. Knurling is a different animal altogether - it's the process of cutting a pattern by imprinting it under pressure. (part to be knurled is rotated, and the knurling tool is pressed up against it.) That's how the control knobs are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesfinn Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 the big deal is they are 'vintage correct' haha. that means they are twice the price by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostromo Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 [quote name='paul_5' post='1161308' date='Mar 14 2011, 07:22 AM']from my experience that doesn't look much like knurling. To me they look more ....(ahem) ribbed... that is all. [/quote] I agree, it isn’t knurling . . . . it’s just an example of good old Leo Fender at his most resourceful and practical best ! . . . threaded bar ! I’ve read somewhere that early Fenders often used simple and cheap threaded bar to make the saddles for their instruments. Probably due to nothing more straightforward than it was cheaper (most likely) or easier from a production point of view (second most likely) ? . . Certainly a totally pragmatic low tech solution to the requirements of a saddle ! I think threaded bar saddles were commonly used on Telecasters in the early 60’s and I’ve seen them on early 60’s Jazz Basses – not sure if they were ever used on the very early Tele Basses or Precision Basses ? in fact I think the very first fender basses had pressed fibre saddles - I have no idea what they would have performed like from a "tone point of view" but I've never seen them available as an aftermarket upgrade so I think we can conclude they wern't very good ? One things for sure – I bet Leo Fender would have said there’s no difference in tone between using a smooth steel saddle as apposed to a threaded one ? . . . . . . But no doubt there are loads of people who’ll think differently ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I think if anything they reduce the string's contact area at the bridge (unless you have a small enough string gauge that can be "cupped" by the pitch) - which runs contrary to any of the other mumbo-jumbo about maximum contact = sustain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 [quote name='Nostromo' post='1163487' date='Mar 15 2011, 06:41 PM']I agree, it isn’t knurling . . . . it’s just an example of good old Leo Fender at his most resourceful and practical best ! . . . threaded bar ! I’ve read somewhere that early Fenders often used simple and cheap threaded bar to make the saddles for their instruments. Probably due to nothing more straightforward than it was cheaper (most likely) or easier from a production point of view (second most likely) ? . . Certainly a totally pragmatic low tech solution to the requirements of a saddle !... ...One things for sure – I bet Leo Fender would have said there’s no difference in tone between using a smooth steel saddle as apposed to a threaded one ? . . . . . . But no doubt there are loads of people who’ll think differently ?[/quote] I totally agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostromo Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1163491' date='Mar 15 2011, 06:43 PM']I totally agree.[/quote] So to answer Son of Frog's initial question – er - nothing is great or special about them ? I guess the presence of the thread allows you some easy lateral adjustment on where you place the string over the saddle as apposed to a single notched steel barrel ? . . . but on the other hand you can also get a completely smooth un un-notched steel saddle barrel and that would offer infinite lateral string adjustment ! . . . So in the end, and as usual, its all down to practical considerations and probably has very little to do with tone ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostromo Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1163489' date='Mar 15 2011, 06:42 PM']I think if anything they reduce the string's contact area at the bridge (unless you have a small enough string gauge that can be "cupped" by the pitch) - which runs contrary to any of the other mumbo-jumbo about maximum contact = sustain.[/quote] Yea - I agree with you there Ou7shined, seems to me that the "max contact = sustain" thing is truly mumbo-jumbo . . . . . . its always seemed intuative to me that minimum contact whould equal maximum sustain ? . . . . Dont think I want to explain why . . . . it would turn this reply into a war and peace post I think ? ? No doubt its been discussed on here many times before anyway ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I have a Geddy with a Badass bridge and a 62 Jazz with Knurled saddles. I've switched bridges around on my basses and frankly there's no noticable difference in tone or sustain (personally sustain is a quality I might look for in a Les Paul but not a quality I look for in a bass). Badass II for £105 or Fender bit of tin for £6.99............doesn't make a bit of difference to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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