foxyFuze Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 (edited) Hi all, I'm trying to source a saddle screw for my 1983ish Tokai JB45. My go-to chap in Bristol is unable to help. It's not one of the modern 3mm diameter ones widely available: 3.39 x 11mm according to the callipers. There must be someone who has such bits and bobs; I'd rather not have to get a new saddle.... Edited June 22, 2018 by foxyFuze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 I think it will be a 3.5mm metric fine. The minimum allowed external dia of a 3.5 mm is 3.354, which seems to be within your measurement. Anyone else agree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 Hmm that sounds about right, but the chap I spoke to reckoned the thread pitch on the Fender Vintage screws he had (correct diameter) was different to mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Just now, foxyFuze said: Hmm that sounds about right, but the chap I spoke to reckoned the thread pitch on the Fender Vintage screws he had (correct diameter) was different to mine. Fender US will be imperial, I'm pretty sure (at least, I think most american guitars are) I would be surprised if a Tokai would be anything but metric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 To be fair I didn't look closely at the packet; they may have been metric. Diameter was fine but he was fairly sure the thread was incompatible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 On 23/06/2018 at 08:48, Andyjr1515 said: Fender US will be imperial, I'm pretty sure (at least, I think most american guitars are) I would be surprised if a Tokai would be anything but metric. Agreed. The US of A thinks metric is a commie European plot to de-stabilise the world... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted June 28, 2018 Author Share Posted June 28, 2018 You'd think so but this is definitely a 0.125" inch screw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 58 minutes ago, foxyFuze said: You'd think so but this is definitely a 0.125" inch screw! OK - I'm confused Just to clarify: I think your Tokai needs a 3.5mm metric fine thread grubscrew A Fender USA grubscrew will not fit because the threads on USA Fenders are imperial, not metric So if you get a 3.5mm metric fine thread grubscrew off ebay, it should fit your Tokai. A Fender USA grubscrew may be the same diameter but it won't fit on your Tokai because it will be the wrong thread pitch. Are we both saying the same thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 41 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: OK - I'm confused Just to clarify: I think your Tokai needs a 3.5mm metric fine thread grubscrew A Fender USA grubscrew will not fit because the threads on USA Fenders are imperial, not metric So if you get a 3.5mm metric fine thread grubscrew off ebay, it should fit your Tokai. A Fender USA grubscrew may be the same diameter but it won't fit on your Tokai because it will be the wrong thread pitch. Are we both saying the same thing? Even if they were the same diameter they have different thread angles; Metric has the threads at 60º, Imperial has them at 55º. Just another reason to get a Metric grub screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Yes, thread is something to look at but a 3.5mm screw will be too big. Attached is the image of the original screw and a #6-32 imperial, which is too big and has fewer threads per inch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Well looks like it's definitely metric and regular M3 is too small so the next option up is M3.5 as andyjr1515 says. Worth trying as there is a degree of tolerance with the screw diameter so it should fit. If you can find any that is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Back to where I started, the permitted range of outside diameters for a M3.5 fine thread is between 3.396 to 3.481mm. As you can see on the chart below, the range for a M3 thread is 2.896mm to 2.981mm which would be too small. Your reading is 3.33mm which is pretty darned close to the bottom range of an M3.5. A M3.5mm grubscrew on ebay is going to be a few pence. I think it's worth a punt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 M3.5 isn't a common size but they sell them in various lengths here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_osacat=0&_odkw=m3.5+electrical+screws&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=m3.5+grub+screws&_sacat=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: M3.5 isn't a common size but they sell them in various lengths here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_osacat=0&_odkw=m3.5+electrical+screws&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=m3.5+grub+screws&_sacat=0 Bum link - copy and paste this description on ebay search and it will get you to the page I was just looking at: A2 Stainless Steel Socket Head Grub Set Screw Cup Point M1.6 M2 M2.5 M3 M3.5 M4 Edited June 29, 2018 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Thanks chaps. As has been said, worth a punt for a quid or two. A minor faff to get a great bass back to being playable. Can't believe I spent several times as much on a jazz bass and it doesn't match this one for feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 13 minutes ago, foxyFuze said: Thanks chaps. As has been said, worth a punt for a quid or two. A minor faff to get a great bass back to being playable. Can't believe I spent several times as much on a jazz bass and it doesn't match this one for feel. Well - if you can get it up and running, it will be a great result Keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted July 7, 2018 Author Share Posted July 7, 2018 (edited) 3.5mm with 0.6mm pitch have done the job! Thanks for the advice. They're shorter than the existing screws but that means they don't protrude above the saddles, which is no bad thing for palm muting. I bought 100 so I now have quite a few spares going! Edited July 7, 2018 by foxyFuze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 6 hours ago, foxyFuze said: 3.5mm with 0.6mm pitch have done the job! Thanks for the advice. They're shorter than the existing screws but that means they don't protrude above the saddles, which is no bad thing for palm muting. I bought 100 so I now have quite a few spares going! Excellent news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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