Need intonation screws for Tribute series Saddle Lock bridge

[Jiminvan]

Hi: The heads of the intonation screws on my old (Korean) Tribute ASAT Special semihollow have gotten a bit rounded/chewed out and I'd like to buy replacement screws. I know I could buy the saddles with screws, but I only need the screws.

Any sources?

Thanks,
Jim

[Craig]

Hi: The heads of the intonation screws on my old (Korean) Tribute ASAT Special semihollow have gotten a bit rounded/chewed out and I'd like to buy replacement screws. I know I could buy the saddles with screws, but I only need the screws.

Any sources?

Thanks,
Jim

I have sent your post to Memo to get the specs on this screw (which has the same bridge as the US model, but with chrome plated zinc die-cast saddles).
I also asked Memo if he can find out when the Saddle set for the Saddle-Lock bridge is going to be in stock again in the G&L One-Line Store.
You might consider upgrading to the US saddles to get the chrome plated Brass saddles.

Stay tuned.

[Jiminvan]

Thanks Craig!

[Jiminvan]

By the way I also asked about this through the "Ask a question" link on the webstore page, but haven't heard anything back.

[Craig]

I heard back from Memo:

Hi Craig,
The screw is an M3 0-3, Length is 7/8", we were told early August to get the saddles, all the best.

Memo Romero
G&L/BBE Service Manager

Hope this helps.

[Craig]

While searching here for the possible information we might have had in the past on Saddle Lock screw sizes, I found this 2012 post:
Are the new ASAT Special Bridges made in the USA?.

Here's the latest information from Steve:

Quote:
Hi Craig,

Regarding all the bridges used on US G&L instruments (ASAT Classic, ASAT Special, Dual Fulcrum, Saddle Lock Bass);
years ago they were made in the US. One of the challenges G&L faced back then was multiple vendors to supply all
the necessary parts at a quality and price level that met our demands. Over the years, a good number of these small,
local southern California vendors went out of business, had quality or delivery issues that created production nightmares
for the factory.

It was decided to look for a source that could supply the bridges complete ... no more dealing with a vendor for plating,
die casting, milling or having to find all the little screws, springs, etc that go into the bridges.

There is a well known (in the world of guitar manufacturing) factory in Taiwan that specialize in making a variety of
musical instrument hardware (mainly guitar and drum hardware). This company was able offer "one stop shopping" for
G&L that would not only supply high quality parts to the Fullerton Factory, but be able to provide similar hardware that
would be used on the Tribute Series. Once we found this source, we could guarantee consistency in the hardware used
on both the US and Tribute Series instruments. There are some differences in the material used on the bridge saddles
between the US and Tribute ... US bridges all have brass saddles, while the Tribute Series are zinc.

The company we use for our hardware in Taiwan also supplies bridges and tuning key to Fender, Gibson and Music Man
that are used on their US instruments.

I hope this information is helpful

Thanks

Steve Grom

So, bridges and bridge components made sometime after 2011, all come from this one source in Taiwan.

Hope this helps.

[Jiminvan]

Hi Craig. Thanks for your help. What does the "0-3" part of that mean? Does that get me the very small diameter head that these screws have?

[Craig]

Hi Craig. Thanks for your help. What does the "0-3" part of that mean? Does that get me the very small diameter head that these screws have?

I am not sure what the "0-3" part means.
So, I thought I'd ask ChatGPT, with the following question:

Q: What size Intonation screws are used on the G&L Saddle-Lock bridge which were built in Taiwan after 2011?

A: The intonation screws used on the G&L Saddle-Lock bridge, including those built in Taiwan after 2011, are M3 x 0.5 thread pitch, 20 mm in length.
This specification applies to both USA and Tribute Series models with the Saddle-Lock bridge design.

I'll ask Memo tomorrow what the "0-3" part means.

Hope this helps.

[Craig]

Here is a picture of the Saddle-Lock bridge with 3 mounting screws (inside bridge) on the left and the 2 top mounting screws on the right:

[Jiminvan]

Wow - those look like wood screws not machine screws! I figured out how to spec the head: it's a filibuster head screw, Philips type. Length is either 7/8" (22.2mm) or 20mm...we've heard both so far. Probably either would work. The 0-3 might be meant to say 0.3 which would indicate thread pitch. That would be a very fine pitch, and doesn't look like what's in the above picture.

Chat GPT was a good idea. I tried that with my build info: it's a Korean-built Tribute, s/n 06021275, so that should be 2006, putting it well before the shift to Taiwan-sourced parts. That didn't help in Chat GPT, but it might help Memo narrow down exactly what the screws are?

Thanks for all your digging on this!

Jim

[Jiminvan]

Sorry - not "filibuster" (politics) but "filister" and in metric apparently it's called a "cheese head" so I guess it likes the Packers.

[HunGLish]

The two screws on the right are also for securing the bridge to the body. You can see the counterbore holes for them on the sides of the bridge.

[Jiminvan]

Thanks @HunGLish. I thought they were wood screws and that explains it! I just pulled one of my intonation screws and put my caliper to work. Here is the result:

Head outer diameter: 4.3mm . Seems to be a cheese head or a fillister head.
Length: total 22.5mm...2.5mm head depth, shaft is 5.7mm unthreaded, 14.3mm threaded
Thread: M3, pitch 0.5mm
Drive: Philips #1 (some say #0 but my #1 fits well)
Clearance hole in the back of the bridge (i.e. sets the max for the head diameter): 5.0mm but the head needs to be less, and that's measured on my chrome bridge

These screws are very hard to find. I've been searching fastener suppliers and cheese head and fillister head M3 screws usually have a head diameter over 5mm.

[Jiminvan]

https://imgur.com/vljtTda

I give up. I've tried 17 times different ways and sizes to inserrt an image of the screw and measurements. It's on Imgur. Is that a problem? It's well within the size limits. Can't see a way to simply attach the image either.

Hopefully the above link works so people can browse to it.

[Craig]

The two screws on the right are also for securing the bridge to the body. You can see the counterbore holes for them on the sides of the bridge.

Yes, you are correct about the two screws on the right. I have corrected my previous post showing the parts of the Saddle-Lock bridge.

Thanks!

[Craig]

https://imgur.com/vljtTda

I give up. I've tried 17 times different ways and sizes to inserrt an image of the screw and measurements. It's on Imgur. Is that a problem? It's well within the size limits. Can't see a way to simply attach the image either.

Hopefully the above link works so people can browse to it.

Check out this post:
Tutorial: Posting photos

Here is the steps to follow to post your photo:

Here are the steps to add an inline photo to a post:

1. Go to whatever photo hosting service you used.
2. Display the photo you want to post.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the photo.
4. Right click on the mouse device then scroll to the "Copy image URL" or "Copy Image Address" selection and then left click on it.
The image URL will now be copied to your Clipboard storage area.
5. Bring up the G&LDP and go to the thread you want to post to.
6. Click on the Post Reply button which should bring up the Post Editor.
7. Below the Subject editing box look for the "Img" button and click on it, which will put the image BBCode in the editor window
with the mouse pointer positioned, ready to paste the image URL copied in step #4.
8. Right click the mouse device then scroll to the "Paste" selection and left click. This should paste the image URL.
9. After completing your post, click the "Preview" button and verify that you post looks the way you want it.
10. Click the "Submit" button to complete the posting.

Here is your photo inline (using "timage=" BBCode to resize the photo to fit):

[Craig]

As mentioned earlier, the bridge screws should be SAE screws because the bridge was built before 2011 (build year of the Tribute ASAT is 2006).

Here are the size for the intonation screws for a SLB built in 2006 (or earlier):

The intonation screws used on the G&L Saddle-Lock bridge built in 2006 are typically 4-40 x 3/4" (0.75 inch) Phillips head screws.
This size is standard for ensuring proper fit and accurate intonation adjustments. [Reference information: from ChatGPT]

Jim, do these numbers match your numbers (metric)?

[HunGLish]

These screws are very hard to find. I've been searching fastener suppliers and cheese head and fillister head M3 screws usually have a head diameter over 5mm.

If I were you, I would buy a similar screw and machine it's head down to the required diameter. Best would be a lathe for this, but even putting it into the chuck of a drill press or ordinary electric drill and holding a file against the rotating head could be enough. Eye protection as always!
Or just file by hand in a vise. Won't be as nice as the original as the surface treatment will go, but the head sits invisible in the bride recess, so doesn't matter much.

[Jiminvan]

Hi Craig: Thanks again.

Re the threads, a 4-40 screw has a pitch of 0.635mm vs. what I measured on mine at 0.5mm. Those would bind within a turn or two and some M3 screws I bought do not bind. However the No. 4 screw thread outer diameter is 2.8mm which is exactly what I measured on mine and that seems low for an M3.

In the meantime, I bought some M3 Philips cheese head screws, and using a drill to spin the screw against a grinding wheel I ground down the head diameter to around 4.5mm to fit in the bridge recess. I did this on two screws and they thread in perfectly to two different saddles.

So I think all this verifies my particular bridge was built for M3 (and maybe 2.8mm counts as M3 at the low end of tolerances?) and that maybe the factory in Korea was mixing in some local parts by 2006? It was a 3rd party factory right...not a G&L run factory? I am strong believer that off-shore manufacturing can be very good quality (after all I own 2 off-shore G&L's and love them both!) but my belief does NOT include Asian screws. I find myself cursing them too often: soft heads, drivers don't fit quite right, etc.

Re posting pictures, thanks for your help. I had resized the image in Imgur to well below the posting size limits on this board and had followed exactly the instructions in the tutorial, but I couldn't get it to work. I'll try again from scratch next time I need to post something.

OUTCOME: After all this, I can only guess that IF the G&L store found a way to sell me some screws without the saddles, that they would NOT fit my particular bridge saddles (M3 vs. 4-40). I will have to machine another 4 custom screws for myself, and that's OK. It's fun problem solving and having it work.

Cheers,
Jim

[Jiminvan]

HunGLish: I posted before I saw your post...that's exactly what I did! Great minds think alike!

Thanks,
Jim

[Craig]

As mentioned earlier, the bridge screws should be SAE screws because the bridge was built before 2011 (build year of the Tribute ASAT is 2006).

Here are the size for the intonation screws for a SLB built in 2006 (or earlier):

The intonation screws used on the G&L Saddle-Lock bridge built in 2006 are typically 4-40 x 3/4" (0.75 inch) Phillips head screws.
This size is standard for ensuring proper fit and accurate intonation adjustments. [Reference information: from ChatGPT]

Jim, do these numbers match your numbers (metric)?

I checked with a G&L contact who was involved with the Tribute Series from 2003 though the change to the Indonesia manufacturing facility about the DFV and SLB
bridges which were built to G&L's specifications and asked if they were Metric or SAE. Here is his reply:

Hi Craig,

My understanding was that the hardware was metric. As far as I’m aware, the bridge manufacturer stayed the same when guitars switched to Indonesia.
I’m not 100% sure on all this but this is how I remember it.

Thanks,
Paul

So, that would explain why you found that the existing intonation screws are metric.

Hope this helps.

[Jiminvan]

Thanks Craig. Your effort and contacts are invaluable!!!