Loose saddle screws ?

[Ljislinlk]

I've got a 2024 Fullerton Deluxe ASAT with the 6 brass saddle bridge. On the high E saddle the bottom screw will back off & saddle drops enough where the side of it is leaning against the bridge & obviously goes way out tune & the sting is very loose. 1st time it happened I just figured it wasn't in contact with the plate and it just backed off. So I tightened it up to where it had very solid contact on bridge plate. Since than it's come loose 2 more times & I'm wondering what's going on & is this an anomaly or kinda normal & there's a fix for it ? This is my 1st G&L & have no experience with them or 6 saddle brass bridge.
Thanks

[HunGLish]

Do you mean that the two silver colored caterpillar screws in the high-E saddle turns itself anti-clockwise and the saddle gets lowered by itself?

[Ljislinlk]

Do you mean that the two silver colored caterpillar screws in the high-E saddle turns itself anti-clockwise and the saddle gets lowered by itself?

Yes that is exactly what is happening. I called Sweetwater to see what they recommend & sales guy was just apply some Lock-tite to the threads, not something I want to do on 1.7K brand new guitar. I talked to there service dept. and they said "send it back" I'm like what, you want me send the saddle back or ? His response was "no the whole guitar & we'll send you new one it would a lot faster than trying to get a new part" I'm not sure I want to do that either, seems kinda silly to send back the guitar for such a small problem.

[Craig]

Do you mean that the two silver colored caterpillar screws in the high-E saddle turns itself anti-clockwise and the saddle gets lowered by itself?

Yes that is exactly what is happening. I called Sweetwater to see what they recommend & sales guy was just apply some Lock-tite to the threads, not something I want to do on 1.7K brand new guitar. I talked to there service dept. and they said "send it back" I'm like what, you want me send the saddle back or ? His response was "no the whole guitar & we'll send you new one it would a lot faster than trying to get a new part" I'm not sure I want to do that either, seems kinda silly to send back the guitar for such a small problem.

I forwarded your post to Memo Romero (G&L Service Manager) to ask him what can be done to fix this. I will post his reply as soon as I get it.

BTW, the suggestion about using LocTite is a good one, as long as you use this specific type: LOCTITE® THREADLOCKER BLUE 242®
Designed for the locking and sealing of threaded fasteners which require normal disassembly with standard hand tools. You might consider trying it,
as it may be the quickest solution.

Hope this helps.

[Ljislinlk]

Do you mean that the two silver colored caterpillar screws in the high-E saddle turns itself anti-clockwise and the saddle gets lowered by itself?

Yes that is exactly what is happening. I called Sweetwater to see what they recommend & sales guy was just apply some Lock-tite to the threads, not something I want to do on 1.7K brand new guitar. I talked to there service dept. and they said "send it back" I'm like what, you want me send the saddle back or ? His response was "no the whole guitar & we'll send you new one it would a lot faster than trying to get a new part" I'm not sure I want to do that either, seems kinda silly to send back the guitar for such a small problem.

I forwarded your post to Memo Romero (G&L Service Manager) to ask him what can be done to fix this. I will post his reply as soon as I get it.

BTW, the suggestion about using LocTite is a good one, as long as you use this specific type: LOCTITE® THREADLOCKER BLUE 242®
Designed for the locking and sealing of threaded fasteners which require normal disassembly with standard hand tools. You might consider trying it,
as it may be the quickest solution.

Hope this helps.

Wow, it helps ! And thanks so much for forwarding the info. to G&L, it never occurred to me about contacting G&L.

[HunGLish]

I would also recommend the threadlocker. Just a tiny bit from a low strength type.

[DanDoulogos]

Brass sounds nice, but it is a soft metal

Which is to say, the tolerances are less precise with brass. It is not impossible that the original tap that threaded the saddle wasn't bored to spec because the tap dug in a bit further than it should have.

But seriously - I'd just ask for another brass saddle or two rather than a new guitar or a new bridge. They cost very little, and install quite easily. It isn't like the guitar was poorly made or anything - it just as a single flawed saddle - likely because of either a flaw in the piece of brass they used to make that saddle, or the tolerance of the bore that tapped the threads - drilling down a fraction of a second longer than it should have - causing a slightly larger/uneven threaded hole.

All of that is to say that is what Lock Tight is good - filling in the gaps that would cause the screw to loosen. I'd try that and if it works, great! if it works for a little while, but stops working - then you probably want a new saddle.

That's my two cents at least.