Quick question on s-500 setup

[yankee19]

Hello all,

I have an s-500 from the early 90s but it has a newer 12 inch radius neck. The action is similar to my strat and the string gage of 10 is the same, but the string tension appears to be a lot stiffer and harder to bend on my s-500. I was told it's the string angle from the saddle height. Does this sound right? It does seem that the saddles are higher than my strat so will lowering them help with regards to reducing string tension?

Thanks

[suave eddie]

Are the strings both the same brand and type? Strings of the same gauge but different composition can vary in tension.
Just a thought.

[Boogie Bill]

Before you adjust the saddles, I would suggest doing a complete setup, using the factory recommended procedure, and setting the guitar back to factory specs.

If you are not the original owner of the guitar, it's highly probable that the guitar has gotten out of kilter over the years. The Dual Fulcrum Vibrato bridge is SO different from any Fender bridge, and often techs set them up incorrectly. The relationships between neck angle, bridge plate height, and the height of the saddles must fit within a range for the bridge to function properly. Once you are within factory specs, you can make minor adjustments to the bridge to suit your playing style.

You can find the setup procedure in the GALLERY pages of this site.

And as Eddie said, string brand can make all the difference. I'm a big fan of the Fender Super Bullet strings on my guitars with the DFV, though I use the 9-42 set.

Good luck.

Bill

[KenC]

It does seem that the saddles are higher than my strat so will lowering them help with regards to reducing string tension?

In theory, yes, but in reality you should return to factory specs and then tweak as Bill advised. The higher the action, the more the string is pulled (i.e., put under tension) to reach the fret. Just lowering the saddle will most likely throw off the intonation, and could also lead to buzzing and fretting out at some points on the fingerboard. The factory setup procedure will keep all of the various factors (string length, string height, bridge angle to the body, and neck relief) in balance and minimize the chance of problems.

One bit of advice: Do not skip the step in the setup instructions about placing a wedge under the end of the bridge before getting started. Otherwise, finish damage will happen while you are removing the strings. The wedge will also be used later as a gauge for tensioning the bridge springs to get the right angle off the body. I use a wooden shim with a bit an old t-shirt wrapped around it, but two popsickle sticks stacked will also do the trick.

Ken