Bridge setup question.

[MJ67]

Hello, I am a first time G&L owner. (Blonde Legacy)
After letting it settle in for a couple weeks (mail order) I decided to do some setup work on it today.
I looked through the boards here and had a couple questions RE: the setup specs found here:
http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3371

My bridge was set way low compared to this (almost flush)
I raised it up to where it matches the photo (showing the black felt)
Now, please bear with me here, like I said earlier, this is my first G&L.
Should I have 2/16" between the body and the bridge at the 2 large posts also (measured right besides them both as I can just fit a 6' ruler in there)
I also read somewhere on this forum that I shouldn't need to adjust the 2 posts if they weren't adjusted since it left the factory. (as I said earlier, this was almost flush, certainly couldn't see the black felt)
Also, what is a "Legacy DFS bridge" as shown on the photo at the above link.
I take it I have a DF?
"The G&L DF and DFS bridge set up should be about 2/16" from the body to the bottom of the bridge"
I should also note that my saddles are now lower and appear to match more closely that of the height on the photo. (Low E saddle)
Please advise & Thanks!

[KenC]

Congrats on the new Legacy. "DFV" stands for Dual Fulcrum Vibrato. I'm not sure why it was typed "DFS" in the post you linked to, although that term is used a lot around here too. The DFV has always been standard on Legacies. Currently the only other option for a vibrato is a Bigsby.

Your best bet with a setup is to follow the factory instructions. They are the same for all G&L guitars, and can be found in the Gallery section of this website. The design of the DFV hasn't changed since Leo drew it up. You can find the setup instructions in the 1980 documents in the Gallery.

It's going to be more important to have the bridge parallel to the body, than to have it at a specific height. If it's a bit low, you can just raise the saddles if needed to set the action.

Ken

[MJ67]

Thanks for the reply Ken.
I did look through those manuals and only saw the recommended height for the rear of the bridge & the individual saddles. (not the raising of the entire bridge at the 2 large poles)
From the link it appears that the DF & DFS are 2 different bridges?
My Owners spec sheet says I have the DF Vibrato Bridge.
I just hope I haven't adjusted something I shouldn't have and if I have then I need to know how high these 2 posts should be.

[MJ67]

Hmmmm, these are 2 different bridges.
http://www.glguitars.com/features/DF-vibrato.asp

[Philby]

Your best bet with a setup is to follow the factory instructions. They are the same for all G&L guitars, and can be found in the Gallery section of this website. The design of the DFV hasn't changed since Leo drew it up. You can find the setup instructions in the 1980 documents in the Gallery.

It's going to be more important to have the bridge parallel to the body, than to have it at a specific height. If it's a bit low, you can just raise the saddles if needed to set the action.

Ken

I think Ken is half right. While the actual DFV bridge design hasn't changed, the necks in newer Legacies tend to sit lower in the body than old ones (I'm comparing my 2000's model to my '94). As a result the bridge has to be higher off the body on the old ones to make the correct playing angle with the neck. The bridges on the new ones sit lower, but still float parallel to the body. There's a thread on this somewhere - it threw me for a while when I tried to set up the DFV on my newer Legacy using the original instructions from the '80's. It wouldn't work.

I'd also recommend using the bridge posts to get the right general height. If you make the saddles taller to get the right height, the break angle of the strings over the saddles increases. This in turn makes the strings harder to bend. Louis mentioned it in one of his posts a while back and I didn't believe it at first. But after I raised the bridge posts slightly, and wound the saddles down, my Legacy played MUCH better and felt more supple. It was like going from 10's to 9's in string gauge.

[MJ67]

Thanks Philby, it is definately different from setting up a Modern day Fender so I am all confused.
You wouldn't know what I could throw in the search engine to find that thread you referenced?
Thanks.

[MJ67]

P.S. My Legacy is a brand new one (not used)
Dated 2/1/2013
So far I'm loving the 12" Radius as I've only been used to 9.5 for the last 29 years.

[Philby]

I didn't think I was dreaming - the link I was thinking of is here.

The bridges on older Legacies sit higher than in these photos, but they still float parallel to the body.

There was also a discussion and photos in one of the Lunch Reports if I recall about how the necks in the newer Legacies sit lower in the body. Can't find the link to that one though.

[louis cyfer]

Congrats on the new Legacy. "DFV" stands for Dual Fulcrum Vibrato. I'm not sure why it was typed "DFS" in the post you linked to, although that term is used a lot around here too. The DFV has always been standard on Legacies. Currently the only other option for a vibrato is a Bigsby.

Your best bet with a setup is to follow the factory instructions. They are the same for all G&L guitars, and can be found in the Gallery section of this website. The design of the DFV hasn't changed since Leo drew it up. You can find the setup instructions in the 1980 documents in the Gallery.

It's going to be more important to have the bridge parallel to the body, than to have it at a specific height. If it's a bit low, you can just raise the saddles if needed to set the action.

Ken

dfv is with chromed brass saddles and pot metal trem block, dfs is with steel saddles and steel tremblock. setup is identical.
dfv is the standard, dfs is an option at extra cost. the setup specs have changed on the newer df trems, 2/16"" from the body instead of 3/16".

mj, you have to excuse ken, he only has leo era guitars, he is not familiar with the newer ones. when it comes to leo era, he is one of the better sources here.

[MJ67]

Philby, that is the link I posted to in my original post.
That is where I got confused of a mention of 2 different bridges on the Legacy model.
You see how the ruler is up against the bridge?
Well, I wanted to know if the bridge right against the posts was to be 2/16" above the body as well or just the rear of it?
Very confusing if it isn't pointed out and those G & L manuals had me scratching my head as I am familiar with measurements such as 4/64 & 1/8 but there are .031 & .062 and the like which seems like a time when only feeler guages were around (now it is easy to buy 6 inch rulers/stewmac tools & radius guages)

I just hope I didn't do something wrong as I had to give those posts a good 2 turns and the felt is showing and I read after the fact that I shouldn't have to adjust the posts at all.

[louis cyfer]

Philby, that is the link I posted to in my original post.
That is where I got confused of a mention of 2 different bridges on the Legacy model.
You see how the ruler is up against the bridge?
Well, I wanted to know if the bridge right against the posts was to be 2/16" above the body as well or just the rear of it?
Very confusing if it isn't pointed out and those G & L manuals had me scratching my head as I am familiar with measurements such as 4/64 & 1/8 but there are .031 & .062 and the like which seems like a time when only feeler guages were around (now it is easy to buy 6 inch rulers/stewmac tools & radius guages)

I just hope I didn't do something wrong as I had to give those posts a good 2 turns and the felt is showing and I read after the fact that I shouldn't have to adjust the posts at all.

it''s 2/16" and parallel to the body, therefore 2/16 front and back. that is from the bottom of the trem plate to the body. but since it is parallel, you only have to measure in one place. you do adjust that height with the 2 posts. .031 is a 1/32, .062 is 1/16.
where did you read that you don't adjust the posts?
i would recommend that you take it to a good tech, because if this having you scratch your head, it is probably beyond your skills. ask the tech that you can watch the setup, and learn how to do it right.

[MJ67]

"where did you read that you don't adjust the posts?"

2nd post in, by Craig
http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6551

[louis cyfer]

"where did you read that you don't adjust the posts?"

2nd post in, by Craig
http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6551

he is saying that you shouldn't have to as the factory should have done it, but if the height is not right, you need to.

[MJ67]

Yeah, like I said, the bridge was closer to being flush to the body than the suggested height.
Looks like I'm in the ballpark as the entire bridge is now @ 2/16"
I was just wondering if the felt washers should be seen but the photo of the setup appears to look like mine now but photos can be deceiving.