Saddle Lock bridge question

[KenS]

Greetings,
I have a 1993 ASAT and have a question about the bridge. The grub screw which holds the saddles close together is a 2mm screws However - since this is a 93, I was expecting it to be a 5/64" screw. So there appears to be an anomaly. The bridge assembly is crinkle coat black and appears to be of similar age as the control plate. It does not look new. So, the following explanations occur to me:

1. The bridge was replaced after 2005 and has the metric screws. The problem with that theory is that the saddle screws appear to be .05" - the older standard.

2. The bridge is original and someone replaced the grub screw with a metric one. That would presume that the metric and the standard screws are interchangeable. Of course if that were the case, why would G&L sell both sizes?

3. The bridge was replaced but the older saddles were used.

Speaking of bridge replacement - do the replacement saddle lock bridges require any drilling or alteration to fit a 1993 guitar or do they fit the same as the originals?

Given that the bridge is the old style crinkle coat black, I assume that it must be a USA bridge whether original or not. Correct?

Thanks
Ken

[Les Paul lover]

On the new bridges, the saddle lock screw is an M4 grub screw, 3mm long.

The diameter of the M4 grub screw is just under 4mm. So quite a bit larger than the screw you measured.


By the way, 5/64 of an inch is essentially 2mm.

[KenS]

Well I took a measurement this afternoon - the width of the "saddle area" of the bridge is 2.561" which is consistent with the G&L store's statement about replacement saddles not fitting the older bridges. They mention a crinkle finish bridge with a 2.56" gap - pretty much what I have. So I'm reasonably certain I have the original.

Thanks
Ken

[Craig]

On the new bridges, the saddle lock screw is an M4 grub screw, 3mm long.

The diameter of the M4 grub screw is just under 4mm. So quite a bit larger than the screw you measured.


By the way, 5/64 of an inch is essentially 2mm.

KenS is referring to the allen wrench size used for the screw not the screw size. See: Can you tell me which allen wrenches I need for my G&L?.

Greetings,
I have a 1993 ASAT and have a question about the bridge. The grub screw which holds the saddles close together is a 2mm screws However - since this is a 93, I was expecting it to be a 5/64" screw. So there appears to be an anomaly. The bridge assembly is crinkle coat black and appears to be of similar age as the control plate. It does not look new. So, the following explanations occur to me:

1. The bridge was replaced after 2005 and has the metric screws. The problem with that theory is that the saddle screws appear to be .05" - the older standard.

2. The bridge is original and someone replaced the grub screw with a metric one. That would presume that the metric and the standard screws are interchangeable. Of course if that were the case, why would G&L sell both sizes?

3. The bridge was replaced but the older saddles were used.

Speaking of bridge replacement - do the replacement saddle lock bridges require any drilling or alteration to fit a 1993 guitar or do they fit the same as the originals?

Given that the bridge is the old style crinkle coat black, I assume that it must be a USA bridge whether original or not. Correct?

Thanks
Ken

The US set screw has a different thread pattern from the Tribute's metric screw thread pattern. So, it is not likely that the set screw in your ASAT has a metric screw, unless a previous owner
forced a metric screw into the threaded hole, which will likely damage or re-tap the existing threads. I found that my supply of US set screws would not accept the 2mm allen wrench but,
as expected, the 5/64" allen wrench fits perfectly.

Regarding bridge replacement: the chrome bridge available from the G&L On-Line Store does not required any drilling or alteration.

The black crinkle coated bridge is likely the original. However, it is possible that a Tribute Series Superhawk Jerry Cantrell Signature model bridge could have been used as a replacement,
with the original saddles installed. The Tribute Series saddles are black colored and from KenS's photos in a previous post, the saddles are the stock Zinc-alloy saddles.

Hope this helps.

[KenS]

Thanks, Craig. I have some US screws coming from the G&L store, so hopefully they will fit. I agree that - especially given the measurements I took - the bridge is original and not a replacement.

Ken

[KenS]

well - sheepish look here. I tried the 5/64" again tonight and it worked this time. I guess the screw is a bit deformed - I'll put a new one in when they come in.

Thanks for the help again
Ken

[Les Paul lover]

There really isn't much difference between 5/64 and 2mm Allen key.

5/64 is 1.984375mm.

It's really nothing.