A question re fitting the Saddle-Lock bridge

[NickHorne]

I'd be very grateful for any advice on this:
How is a Saddle-Lock snugged-in to the wood at manufacture? Is it shimmed, or a tiny taper-fit on that bit that goes into the body, or glued, or...? Or can they just be screwed and unscrewed like a P-Bass, with no problem?
The reason that I ask, is that I want to fit a Hipshot B-bender to a Special.
Ideally, I have imagined that I would buy a new bridge, line it up very exactly and then carefully drill it for the new B-string path (similar to the WR model) in my drill press. And then just remove (that easy??) the original bridge from the Special and screw the new one on.
But something is telling me it may not be as simple as that. Maybe that would disturb some skilful and secret bond between bridge and wood, that should be left undisturbed. And so perhaps I should really be working out how to do a precision job of drilling the existing bridge in situ, without disturbing its fixing to the body.
Big thanks if anyone knows about this.

[Craig]

I'd be very grateful for any advice on this:
How is a Saddle-Lock snugged-in to the wood at manufacture? Is it shimmed, or a tiny taper-fit on that bit that goes into the body, or glued, or...? Or can they just be screwed and unscrewed like a P-Bass, with no problem?
The reason that I ask, is that I want to fit a Hipshot B-bender to a Special.
Ideally, I have imagined that I would buy a new bridge, line it up very exactly and then carefully drill it for the new B-string path (similar to the WR model) in my drill press. And then just remove (that easy??) the original bridge from the Special and screw the new one on.
But something is telling me it may not be as simple as that. Maybe that would disturb some skilful and secret bond between bridge and wood, that should be left undisturbed. And so perhaps I should really be working out how to do a precision job of drilling the existing bridge in situ, without disturbing its fixing to the body.
Big thanks if anyone knows about this.

You should be able to remove the Saddle-Lock bridge without a problem. They are not glued in nor shimmed at the factory. There are five mounting screws.
Just remember that the ground wire is underneath the bridge between the body and the bridge. Some people like to relocated this wire to one of the mounting screw holes
for positive contact.

Hope this helps.

[NickHorne]

Craig, I can't thank you enough.
That's a great relief, both to know that there's no vulnerable mystery and also to get back on a proper engineering path for the job with confidence.
I'll order a Saddle-Lock once they're back in stock at our great new store, and then make some best-practice progress.
I feel much better about this now, and I know I will feel better about my whole guitar when the job is done; thank you again, most sincerely.