LP Saddle notches are too wide - source of nasty noises and loss of tone?

SunDevil

I have a 20yr old LP Custom with a buzzy 3rd string and I'm pretty sure the cause the the overly-wide notch on the saddle

I suspect the guitar may have been fitted with some fairly chunky strings in it's life - all the notches for the unwound strings seem like they were cut for 12-13s

So which way should I go on this?

..is it easy to swap out the saddles on a wired ABR? ..should I get pre-notched saddles if I'm going this way?  (I have nut files)
..is this a fools errand (I specialise in these) - if I can only hear it acoustically, should I leave it alone?

jdgm

Are you sure it's not the screw retaining wire? That's been the source for me, more than once.

SunDevil

@jdgm - I wouldn’t rule it out ..it’s certainly a little proud of the bridge and has potential to be the cause?

 ..any definitive way to tell or way to prevent it from buzzing?

SunDevil

So I just tried an experiment based on some tips from our America cousins on TGP - lifted the string out of the notch and rested it at pitch on the flat saddle surface and ..noise gone!

So I don’t think it’s the spring in this instance, but if I go down the new bridge route, I’d get one without

But back to saddles - easy to swap on an ABR with a retaining spring and should I get pre-slotted or cut my own where the strings line up?

WezV

Are the current string slots centred on the saddles?

If so you can get pre-cut.  If not, go for the unslotted ones.

if you have nut files the world is your lobster.  Choose the saddles you want

SunDevil

Cheers @WezV - they are centred

streethawk

Option:
I've got one Faber abr bridge left in stock at £22 delivered. (£38 rrp)
No wire, centre slotted saddles. 

SunDevil

@streethawk  - is it Gold?

streethawk

SunDevil said:

@streethawk  - is it Gold?

Oops, sorry no.
Only gold Faber stuff I have left are tailpiece studs (locking and non locking) and some abr studs and thumbwheels. 

SunDevil

No probs - any lightly aged (VOS level) nickel tailpiece studs by any chance ?