[dougiem]

G'day guys and girls,

I've got an Ashton Dualler, nothing flash I know, strung with Elixer lights atm. Problem i, the strings are cutting through the bridge towards the saddle, and have made some fair progress. Guitar is about a 6-8 months old. I'm thinking this could be due to inferior materials (sh*t quality bridge basically).

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and any suggestions about how to fix it. Cheers.

[dadfad]

First, I'm not sure if you have your terms reversed. The bridge is the larger (usually wooden) part that is glued onto the top of the guitar. The saddle is the smaller thinner usually white plastic or bone strip that fits into the groove on the bridge.

If you have your terms right and that you mean the strings in the string holes are actually cutting grooves through the bridge (and guitar-top) toward the neck. That shouldn't happen (of course). Unless when you are stringing your guitar you pull the stings through (in effect "sawing" the wood with the string-windings) it's definately a material quality issue. You can replace the bridge, if the guitar is worth that expense (not great, but not cheap either. A decent pre-cut bridge might cost fifteen to twenty dollars US, but there's work involved un-gluing the old one and re-gluing the new one on in the right spot with the proper glues, etc.). They also make inserts that go through the string-holes. Almost like little hollow bolts for the strings to fit through. They are usually called "bridge-bolts" and a luthier-supply shop like stewmac.com sells them for about ten dollars US per set. That might work for you.

If it is the saddle that the string is wearing through, it's definately an inferior quality saddle. Reasonably good ones rarely wear out. They are fairly inexpensive to replace. There's a degree of skill required in re-carving a new one to match, at the correct height and spacing, etc. You might try it yourself. A blank is only a couple of dollars. And if you have a problem, just have it done at a shop. It's not very expensive (Don't let them convince you that you need an expensive ivory or bone saddle. A good plastic or Micarta saddle is fine for a guitar of that range with no noticeable difference in sound or tone.)

A saddle can also be "shimmed" which means raised slightly by putting a strip of thin dense material underneath it in the saddle-slot of the bridge. I have an old post somewhere on shimming saddles. I'll try to find it and copy it below.

CODE

...Take a tin can top and a pair of sharp scissors or tin-snips. Cut out a strip a little shorter and a bit narrower (appx 1/8 inch) than your saddle. This will probably curl up as you cut it. Straighten it out (tap it with a hammer on a block of wood, etc). Be careful this is sharp!. Loosen or remove your strings. Remove the saddle from the bridge. Put the little strip under it (if it's too wide, don't force it or try to trim it narrower, just make it over again. Much easier.) Replace the saddle and strings. They will be about 10/1000 higher. Thin brass works best but most people don't have that laying around. A tin can won't have a noticeable difference from brass, but whatever you use, it should be made of metal to transfer the vibrations back into the wood properly. Good luck.

[dougiem]

cheers dadfad, knew you'd have the answer. it's the bridge that's the issue, and i've had no dramas re-stringing other guitars. looks like i might get myself a new bridge as an early birthday present...