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cosmicray930
 Expert Boarder
Posts: 158 
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On the saddle pieces of Gibson tune-o-matic bridges, are there supposed to be grooves for the strings to rest on? My Explorer came with just flat surfaces on the saddles. They are starting to wear small grooves, but they tend not to center in the saddle unless I force the strings to that position. Should I just file some small grooves to force the strings in position?
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MYLOVE_795
 Expert Boarder
Posts: 151
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As stock, there may not be grooves. They aren't a bad idea to add since the strings will tend to skate across the saddles, as you notice. Note that on some versions of the TOM bridges, the metal is quite soft and they seem to be relying on the plating for hardness.
HTH
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LindaGarrette
Expert Boarder
Posts: 137
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They should have small notches. Gibson fit the bridges and string up the guitar. They space the strings evenly across the bridge (this may or may not be in the centres of the saddles) then tap the string where it passes over the saddle with a hammer, making a small intentation.
If you are doing this yourself, don't worry about the strings being in the centre of the saddles, concentrate on them running straight down the fretboard and being evenly spaced.
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imported_Adrian
 Expert Boarder
Posts: 143
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It's a great opportunity to allign your strings with a slight indentation. I often find that the small E string is too close to the edge of the neck, so it can slip over when I use heavy vibrato. I prefer to move it up a bit, then align all the rest from that point.
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fidofido
 Gold Boarder
Posts: 174
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If you force them into position, do they stay put? If so, I wouldn't worry about it. My gibson uses a lea quan bridge, and it's notches do not line up. I don't use them. I've been putting them into position, and they stay. I've never had one slip yet. So I'm gonna just let the natural wear, make the grooves, instead of messing with it myself. Myself, if the strings don't slip, I wouldn't worry about it. If they do, I would file *very* slight notches. Just enough to keep the string in place, and no more. Mine never have slipped. And I'm often tuned a 1/2 down too...
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Chalz
Expert Boarder
Posts: 144
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...and make sure they're running over the pole-pieces of the pickups.
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