How would i increase break angle on a pinless bridge?

[Hann]

I've read on ramping pin slots on pinned bridges...

my UST is suffering a tad of inbalance but the saddle height's low with a great action. Just that the break angle on the high e is a little flat..

any way to increase that for a pinless bridge without raising saddle height, thus action?

[FRANK]

fill and re drill? thats my guess with out a photo

[Greg Mirken]

The only way would be to redrill the string hole in a lower position. This involves plugging the original with a teeny dowel and using a really long drillbit to make a new hole. Not always practical.

[Hann]

yeah that's true.. hmm.. ok thanks guys =)

[Hann]

actually, are there other options to solve this problem?

i think most other factors check out.. saddle's flat.. not too tight in the slot etc etc..

[Frank Ford]

You can convert to a pin bridge. That's what we did back in the '70s to address the issue with those old Harmony Sovereigns. We'd level the area, drill through the bridge, and add a bridge plate overly to bring the string well downward. Of course you can also replace the bridge, or reset the neck. . .

[Greg Mirken]

Just the high E weak? Try adding a layer of thin superglue to the underside of the saddle under the string. Be sure it hardens fully before you put the saddle back in!

You say the saddle is flat, but the slot may not be...

[Hann]

hmm that'd raise the action eh?

I did put a shim under the saddle after that and it cured the imbalance problem but now action's a tad high.. i'm living with it until i find what's the best way..

so i'd think now i know the slot would be flat? haha

[Greg Mirken]

My point was not to lift the saddle up so as to increase the break angle. I'm talking about an extremely thin layer under the saddle, merely to increase contact with the E string. The effect on the action should be imperceptible.

[Grahame Myers]

If the imbalance dissapears with a shim under the saddle, why don't you just leave the shim in, and then sand down the saddle a tad to bring the action down to where you want it?
Sand the saddle on a glass or marble plate with sandpaper taped to it, and make sure to keep it square to the plate. The best way is to use a machinists square as a guide. Keep on trying out the height till you're reached the point where the action is where you want it.
Then string it up, and have fun :-)

[Hann]

was thinking if I sand it down then the break angle decreases again, which is what i primarily thought to be the issue of the imbalance and not the saddle seating properly

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I would use Greg Mirken trick too. Or I would saw almost all the height of the saddle between each string : that make the saddle more prone to follow the top's belly and tends to even the pressure on each string. I often use this technique and if it's not enough, I go for Greg Mirken trick. This does not change the string height enough to be relevant.

[Hann]

saw almost all the height of the saddle? don't understand.. =)

how does that work?