Cuatro bridge question

[Ian Pender]

I'm working on a Puerto Rican quatro for a customer, doing a refret and getting it all set up, and the bridge is baffling me. Instead of being slotted for a saddle, it's completely dished out in front of the tie block. It looks like a floating saddle of some sort is supposed to go in that area, but any such saddle would be far too tall to stay put, I might have assumed that the builder intended for the strings to just project out from the tie block, without a saddle, as I've seen on some older instruments, except the neck is angled back too far for that. What am I supposed to do with this thing, as far as getting some sort of saddle in there?

[Steve Bettesworth]

Have you tried stringing from the other direction so the strings go under the bridge then over the top? 

[Glen H]

From what looks like notches on the back side, I think you're on to something. A wood saddle I guess.

[Ian Pender]

I haven't, but that still wouldn't provide the proper clearance. The strings need to break a good 1/8" higher than the top of the block to clear the fretboard at all.

[Ned Knepp]

Judging from the discoloration I'd say it had a saddle. You say it won't stay in place?  Would it work with a saddle that is somewhat wider in base than might first be considered with a strip of fine grit sandpaper on the bottom of the?

[Ian Pender]

I tried a wide saddle, but not with sand paper. I'm down with the flu today, but when I get back into the shop (hopefully tomorrow) I think I'll try that in conjunction with wrapping the strings over the top of the tie block.

[Glen H]

Calculate the scale length. That should tell you where the saddle should lie, giving an idea of where it was originally.

[Ian Pender]

I did, and the result put the saddle pretty close to the tie block, resulting in a ridiculous break angle.

[Steve Bettesworth]

Possibly a daft question, but have you tried Google images?

[Brian Evans]

The GI search showed a lot of quatro's with more standard bridges, did not see one like yours.  If you take the strings off the back of the block and over a saddle, that will give a reasonable break angle, explain the wear grooves in the back of the bridge and let you place a saddle block in the shelf with the saddle near the front of the string block.

Brian