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all the way down on the transducer.
• The saddle is too short.
• There is debris in the saddle slot.
• The angle of some of the strings behind the saddle is too
low or too high.
• The top of the guitar is bent.
• The pickup is not installed all the way to the end of the
saddle slot.
• If the material of the saddle is bone.
Bone is a natural material and the density and grain may not be
consistent. This may cause inconsistencies in the way the sound
is distributed making some strings louder or softer than others.
We highly recommend a manmade material for the saddle.
11.6 If the balance problem does not disappear on its
own, do the following:
• Check there is no debris or paint in the saddle slot.
• Check saddle that it is not too loose or tight in its slot. If it is
too loose the saddle can tilt when the strings are tightened.
The tilt will bring the bottom of the saddle off the pickup cau-
sing balance problems. If it is too tight it could be possible the
saddle is not going all the way down on the pickup making a
bad connection and causing balance problems.
• Check the bottoms of both the saddle slot and saddle. They
Check the bottoms of both the saddle slot and saddle. They
should be flat and straight. If all things mentioned above are
correct, and there still is a balance problem, try the following
simple modification:
SADDLE EDGE MODIFICATION-
WHEN THERE IS STRING BALANCE AND SIGNAL
OUTPUT PROBLEMS DO THIS MODIFICATION TO THE
SADDLE.
USING SANDPAPER OR FILE, SHAPE BOTTOm EDGES AT
LENGTH OF THE SADDLE TO LOOK LIKE THIS.
NO mORE THAN 0,5 mm SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY.
THAN 0,5 mm SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY.
mm SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY.
11.7 Other notable causes for balance problems
• Check string angles behind the saddle. They should be about
the same behind every string. If the angle is too low, the string will
not put enough pressure on the transducer and that may cause
balance problems - usually higher output from the corresponding
string. To deepen the angle, you can, for example, file a wedge-
shaped groove on the bridge pinhole so that the string will have
deeper angle behind the saddle
• With some instruments the outer most strings are too close to
the edge of the saddle, causing balance problems to these strings.
It may happen that the E string at the end of the UST does not
come as loud as other strings. In this case, make another, shallow
hole (not all the way through) at that end of the saddle cavity
and move the pickup so the tip of the UST goes in the hole. If
nothing else helps, you should machine the saddle slot longer
and use a new longer saddle.
• Balance problems may also occur with some string sets, for
example with classical guitars the G-string may cause problems.
• Another somewhat common cause for balance problems is the
movement of the guitar top as it “lives” and moves especially
during transport or by change of season when the humidity chan-
ges. Because of this the bottom of the saddle slot could become
arched, not straight, as the top becomes more or less arched. By
making the saddle flexible this problem can be avoided.
String
Saddle
(side view)
Bridge
(side view)
