Vigier Guitars

I have a new SL Master that I'm having a heck of a time intonating. If the bridge is floating, should it be leaning forward or back . . or level ? Can I lower it to the body and just raise the saddles ? I never trem upwards . .just down a little. Why did they not include some screw to make tiny incrimental saddle adjustments ?

Hi,   We set the bridge with about 1 1/2 step pull back on the trem, if you want to tighten the claw at the back and pull the trem so it sits on the body that is fine. I am not sure what you mean about the saddles as you can adjust the saddles back and forth (for intonation) as well as up and down (to change the action).

HI Ben,

What I mean is that there is no screw that moves the bridge forward or back in tiny increments, just the screw that holds it in place.

dankayaker wrote:HI Ben, What I mean is that there is no screw that moves the bridge forward or back in tiny increments, just the screw that holds it in place.

I am confused, the bridge or the actual saddle itself?

Ben,
I meant saddles.
I just spent two solid hours with a stobe tuner trying to get this thing intonated . . it's real close, but what a pain. I'm not a fan of this trem system.

You should be able to move the saddles back and forth, the Allen screws that holds them in place also let them move to change the intonation.

Yes I know that, I'm mearly questioning why no micro adjustment screw is used on these bridge saddles, having to continually slacken the string, loosen the top screw, move the saddle by hand (guessing how far) is just a bad design. I can intonate my other guitars in 5-10 minutes.

I'd like to make the trem on my SL master have as little play as possible. I'd like the bridge to be flush with the body and stay there.   Short of "blocking" it, how do you recommend I do so?  I was thinking of ordering and adding  two springs to bring the total to five; or  perhaps I can just screw in the spring retaining screws deeper, (or would that make a mess of things? )thanks

Hi there, tightening the 'claw' (spring tension) will help restrict the
movement of the trem, putting 5 springs on will also have an effect -
both feel different. I would say try both and see which you prefer.

If you really want your trem to be as 'fixed' as possible, tighten the claw and add more springs at the same time.

I remind you that the tremolo on the Excalibur Shawn Lane rest on the body, it is not floating, this is the way Shawn Lane wanted it.

A few weeks ago I gave my Excalibur Indus to Patrick Koopman, a well known dutch guitar tech, to let him intonate my guitar and adjust the nut for 0.010 gauge strings (Since I got the guitar second hand and the previous owner really messed it up). he advised my to let the trem rest on the body. After getting it back I could hardly believe it was the same guitar, the action was low as * and the intonation perfect. also the trem was more stable than ever, now it's actually very hard to detune the guitar:) I can really recomend resting the trem on the body as well!

It is a matter of taste, booth system works.