Mosrite Roller bridge problem

imagemaker5150
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Mosrite Roller bridge problem

Postby imagemaker5150 » Tue Nov 30, 2021 3:56 pm

I own an original 1966 Mosrite guitar with roller bridge problems. I have been unable to intonate this guitar because the roller saddles don't move properly in the bridge. When I try to move the saddle the adjusting screw just backs out, the saddle doesn't move. It's not rusted or stuck. I have completely disassembled the bridge and the problem seems to be that the screw holes are either too low or the height of the saddle is too tall. There is no clearance at all to allow the saddle to move. When I disassembled the bridge every screws threads were slightly crushed because of the problem. I have a dilemma as to how to proceed. I think the design is very poor to begin with and I'm reluctant to start drilling the holes out or filing the bottom of the roller saddles to make them work. Surely, this setup must work on most of the Mosrite guitars. I've never tried to adjust the intonation before because the saddles are binding and won't move. I would like to correct this problem and play the guitar again. (I haven't played it in about 50 years because my playing style now involves note bending and I have other guitars that work much better. If there are after market bridges that will fit and work more smoothly, please let me know. For sentimental reasons I'm trying to bring it out of storage and relive the glory of it's sound. If anyone has had this same problem I would appreciate your comments if you have found a solution. Thanks so much.

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Greg_L
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Re: Mosrite Roller bridge problem

Postby Greg_L » Wed Dec 01, 2021 7:34 am

imagemaker5150 wrote:I own an original 1966 Mosrite guitar with roller bridge problems. I have been unable to intonate this guitar because the roller saddles don't move properly in the bridge. When I try to move the saddle the adjusting screw just backs out, the saddle doesn't move. It's not rusted or stuck. I have completely disassembled the bridge and the problem seems to be that the screw holes are either too low or the height of the saddle is too tall. There is no clearance at all to allow the saddle to move. When I disassembled the bridge every screws threads were slightly crushed because of the problem. I have a dilemma as to how to proceed. I think the design is very poor to begin with and I'm reluctant to start drilling the holes out or filing the bottom of the roller saddles to make them work. Surely, this setup must work on most of the Mosrite guitars. I've never tried to adjust the intonation before because the saddles are binding and won't move. I would like to correct this problem and play the guitar again. (I haven't played it in about 50 years because my playing style now involves note bending and I have other guitars that work much better. If there are after market bridges that will fit and work more smoothly, please let me know. For sentimental reasons I'm trying to bring it out of storage and relive the glory of it's sound. If anyone has had this same problem I would appreciate your comments if you have found a solution. Thanks so much.


Buy a knockoff bridge off ebay and use the saddles out of the knockoff on your original bridge. I've done this myself. I have a 65 Mark I that had totally frozen rollers. I bought a replacement bridge and put the new roller saddles on the old bridge plate. Works perfectly.

You might have to flat-file the bottoms of the new saddles a few thousands of an inch, but that's just how it goes sometimes. It's easy. It's better to use and modify parts off a 20 dollar knockoff bridge than to permanently modify a Mosrite original.

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101Volts
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Re: Mosrite Roller bridge problem

Postby 101Volts » Wed Dec 01, 2021 4:53 pm

Whatever you do, I would advice away from enlarging the saddle's screw holes on the bridge. I did that to the stock bridge from my 66 (though it was the cheaper solid body model,) and now the screw slots are too big, and some screws kept moving to each strum. I never could fix it up right, after that. Maybe I just don't know how.

- Austin
1966 Ventures II (German Carved, B670.)
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.

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Re: Mosrite Roller bridge problem

Postby Dickey » Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:36 pm

Remember these guitars were made in the infancy days of electric guitars, and they were made by hand. So they weren't perfect, with the fit & finish of today's guitars, like Hallmark.
I'm trying to visualize your problem; can you post a pic?
I am looking at my '65 Mark I, and the holes in the bridge line up perfectly with the holes in the saddles.

imagemaker5150
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Re: Mosrite Roller bridge problem

Postby imagemaker5150 » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:16 pm

I decided to trust my gut and alter my bridge by filing the holes top to bottom to allow the adjusting screw to move in and out freely. As one person commented it probably hurt the value of the guitar, however, I don't plan to sell it. Also many years ago in my impetuous youth I removed the original resin finish or whatever it was made of and refinished to a natural wood state. Also the original Kluson tuners were later replace with Grover tuners so it is no longer completely original. Right now I'm more interested in making it a playable guitar that I can enjoy instead of maintaining a collector's item. I appreciate everyone's comments and wish all a very Merry Christmas !!

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101Volts
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Re: Mosrite Roller bridge problem

Postby 101Volts » Tue Dec 07, 2021 3:09 pm

imagemaker5150 wrote:I decided to trust my gut and alter my bridge by filing the holes top to bottom to allow the adjusting screw to move in and out freely. As one person commented it probably hurt the value of the guitar, however, I don't plan to sell it. Also many years ago in my impetuous youth I removed the original resin finish or whatever it was made of and refinished to a natural wood state. Also the original Kluson tuners were later replace with Grover tuners so it is no longer completely original. Right now I'm more interested in making it a playable guitar that I can enjoy instead of maintaining a collector's item. I appreciate everyone's comments and wish all a very Merry Christmas !!


Alrighty then. Yes, original doesn't always mean "the best." My original 1966 model's bridge was funny, the adjusting screws were cheap metal. It's a good idea to replace them with Stainless screws.

Also, you changed the slots in a far gentler way than I did. I, in my youthful silliness (I was 20 or 21 at the time) decided the best way to enlarge the holes was with a drill.

- Austin
1966 Ventures II (German Carved, B670.)
1970s "Not a Blues Bender" Bodies: 2.
1976 Brass Rail Deluxe #10.
2013 Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI.


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