A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

I never can seem to find my Loctite when I need it. And for that reason, I don't play my Warren Ellis 6 as much as I'd like. It has sins. It lacks a trem and has a slightly crampy 23" scale length. And there's that saddle screw issue. But it has amazing tone that I sometimes crave. Let's talk about the saddle screws, because that's really the topic here. They just don't have close enough tolerance to stay where I put them. So three songs in, it goes out of tune with a saddle trying to flip over because one of its screws wiggled completely loose. Usually, that's a job for Loctite blue. But I never can find mine. Today I was working on a piece and was interrupted by the high E going rogue, and I decided "Screw it, today's the day". I didn't know where the Loctite was, so I grabbed an alternative... A bottle of fingernail polish. I gave each of these screws a light dab. I figured if I want to remove it, that's what fingernail polish remover is for. I gotta say so far fingernail polish is working.

So grab your wife's/girlfriend's/sister's/mom's/your (I'm not judging) fingernail polish and just use it sparingly enough it can be undone and doesn't get messy.

Do you have them set for any certain radius? I have tapped out saddles before and bought stainless hex screws, though if i remember the metric size is bigger than 4/40 standard size. 5/40 would be your next size up, same size as a gibson humbucker adj screw. Even if you use the permanent color loctite, (blue?) placing a solder iron tip on them will loosen the loctite, tells you right on the package use heat to remove.

mozz wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 8:03 pm Do you have them set for any certain radius?

I'm not religious about matching the fretboard radius with the saddles. I just play while playing close attention to each string all over the neck to get it to feel and play best without any unwanted buzz. Then I want them to stay exactly where I left them, hence the consternation with these cheap screws.

mozz wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 8:03 pm I have tapped out saddles before and bought stainless hex screws, though if i remember the metric size is bigger than 4/40 standard size. 5/40 would be your next size up, same size as a gibson humbucker adj screw.

I have a tap and die set I use a little, but have never tried it on saddles. If it comes down to that, it's a good thought to keep in mind, thanks.

mozz wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 8:03 pm Even if you use the permanent color loctite, (blue?) placing a solder iron tip on them will loosen the loctite, tells you right on the package use heat to remove.

I thought the blue was more temporary locking, but either way, it's all good. I just lose the bottles over time, and only see them when I'm not looking for them. I could buy a couple just for the workbench, but that'd require thinking ahead.

Yeah, i always get the blue and the red mixed up. I use rubbing alcohol to clean any threads first, once that dries, then the loctite. That being said, i do use clear nail polish probably more than loctite. Some Aliexpress saddles aren't too bad, usually metric though. Being ocd as i am, i also look at the bottom of the screw and usually hit them with a sander or file to make sure its really flat and gets best contact.

I would think flat bottoms are essential. More surface, then is has more friction. A small high spot will just act as a pivot point under a vibration situation. Clear nail polish works well to lock screws in place as you have discovered.