A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

Hey guys, it's been a bit since I've been on, but this is always my go to spot for good information. I just picked up an AD-3200MCC and have a couple of questions. This is my first experience with Graphtech really. I have a PRS with a graphite nut, but haven't needed to mess with it. This guitar came pretty well set up and intonated correctly. I cut the nut slots a bit deeper and rolled the fretboard edges a bit, but that's really all it needed. My issue seems to be at the bridge. My go-to is a nickel finished Gotoh Tune-o-matic that I put on any import with a cheap bridge, coupled with a bone nut, it's a big win and proven combo for me. That said, the Graphtech bridge with the string saver saddles appears to be very high quality and constructed like the Gotoh, with the captured adjustment screws. There is absolutely no play in the saddles that I can tell. A few of the strings just feel a bit buzzy or jangly, if that makes sense. I'm being a little nitpicky I know, since it's not really a rattle, and you can't hear it through the amp, but when doing my setup, it's still there. I'm also noticing that my older Agiles with the Gotoh and bone nut combo seem to ring out a bit more unplugged. What are your thoughts on these nuts and bridges? Right now I'm leaving them and giving them a shot, as they both seem high quality, but the jury is still out for me.

Thanks in advance.

I imagine the topic will be a bit different for each of us. I like the bridge and nut on my AD-3200MCC as it came new, no intention of changing either unless I replace the stoptail with a trem. If I did that, the bridge might need to change, perhaps to a roller bridge. Other than that, the AD-3200MCC is one of my favorite stock guitars.

Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the guitar. It was perfectly fine, right out of the case. Honestly, it's maybe one of the nicest stock guitars I've had. It is right there with my PRS Zach Myers quality wise, and I'm pretty sure they both came from the same place. At this point, I'm just tweaking to make it as perfect as it can be. It's nice enough to justify a little pampering. I'll take some pics when i get a chance, but it's the tobacco burst plain top model and so far I have found one tiny dark spot in the binding and that is it, and that is being very nitpicky if i'm being honest.

uglyvw wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 11:22 am Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the guitar. It was perfectly fine, right out of the case. Honestly, it's maybe one of the nicest stock guitars I've had. It is right there with my PRS Zach Myers quality wise, and I'm pretty sure they both came from the same place. At this point, I'm just tweaking to make it as perfect as it can be. It's nice enough to justify a little pampering. I'll take some pics when i get a chance, but it's the tobacco burst plain top model and so far I have found one tiny dark spot in the binding and that is it, and that is being very nitpicky if i'm being honest.

Can´t wait for the pic(s), and yes, you've been absent for a while. Glad to have you back!

Good to hear from you again, @uglyvw!

Graph Tech products are of high quality, especially their Tusq XL, IMHO. That said, nothing is perfect and when it comes to saddles and nuts, replacing both on a ToM bridge is not as easy as it sounds.

Make sure the nut is sitting in its groove correctly. If it is, place a smidgen of Elmer's white glue in the slot and along the interface of the fretboard. Press in the nut (you can string immediately)

Start with fresh strings. For LP style guitars, wind the string ABOVE the tuner hole by ensuring the tail end of the string is always under the string as you tighten. Stretch them to settle them. Ensure you are supporting under the guitar at the nut (to avoid the headstock breaking), then using a Phillips-head screwdriver shaft across all the strings just forward of the bridge-side nut, press down a few times. This will help ensure the strings are lying flat in the nut. Some of the symptoms you stated are because the headstock angle has the strings wanting to continue that angle in the nut, when you want the last place that string to be touching is the bridge end of the nut.

Then, check the original saddle height to the height of the Graph Tech saddles. Same with the nut height of the string grooves of the original to the new. A slight difference could create string pinging, buzz, etc. Adjust bridge height as requires. Also check that the bottom of the saddles are touching all surfaces as the original saddles were. If they are 'floating, or have a lot of gaps - that could be causing buzzing, pinging and sustain problems.

Using a fret dressing file (or mask-off your 1st fret), then run the file across the edge of the nut which faces the bridge, then remove any burrs in the string slots with a slot file or small triangular file. No need to be aggressive, just a few sweeps. I often use a magnifying glass to visually inspect for burs and how the strings are leaving the nut slot and saddles, unimpeded.

Repeat burr removal for the saddles.

Pressing on the 3rd fret 6th string, you should have a 0.5mm clearance over the 1st fret and same test on the 1st, a 0.5mm to 0.2mm clearance. Given that you have no high frets (test with a straight edge and a fret rocker), for an AL series Agile your string height directly over the 12th fret should be 1.6mm or higher on the 6th string and 1.4mm or higher over the 1st.

If you are still hearing the artifacts, check the retainer clip (if your bridge has one), ensure all the saddle grub screws are supporting the saddle fairly equally, check to ensure the intonation screw heads are seated and flush, and that the springs are rattling.

That pretty much exhausts what I know about rattles and pings involving nuts and bridges.

☝⬆ Valuable free lesson here!

andrewsrea, thanks for the detailed response. I think nuts and bridges are a required skill if you're going to mess around with budget guitars. I have fitted and slotted quite a few bridges and nuts, and I'm glad to see that your methods and processes are about the same. That tells me that i'm on the right track. As I stated originally, it really is me being a little on the nitpicky side, since it really isn't a rattle, just a bit of a buzz that I can hear when it's unplugged. I've pretty much got it narrowed down to where the strings go over the saddles and not the saddles sitting in the bridge. The bridge seems very high quality by the way.

Here a few required pics.

uglyvw wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 1:21 pm
Here a few required pics.

20241230_114134.jpg
20241230_114347.jpg
20241230_114223.jpg

Oh God, how I LOVE that guitar in that color...

Enjoy it, man! Thanks for the pics!

PS: I admit that I'd have a hard time if I had to choose between an AD3200 and an AL3200 of that same finish, though...

uglyvw wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 1:21 pm
Here a few required pics.

I love that DC! I can see why you want it tip-top!

andrewsrea wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 4:16 pm

uglyvw wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 1:21 pm
Here a few required pics.

I love that DC! I can see why you want it tip-top!

Thanks, it really is a great guitar. It still amazes me at the level that comes out of the Korean plant, and with all the high end hardware to boot. I even like the pickups that are in it. I may take your approach and go back to the bridge with more magnification and really polish out the saddle slots and slap a new set of strings on it. It's great now, anything else will just be icing on the top.

sabasgr68 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 3:00 pm

uglyvw wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 1:21 pm
Here a few required pics.

20241230_114134.jpg
20241230_114347.jpg
20241230_114223.jpg

Oh God, how I LOVE that guitar in that color...

Enjoy it, man! Thanks for the pics!

PS: I admit that I'd have a hard time if I had to choose between an AD3200 and an AL3200 of that same finish, though...

Thanks, it really is an amazing instrument. I have several figured top single cuts around, so for me, a plain top, double cut, with a nice burst hit the sweet spot. The top is very subtle, but when the light hits right, you can see that maple top is still book matched, even though it isn't figured, nice touch.