Strat Roller Saddles Are A Waste Of Money.

[@dennyps1]

Overall, I agree with your hypothesis in theory. It's a very small amount of travel we're talking about on a Strat style bridge. However, I just bought an inexpensive Strat type guitar with the bent steel saddles. This particular bridge/saddle arrangement has a non grooved area where the string travels across, so the string not only can move up and down as the trem bar is pulled up and pushed down (if floated) but the string will moved slightly horizontal as well. So, in this type of bridge, you have more than one force working against your guitar staying in tune during a typical dive or raise of the trem bar. I bought a set of these because I like the way they look and the fact that they have a focused area (the brass roller area) that the string will be constrained to stay in line horizontally. So, in this particular type of bridge, these would be an upgrade for possible tuning issues. I think an important issue your video didn't touch on is that in the case of setting up a nut, sometimes even 1 mm of travel in height can mean the difference between a buzz and not, if a slot is cut to deeply. The other point is that even placing your finger on a fret in the wrong place can influence the tone/tune of a note played. So we're talking really small increments here. In conclusion, by purchasing these "roller saddles," I don't really care if they roll or not, (that's a gimmick) but the fact that they constrain the string travel in a focused area versus the crappy bent saddles that came with this bridge, that allow the string to move around a bit to much. They are, in fact, an upgrade.

[@Guitarnivore]

I can agree with that.

[@timcastle165]

I totally agree! I don’t see it!! Now I have a Strat and I did have Graf tech string saver saddles and a Tusq nut installed and I should mention that my tremolo is set up to be floating and is parallel with the body of the guitar. I installed these items to “cut down the friction as it were” when pulling up or pushing down on the tremolo. Roller nuts or bridges I don’t think so. And if you break a string (any string) your tuning is gone anyway! Great video!! 🎸 And I just subscribed!

[@Guitarnivore]

Thanks for commenting. I'm all about a Graphtech nut and I understand the concept of their string savers too. Friction is the enemy.

[@lehmusic2675]

Oh I also use Dremel with buffing wheel get the saddles all smooth

[@Guitarnivore]

@@lehmusic2675 There ya go! I bet that makes it nice and slick.

[@jamescolvin575]

Tusq nut improved my tuning stability quite a bit. I'm looking at roller saddles presently. My take on them is a bit different. As you pointed out, the tech hasn't really changed since its introduction. Some would say if it's not broke don't fix it. On the other hand I feel like it's not a bad thing to explore new ways to make a better mouse trap. As long as a product doesn't detract from the sound quality or have inherent flaws built in, I say what's the harm? Not sure I would call roller saddles a scam. Just different.

[@Guitarnivore]

If something is marketed as doing something that it doesn't actually do, what do you call it?

[@jamescolvin575]

@@Guitarnivore Can you categorically say it does nothing? And if you do, where is the data? Not trying to be argumentative, but I've read and heard people say they do work. If they are advertised as minimizing string breakage, and you aren't breaking strings while using one, then how could you say it doesn't work with certainty?

[@Guitarnivore]

@@jamescolvin575 can anyone really see it work? Can anyone look at it as they use the tremolo, see the string roll across the wheel? Very likely, no. It's marketed to increase tuning stability, but as I showed, it's just not practical with tension and string length between the ball and wheel. As far as string breakage, is there "data"? No. Nobody is recording that--not even the manufacturers of this product. There is a plethora of data on the existence of Bigfoot and we all know that's B.S. As far as what people say and what you've heard, people are going to convince themselves that this works because they paid money for it. Snake oil.

[@officialWWM]

@@Guitarnivorewait, Bigfoot isn’t real?? 😳

[@daryldesjardins]

I'm sorry buddy ... I have two straps ( american ) and a tele and I just picked up a HSS Strat type... the tele came with roller saddles ... so I decided to change over the strats ... I can't tell you how happy that made me . Both in easier to tune ... no going sharp .. flat.. sharp .... flat .... when tuning ... it just goes to where you want it faster.... to staying in tune way way longer ... so I'm afraid I totally disagree with you,,, and I've proven it to myself with three guitars .... have a great day

[@Guitarnivore]

You haven't proven anything. You've only convinced yourself that these work. The American strats probably have really good nuts on them and that's where a lot of your tuning stability lies. But if you're happy with them, that's all that matters, I guess.

[@Synthedelic]

I think how sweaty your picking hand gets probably plays a determining factor for string breakage at the bridge. these saddles look apealling but I agree they most likely wont improve tuning stability.

[@Guitarnivore]

That's a great point about the sweat. I never thought about that.

[@Synthedelic]

@@Guitarnivore Sometimes my strings turn orange lol, thats when i know I really gotta Change em 😂

[@Guitarnivore]

@@Synthedelic 😆 Luckily, I've never had a problem with sweaty hands.

[@deano572]

@@Synthedelic your strings turn orange?? What strings are you using or what are you eating? Mine just get dirty/dark stained. I do wipe with towel under strings on the regular. Pretty gross actually

[@Synthedelic]

@@deano572 they get black dirt and orange rust. i sweat a lot when i play. and ive heard some peoples sweat is more acidic than others. that could be why. also the brand of string could matter as well

[@justtakehotdog4416]

But i bought it because my strings breaks when tuning and i thought that roller bridge helps the strings not to break because it will roll why pulling the strings tight. What do you think?

[@Guitarnivore]

With tension on the rollers, I don't think they really roll, but I hope they help your string breakage issue.

[@justtakehotdog4416]

@@Guitarnivore thanks i should have watched your video before buying but still i have learned something new today

[@justtakehotdog4416]

@@Guitarnivore hi can i ask you about the roller trees are they functional? Thanks

[@Guitarnivore]

@@justtakehotdog4416 I honestly don't know, but I've used them before and they're a lot easier and cheaper to install than saddles. Your nut is where the string is going to find the most area and friction to get caught up on. In any case, your string is going to stretch more than it's ever going to move. That's why it's important to stretch new strings. Most of the time when you experience tuning instability, it's going to be from your nut and your tuning pegs. A good, well lubricated nut and properly wound and stretched string will help your guitar stay in tune most of the time.

[@Sammybeany]

I was really close to ordering the cool-looking Guyker saddles, but you talked me out of it. I had still been thinking in terms of the Tune-o-matic design where the bridge and tailpiece are separate. Good video, thanks!

[@herboffiresidestudio9053]

Well I bought some a while back for one of my Baretta Specials. I had skepticism when I bought them but did so anyway. Wasn’t a lot of money so I figured what the heck. I felt like the wheel would need to be well lubed in order to work properly. Side note I haven’t put them on.

[@deano572]

There’s always the Evertune bridge as an option for perfect tuning every time you pick up the guitar.

[@Guitarnivore]

I've heard nothing but great things about them!

[@BlackHole-power]

Nice point. Pro Legends Yngwie and Eric Clapton still use the "zinging" grooveless vintage bent steel saddles for their signature Stratocasters. So whatever you choose depends on your preference. For me, anything that removes friction will always be better.👍😉

[@jasongame6761]

If you could do a Sylosis “A sign of things to come” or Dying Fetus “Reign Supreme” tone tutorial for the BOSS mk2 I would forever be in your debt😅

[@lehmusic2675]

I don't even use roller bridges with Bigsby style trems. Never had tuning issues with nut cut right and some sauce

[@officialWWM]

I disagree. I think the Tele is by far the most modified guitar!

[@Guitarnivore]

That's a good possibility.

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

The only sure solution is to string up tune up and solder the strings to the saddles but you'll have to re-intonate the guitar.

[@iosifsimon]

Dude... Instead of talking... A demonstration would work better.

[@bluwng]

I disagree with the 10 degree, I can dive a strat until the strings go to mush and even more so on the Baretta, this is why I love thin blocks. Guitarist are easily brainwashed, big blocks have zero to do with tone and a big fing block will limit your travel. Just FYI, tone is a function of sound and electric guitars do not process sound they respond to disturbances in the magnetic field so Tone isn’t even a variable.

[@Guitarnivore]

I think you're absolutely correct. Looking at the cavity diagram, I didn't estimate it correctly, because I forgot about the lip inside the cavity and the extra, roughly 1/8th to 1/4th inch extra space behind the block that's routed out on some strats. Either way, everything moves as one unit, so I still believe my theory is correct. Maybe one of these days I'll unblock my Contemporary JM with the tremolo and measure the angle with an actual protractor. Thanks for the insight and comment.