question about bridges

[JK]

i don't know much about guitar parts, but i know nothng about bridges. this is a very basic question: some saddles come notched (i understand this) others are not notched. does this mean that they do not have to be notched or that you have to notch them yourself?

 

[bwbass]

Tune-O-Matic guitar bridges and Badass bass bridges have saddles that are meant to have notches filed in them to match your desired string spacing and gauges. 

Some bent-saddle and barrel-saddle bridges, like those on vintage Teles and Strats don't have notches and aren't meant to.  In those cases the anchor points for the strings are so close to the saddles that maintaining string spacing without notches isn't a problem.

 

[neil]

saddle notching isn't about stop the strins moving or just string spacing,it does both ,but the main reason is to match the neck radius.All fingerboards have some degree of radius,fender vinyage necks have a 7.25" radius runing down to warwick basses that have a 22+" radius....Notching the saddles is ment to replicate the neck radius at the bridge so you can then just use the 2 posts for over all adjustment.....back in the late 50's the gibson crew did  the same thing with the polepieces on the paf pickups.This is a great one for customers who want their pick up covers removed...it does pretty much the same trick...cut a piece of card to the same radius of the fingerboard...normally 12" radius.lower the e string olepieces till they are level with the cover nd th adjust th remaining polpieces to match the template......you end up with a herring bone inlay look.