Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles screw size
M3 · 16 mm long
If you are replacing a screw on Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles, the thread is M3, 16 mm long.
It is listed for M3 x 16mm steel saddle intonation screws with springs for import metric bridges.
This entry is marked reported and comes from musiclily.com.
For reference, M3 is 3 mm across the threads at 0.5 mm pitch. The imperial size people confuse it with: #5-40 (3.18 mm) or #4-40 — neither interchanges with M3.
Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles screw specifications
One row per fitment record. Head, drive are shown only where the source states them; pitch is the ISO coarse pitch for the thread.
| Thread | Length | Pitch | Head | Drive | Where it goes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M3 | 16 mm | 0.5 mm | not stated | not stated | M3 x 16mm steel saddle intonation screws with springs for import metric bridges | Reported |
Fitment records and sources
M3 x 16mm steel saddle intonation screws with springs for import metric bridges
pitch 0.5 mm · tap 2.5 mm · clearance 3.4 mm · PH1 / Torx T10
How to check the screw before you buy
- Instrument and audio hardware often threads into wood or thin metal; a screw that is too long can poke through a finished surface.
- Diameter: across the threads an M3 screw measures about 3 mm with calipers (usually a hair under). If yours measures noticeably more or less, it is a different thread.
- Pitch: 0.5 mm from one thread crest to the next (20 crests per centimetre). A thread pitch gauge or the pitch-gauge tool settles it in seconds.
- Length: measure from under the head to the tip for pan, button, wafer and cap heads; countersunk (flat) heads are measured overall.
- The record states 16 mm. Going longer risks bottoming out or touching parts behind the hole; going shorter loses thread engagement.
- Driver: the source does not name the drive. Standard M3 heads take PH1 for Phillips and T10 for Torx, and a 2.5 mm hex key for socket heads; a bit that fits loosely will cam out and strip the head.
- Tightening: no device-specific torque is published in these records. The site's general figure for M3 is about 80-130 N·cm into metal threads and 35-60 N·cm into plastic bosses; snug it up and stop.
Common mix-ups with M3
- US-made guitar bridges use #4/#6 imperial intonation screws while imported bridges use M3 — the wrong one strips the saddle.
- Guitar bridges and pickups exist in both metric (M3) import and imperial (#4-40/#6-32) USA versions - check origin before ordering.
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Devices whose records share a thread with Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles, closest length match first.
- Martin MAC 500 moving head fixture also M3 × 16 mm
- FPV carbon frame arms and standoffs also M3 × 16 mm
- NBK cleanroom vented captive-washer screw (SVSI1S-M3-PC) also M3 × 16 mm
- Wurth Elektronik WA-HEX hexagonal lock screw also M3 × 16 mm
- PC watercooling radiator fan screws also M3 × 16 mm
- Surgical instrument tray racks also M3 × 16 mm
- ISO 7380 button head, small assemblies also M3 × 16 mm
- FPV flight-controller / ESC stacks also M3 × 16 mm
Questions about Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles screws
- What size screw does Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles use?
- M3 × 16 mm for M3 x 16mm steel saddle intonation screws with springs for import metric bridges.
- How long are the screws in Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles?
- The record gives 16 mm. Measure the original from under the head (overall for a countersunk head) to confirm before ordering.
- What is the thread pitch of an M3 screw?
- 0.5 mm (coarse), which is the standard pitch for M3 machine screws; a 0.35 mm fine pitch exists but is uncommon. The tap drill is 2.5 mm and the normal clearance hole is 3.4 mm.
- What screwdriver do I need for Imported (metric) electric guitar/bass bridge saddles?
- The sources do not name the drive. For M3, Phillips heads normally take PH1 and Torx heads T10; socket heads take a 2.5 mm hex key.
- Can I use an imperial screw instead of M3?
- No. Imperial look-alike: #5-40 (3.18 mm) or #4-40 — neither interchanges with M3. Use a true M3 screw so it does not cross-thread or strip the hole.