Is this a bad angle for a floating bridge?

[Joeontheguitar]

Got this guitar this week as an occasion and I just noticed that there's an angle in the floating bridge. I have no experience with this type of bridge, but is this normal?

I adjusted the position of the bridge myself for intonation and it is spot on now.

[deacon Mark]

Yes it is not sitting correct. Needs attention.

[Joeontheguitar]

Could I have 'wacked' it myself by moving the bridge under string tension? Also, it looks like this is not really fixable. Better replace the bridge?

[Woody Sound]

Could I have 'wacked' it myself by moving the bridge under string tension? Also, it looks like this is not really fixable. Better replace the bridge?

You may be able to bend it straight again. Do you have a vise?

[Joeontheguitar]

Yes, the bridge piece is correct. It's a compensated bridge piece. I also thought of flipping the lower bridge piece. You think the string tension will bend the upper piece into the correct orientation? Or is at tilt in the opposite direction better than I have now?

[pingu]

Could I have 'wacked' it myself by moving the bridge under string tension? Also, it looks like this is not really fixable. Better replace the bridge?

yes you 'could' have done this .... not saying you did

i would take it off and straighten it up ......
then re-fit it and adjust the intonation again
(but loosen the strings before moving the bridge around !)

[pingu]

"I also thought of flipping the lower bridge piece."

might work

"You think the string tension will bend the upper piece into the correct orientation?"

no

"Or is at tilt in the opposite direction better than I have now?"

possibly ....
better to bend it back to perpendicular

[Joeontheguitar]

There's a bit of 'flex' between the lower and upper bridge parts. I can get it as far as this. I think it looks better.

[pingu]

Yeah that looks fine now ....

if the action is low enough ....
if you need a lower action yo can sand down the underneath
of the saddle a bit ....

maybe be it is ok as is tho ....
well done

[Joeontheguitar]

You guys are definitely the best!
Thanks for the very quick and helpful replies.

[Joeontheguitar]

It's not a matter of actually bending it to the correct place, but rather orientating the bridge saddle piece (the top) within the range of optimum angle, which reversing the base will do. By reversing the base, you won't be hoping to bend the posts to a right degree angle, but rather move the effective angle of the posts to a position where the angles on both sides of the saddle are pretty much even. If I'm building a custom bridge from scratch, I'll do this by carving the base piece to achieve this angle. Having the posts canted within the foot of the saddle will achieve this same thing. It'll move the angle of the bridge saddle so it tilts towards the end block/tailpiece. That's what you want. That's how you'd do it.
Having a (tail) canted bridge is actually more desirable than a straight 90 degree up and down anyway, or at least in theory. On violins and cellos, bridges are set with what looks like a slightly back leaning, when it's actually just bisecting the angle of the breakover. That's the idea.

So it might have been installed upside down in the first place maybe?

[Woody Sound]

Personally I think the base may be facing the wrong way, but no worries, it looks fine now. As someone mentioned, if you need to lower the action, remove the saddle and shave down its bottom surface a bit.

[deacon Mark]

There's a bit of 'flex' between the lower and upper bridge parts. I can get it as far as this. I think it looks better.

This looks fine now just have to make sure the intonation is good.

[Cunamara]

It just looks like the holes in the bridge base have worn a bit. When adjusting the bridge position, as someone pointed out slack the strings a little bit but also hold both the bridge base and the bridge top as you make the adjustment so that they move as a unit. What probably happened was the base moved but the friction of the strings kept the bridge top about where it was so that it rolled a little bit.

The bridge posts should be seated firmly in the base while the top should not be sloppy loose but should be easily lifted off the posts if needed. If the holes in the bridge base have worn, it's possible to fill them and re-drill to the correct diameter so that the posts are held securely.