If you are meticulous with the wiping down of your instrument after each play, in your spare time, do attend to the unseen gunk beneath the string saddles. The guitar above is my Fender ST-72. I've been fastidious in taking care of the guitar's exterior oblivious to the fact that whatever's wiped away would be driven into the cracks & crevices so the filthy accumulation would be inevitable.
This is the same bridge base plate after an enthusiastic cleaning & polishing episode. Do note that if the slime continues to inhibit the hardware, rusting & slime build up (that unsightly green coating, not seen here of course) would occur.
