Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Mike Hartigan - 21:19 11-11-05
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I'm considering replacing the stock plastic nut and bridge saddle on
my acoustic. Bone has traditionally been the material of choice, but
it can be inconsistent (at least that's what the hype says). Among
the more popular alternatives are Tusq and Corian. Which of the
mainstream materials would give me the brightest tone with, perhaps,
a bit more sustain? I'm using an under-saddle piezo pickup, but my
main focus is on the acoustic sound. What about finishing/polishing
considerations?
I'd also like to change the Tune-O-Matic bridge saddles on my
Epiphone Sheraton II. Graph-Tech makes saddles for this guitar in
both String Saver and Tusq. I don't have a Bigsby tailpiece, so the
lubricating benefit of the String Saver saddles would be irrelevant.
Would the Tusq saddles have better sustain? How would either compare
to the stock metal (steel? brass?) saddles?
Thanks,
Mike
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Stephen Worth - 22:45 11-11-05
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Sacramento Dave - 09:44 12-11-05
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"Mike Hartigan" <mike@hartigan.dot.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1ddf0d1a47fa4c2e9896c9@newsgroups.comcast.net...
> I'm considering replacing the stock plastic nut and bridge saddle on
> my acoustic. Bone has traditionally been the material of choice, but
> it can be inconsistent (at least that's what the hype says). Among
> the more popular alternatives are Tusq and Corian. Which of the
> mainstream materials would give me the brightest tone with, perhaps,
> a bit more sustain? I'm using an under-saddle piezo pickup, but my
> main focus is on the acoustic sound. What about finishing/polishing
> considerations?
>
> I'd also like to change the Tune-O-Matic bridge saddles on my
> Epiphone Sheraton II. Graph-Tech makes saddles for this guitar in
> both String Saver and Tusq. I don't have a Bigsby tailpiece, so the
> lubricating benefit of the String Saver saddles would be irrelevant.
> Would the Tusq saddles have better sustain? How would either compare
> to the stock metal (steel? brass?) saddles?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
I made allot of nuts out of Corian, One reason is if you get a scrap piece
from a sink cut out threes thousands. But I also no it is very soft easy to
work with, But being soft my thinking is it would not transmit the string
vibration as well. So now I like bone on fixed bridges and Graf Tec whammy
bars. ( Stewmac page for nuts "Bone nut,Hardness for superior tone") I have
a very nice Acoustic and it is Bone. So I would go with bone. Are you going
to do it yourself?
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - David Martel - 12:40 12-11-05
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Mike,
Before you consider this work have you tried different strings? The
brightness of your sound can be enhanced by the proper choice of strings.
Changing the saddle or nut material will probably change the sound of your
guitar but you may not like the new sound. It is far cheaper to experiment
with strings than with saddles et c. Bring your guitar to a luthier. He may
be able to describe the effect different materials will have on your guitar.
In the end though it is your ear that must decide.
Dave M.
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Mike Hartigan - 21:10 12-11-05
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In article <JOpdf.7563$2y.3497@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
marte005@earthlink.net says...
> Mike,
>
> Before you consider this work have you tried different strings? The
> brightness of your sound can be enhanced by the proper choice of strings.
> Changing the saddle or nut material will probably change the sound of your
> guitar but you may not like the new sound. It is far cheaper to experiment
> with strings than with saddles et c. Bring your guitar to a luthier. He may
> be able to describe the effect different materials will have on your guitar.
> In the end though it is your ear that must decide.
It sounds fabulous with new strings, particularly Phosphor Bronze.
After a week or so, it gets downright dull. Sustain is the pits. I
was thinking that the plastic nut is at least partly to blame. As
for the cost, most types of bridge saddles are cheap enough that I
can experiment. I just thought I'd save some time by asking for
opinions from those who have already done the research.
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Stephen Worth - 13:47 13-11-05
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In article <MPG.1de05c98fd6700d19896cd@newsgroups.comcast.net>, Mike
Hartigan <mike@hartigan.dot.com> wrote:
> It sounds fabulous with new strings, particularly Phosphor Bronze.
> After a week or so, it gets downright dull. Sustain is the pits. I
> was thinking that the plastic nut is at least partly to blame. As
> for the cost, most types of bridge saddles are cheap enough that I
> can experiment. I just thought I'd save some time by asking for
> opinions from those who have already done the research.
The nut only affects open strings... the saddle affects all of
them. That's why a saddle upgrade will make more of a
difference than a nut upgrade. Replacing the saddle will
definitely help the sustain. If it's worth it to you, replace
the nut too. You might try bone bridge pins too, or ebony.
See ya
Steve
--
Rare 78 rpm recordings on CD! http://www.vintageip.com/records/
Building a museum and archive of animation! http://www.animationarchive.org/
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Mike Hartigan - 17:23 13-11-05
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In article <131120051047243158%news@vintageip.com>,
news@vintageip.com says...
> In article <MPG.1de05c98fd6700d19896cd@newsgroups.comcast.net>, Mike
> Hartigan <mike@hartigan.dot.com> wrote:
>
> > It sounds fabulous with new strings, particularly Phosphor Bronze.
> > After a week or so, it gets downright dull. Sustain is the pits. I
> > was thinking that the plastic nut is at least partly to blame. As
> > for the cost, most types of bridge saddles are cheap enough that I
> > can experiment. I just thought I'd save some time by asking for
> > opinions from those who have already done the research.
>
> The nut only affects open strings... the saddle affects all of
> them. That's why a saddle upgrade will make more of a
> difference than a nut upgrade. Replacing the saddle will
> definitely help the sustain. If it's worth it to you, replace
> the nut too.
When I said that "the plastic nut is at least partly to blame", I
meant the plastic bridge saddle. Nevertheless, I'm considering
replacing that, too.
> You might try bone bridge pins too, or ebony.
Here's where I may be learning something new (and one of the reasons
I'm here) -- how do the bridge pins affect sustain? Why would they
have any effect on the sound at all?
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Re: Nut & bridge saddle materials - Plastic vs Bone vs Corian vs Tusq vs String Saver vs brass vs ??? - Stephen Worth - 19:27 13-11-05
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In article <MPG.1de178e0c2d72def9896d0@newsgroups.comcast.net>, Mike
Hartigan <mike@hartigan.dot.com> wrote:
> Here's where I may be learning something new (and one of the reasons
> I'm here) -- how do the bridge pins affect sustain? Why would they
> have any effect on the sound at all?
The pins are what holds the string against the bridge, conducting
the sound to the face of the guitar. A soft plastic pin can absorb
some of the vibration itself, and not conduct it cleanly. That can
damp the vibrations. The ideal bridge pin is hard and light... Hard
so it conducts well, light in weight so it doesn't require a lot of
force to move the face of the guitar up and down as it vibrates.
I mentioned before that I replaced the plastic nut, saddle and
pins on my Larrivee parlor with bone nut and saddle, and camel
bone pins. I got a first class setup while I was at it. Altogether,
it cost about $125. It was well worth it. The guitar has a much richer
sound, a long sustain and terrifically responsive dynamics.
I replaced the plastic saddle and pins on my Yamaha LJX6c, and
although it increased sustain a bit and made it ring nicer; it didn't
make quite as much difference. I attribute that to the heavier
construction of the Yamaha.
See ya
Steve
--
Rare 78 rpm recordings on CD! http://www.vintageip.com/records/
Building a museum and archive of animation! http://www.animationarchive.org/
The Quest for the BEST HOTDOG in Los Angeles! http://www.hotdogspot.com/
Rediscovering great stuff from the past! http://www.vintagetips.com/
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