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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | in the "Slanted Saddles" thread, there's some slightly different conversation going on that made me recall an article on intonation and saddle compensation... Thought I'd post this on a different thread as it doesn't quite fit the discussion there
Saddle Compensation & Intonation. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Two things which have some merit in acoustic design are strength and low mass...
Brass maybe strong, but it is also high mass and takes more energy to get it and keep it moving. Steel too, is relatively high mass. I've thought about things like porcelin for these applications, but I also wonder about wear and durability of nut/saddle (or strings) if using them...
Bone, has a high strenght ( durability) yet lower mass, so it takes less energy to get and keep it moving, yet is vey efficient at transferring energy to the body of the guitar... |
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Location: South of most, North of few | What about a carbon fiber composite mix? Or titanium?? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | These I don't about, for this application. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Lightening holes, sounds like a good idea. Try it and tell us.
I've found that you want the saddle to be as least sound absorbant as possible. The delrin is fairly soft. Bone isn't. The gold delrin used on the original slotheads was really bad. I've had saddles made from bone and ceramic that fit on the A/E pickups. They do help the sound and are worth the cost.
As far as intonation goes they aren't the greatest but better than a straight saddle and while you may be able to tell it is slightly out of tune on a scope, how many of us can detect it in the middle of a song? I always figured it was close enough and din't worry about it.(Of course I haven't learned to play in tune yet but that comes next year) |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | If you have ever wondered about the bridge designs on Violins/Cellos/Basses with all the fancy scroll work, that is done to control the amount of string vibration to the top of the instrument. To effectively balance the string input such that the heavier strings don't dominate the lighter and to achieve desired tone...
I'm not sure what effect drilling holes through a guitar saddle would have, and I'm sure it would be different depending on how its done, but as Bill says, experiment and let us know... |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Interesting that CWK2 has had saddles made out of bone,have toyed with that idea myself,but wondered if it was worth it,now,I will try that :) ,but as far as making the bridge assembly lighter, making a "mass" lighter,would indeed get it to "react" faster,however ,a certain mass is needed to produce low frequencies,so making the bridge too light ,might make the guitar sound "muddy",might be worth a try though..(can n`t wait to hear about the outcome of the experiment) :)
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Vic |
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Location: ranson,wva | ive got several saddles made from fossilized walruss(sp) tusk...i can tell a diffenercein bone/tusk and derlin...jason |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Yeah Jason,I was about to get a TUSK nut on the 1537,and now will try BONE saddles ( a project wich will have to wait till after New Year) so what would U say where the difference lies :confused:
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Vic |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | bone does make a difference in both sustain and articulation. |
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Location: ranson,wva | tha' boss stated above the derlin is softer than bone. in my opinion a harder material such as bone,tusk,ect...will transer string vibrations better than a softer material that will absorb some of the vibes..so in my personal opinion harder saddle=better vibes,better vibe's=more mojo......jason
ps..vic, ill try to find the company's name i buy my fossilized saddles from and give it to you or ive got a few exrtas i could send you one...jason |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | primarily for action and intonation... if the curve was symmetrical you'd need to press harder/farther (as measured from the center of the string's cross-section) on the larger strings, causing difficulty fretting and intonation problems from stretching the string to get it to the board... |
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Location: Utah | I've been unhappy with the soft saddle on the 1778T and have been shopping unsuccessfully for a Tusq or other replacement.
Anybody know of a source that fits the fatter non-original pickup and bridge? |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Mitzdawg; Good question...... :confused:
Jason,Thanks Buddy,looking forward to exchanging information,and a Great Heartfull Thanks for Your Kind Offer.. :)
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Vic |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Perhaps `cause the high E is harder to " press down " then a ( more pliable ) low E,or may be I`m wrong.. :)
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Vic |
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Location: ranson,wva | ive got several here somewhere..ive got parts and shit strung all over this house..lol ive got some wide bone blanks that will fit the wide slots, ive got one in my legend while im awaiting a package from al..ill find them tomorow and ill let you know smoething..jason |
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Location: Snåsa, Norway | When you're talking about changing soft saddles is that possible on the ovations with pickups as well as pure acoustic ones? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by HobbyPicker:
When you're talking about changing soft saddles is that possible on the ovations with pickups as well as pure acoustic ones? Yes it is, but you will need a custom or self-made saddle and it does require a little care when removing the saddle from the pickup. |
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Saddles- compensation / intonation