Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

tusq compensated saddles for epiphone masterbilt


Leodhas

Recommended Posts

Some may like the Tusq better, but the general consensus from high-end luthiers is bone. Bone is superior especially in the saddle. I would never change it. Most people pay to have the bone upgrade. That is one of the appealing features of the MBilt along with solid top, back and sides and they use hide glue which is also used on very expensive acoustics.

 

There I told you bone is better! I think pound for pound an Epi MB is one of the best values in acoustics today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you will find that the Tusq fully compensated saddle is PQ-9280-C0. I don't know how well it will fit your MasterBilt. It appears to be cut for a 16" radius fret board, which didn't work with the vintage profile of my IB 64 Texan which is 14" radius. It was also too thick and a bit too long for the Texan's bridge but that would have been cured easily with some wet and dry. One thing to be said for Tusq is that it sands down very easily!

 

I did eventually find a Tusq saddle to fit the IB 64 Texan (with some work) but I am not convinced it really improved the sound, either acoustic or amplified, over the original bone. I would say it was neutral.

 

What I found really did make a big difference to the sound on both my IB 64 Texan and my Washburn D61-SWN was replacing the original plastic bridge pins with Tusq pins. They cost less than £20, are easy to fit and really do improve the sound of the guitar. What's more they look as though they will last a life time, which is more than you can say for plastic pins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HI Leodhas , I have used this guy many times to make my saddles and nuts, he hand crafts them from loads of different materials, I have always used bone, but he does it all. All he needs is the make model and fretboard radius, but I have sent him the original saddle before on an old vintage and he was quite happy to copy. His work is very good.

This is his ebay shop but he has a website if you dont have an ebay account, he is U.K based and quite reasonable

 

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/TREEROOT-Guitar-Saddles__W0QQ_armrsZ1

 

All the best.

Fat Mo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only time to go with something other than bone is certain undersaddle pickups don't work well with bone unless he saddle is cut PERFECTLY, which most people can't do.

 

NEVER put a pre shaped ANYTHING on your guitar, it won't work right and is cheap and lazy way of doing things.

 

The reason the suggest tusq is because you can be sloppier when carving it and it will still work with an undersaddle pup, where as bone, the preferred material with the superior tone must be cut to exacting tolerances and most shops are to unskilled and lazy to take the time to properly fit a bone one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...