Boyd Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 I got my 2008 J-50 about a year and a half ago and thought the saddle was unusual looking, but just assumed it was the original Gibson tusq. Just discussed this in a PM with another owner of a similar J-50, and his saddle looks completely different. So apparently the previous owner put this in. It looks like brown plastic. Sound is fine (I am not a big fan of changing saddles, nuts, etc unless there's a problem). Has anyone seen a similar saddle? Here's an archived product page for my J-50: https://web.archive.org/web/20090107024437/http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-RS50AN-NH The picture doesn't show much detail but the saddle certainly looks lighter than mine and the specs say it has a bone nut and compensated TUSQ saddle. This is what mine looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Well I think I can answer my own question. :) Just dug out some photos I took right after I got the guitar. The saddle has gotten much darker - I gave it regular "sunbaths" because I thought it would make some major cosmetic damage that I repaired look better (which it did). So evidently the UV light has discolored the saddle. Does TUSQ change color this much? The bone nut has not changed very much in color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 This is the same saddle? Wow ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Really! Glad that I found that old picture, it's one of those things that happened gradually over time so I wasn't really aware. The color of the guitar finish has also darkened, but not nearly as much. The color balance is completely different in those two photos which makes it a little difficult to compare. But the saddle really does look brown now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 I have seen it before. if you pull the saddle at your next string change, you will see that it is still white below the surface Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 . Man, that's different. Kinda like it. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC_Wannabe Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I replaced the Tusq saddle in my J50 a couple of years ago, but I've still got the original (sanded it down too far). It is a bit darker than the newer one, but nowhere near that color of brown. Mine is more like an off-white. My J50 sits out quite a bit, but it has never been in direct sunlight, so maybe that's what turned the saddle brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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