BluesKing777 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 My newly repaired L-0 had a new bone nut and saddle installed. When I first played the guitar with them, it sounded fine, but now it has entered a 'brittle' stage of the breaking in process. The guitar tech/luthier uses really high density bone pieces and if I hadn't been through the experience of hearing the change, I wouldn't believe it. After a while, I am playing the guitar and I wonder what is different - the nut or saddle have broken in and sound incredibly smooth..... I have done this 5 or 6 times now! Not an awful sound, but bright, but Bizarro! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Neat observation, the saddle and nut need to settle in as new strings would. Give it time with any changes to your instrument. I'll remember this thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Yes, give them time before you change your mind and remove them! I also need to mention that I had my 52 LG1's cracked bridge repaired a few months back - he also put a high density bone saddle on that with an ebony bridge and it just sounds killer. It hasn't gone the brittle sound route...yet. So if you have an old LG with the original saddle of rubbish plastic, nylon sometimes, and all the other things Gibson pulled out of the spare parts draw for the student models, well...ditch them for a decent replacement. I liked my LG1 before, now it is sensational for Open D and bottleneck....(still needs a neck set - ain't happening - not touching a thing). BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 How do you get a high density bone saddle versus an osteoporosis one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 How do you get a high density bone saddle versus an osteoporosis one? Don't know MP! Perhaps he uses old piano players' fingers instead of drummers? BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 My newly repaired L-0 had a new bone nut and saddle installed. When I first played the guitar with them, it sounded fine, but now it has entered a 'brittle' stage of the breaking in process. The guitar tech/luthier uses really high density bone pieces and if I hadn't been through the experience of hearing the change, I wouldn't believe it. After a while, I am playing the guitar and I wonder what is different - the nut or saddle have broken in and sound incredibly smooth..... I have done this 5 or 6 times now! Not an awful sound, but bright, but Bizarro! BluesKing777. Makes me wonder if it could have something to do with changes in the moisture levels in the bone itself. How do you get a high density bone saddle versus an osteoporosis one? HeHe You eat your broccoli! Seriously though, I would imagine the "high density" bit might refer to the short leg bones of the Bovine variety. I have one that I intend to cut some blanks from, if I can find someone who will let me dull the blade on their band-saw. Either that or I'll try and talk the Luthier into bartering. Might be good for a 5¢ discount. I'm looking forward to having plastic replaced on my 2 acoustics in the near future. Σß Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Makes me wonder if it could have something to do with changes in the moisture levels in the bone itself. HeHe You eat your broccoli! Seriously though, I would imagine the "high density" bit might refer to the short leg bones of the Bovine variety. Σß All those, probably! <_< The guitar tech does a roaring trade in swapping the Tusq saddles that come with some famous brands that have under saddle pickups. Apparently, using ordinary bone saddles (from non-dense, non-broccoli eating, long legged bovines) and u/s pickups can be a bit of a crap shoot and a couple percent out of each batch don't amplify the guitar too well, so the companies prefer to use the well- proven Tusq saddle to even out the odds..... <_< <_< <_< We can only believe what we are told . Myself, I think the effect of plastic saddle is much more noticeable on the smaller guitars like my LG's, L-00's, OM.... I have a few to change when I have nothing to do...i.e. my 58 LG-0 has some nylon saddle thing...... Better go and play instead of talking... BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 How do you get a high density bone saddle versus an osteoporosis one? Perhaps it came off a gymnast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 I rang the guitar tech to clear things up... He was busy shaving nuts... :mellow: , but the assistant said he could possibly have sourced the high density bone from a rare breed of racing bovines.......the black and white ones with the GT stripes! Well we don't really know, but they work real good! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Just try and catch me, sucker! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 A color picture of a cow in black and white! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 BluesKing777 - you are becomin' a real nerd - Congratulations ! I for my part might be a little lame. Do I understand your bone features as sounding good at first, then goin' through a brittle, quite annoying phase before finally reaching the 7th sky of smooth. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 BluesKing777 - you are becomin' a real nerd - Congratulations ! I for my part might be a little lame. Do I understand your bone features as sounding good at first, then goin' through a brittle, quite annoying phase before finally reaching the 7th sky of smooth. . Guitar Nerds!!! I've made it! No, not annoying sounds at all, Em7, but not the true sound yet, which I gather is the '7th sky of smooth'? Well, another interesting thing for you - when I get my Shubb capo on to the 2nd fret i.e., the bone nut effect is reduced to just the bone saddle effect..not precisely half for the nerds, but somewhere there. I don't know if the tech glued the saddle in - I must ask him - there could be a 'glue drying period' as well as a 'moisture loss period' with both ends of the guitar! None of which is a problem - the new fretboard is some great work - I am very, very spoiled (In case he is reading this!) From a scientific comparison point of view, it would be better to get one small repair/change at a time, but this was not possible this time. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 , , ,'glue drying period' as well as a 'moisture loss period', , Guitar Nerds!!! I've made it! ✓ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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