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Rosewood adjustable saddle (vs bone)


groovadelic

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On 8/7/2017 at 10:41 PM, E-minor7 said:

This is really interesting - been writing about it many times.

As I see it, the Texan had plastic bridge, which is now replaced.

Yesterday was recorded with the plast/porcelain combo.

I have since changed view on this. Believe Macca's Texan has the same plast-bridge, , , but now with an ordinary probably wood/bone insert. 

Apart from that Paul is relevant on another shelf right now - he fuzzes away on this track.
 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      And does it really good. . 

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On 10/20/2023 at 6:35 PM, E-minor7 said:

I have since changed view on this. Believe Macca's Texan has the same plast-bridge, , , but now with an ordinary probably wood/bone insert. 

Apart from that Paul is relevant on another shelf right now - he fuzzes away on this track.
 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      And does it really good. . 

I agree. I got to sit up close at a McCartney show a few years ago, and my impression was the bridge on the Texan was still plastic, with the highly compensated saddle mounted in a dark, possibly ebony insert.  But it's not like I held the guitar in my hands or anything, so take that with a grain of salt.

Also, tangentially related to the ceramic/wood/bone/tusq discussion is this increasingly popular trend of people like Phoebe Bridgers putting rubber or foam under the strings between the bridge and the sound hole of their guitar. Instead of desiring to get a clearer, louder tone, they want to deaden it! Different strokes.

Red 333

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21 hours ago, Red 333 said:

I agree. I got to sit up close at a McCartney show a few years ago, and my impression was the bridge on the Texan was still plastic, with the highly compensated saddle mounted in a dark, possibly ebony insert.  But it's not like I held the guitar in my hands or anything, so take that with a grain of salt.

There are reasons to believe we see the same 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                    So if he wanted to Macca could switch right back to the Yesterday sound from one minute to the next. Are U listening Paul !?

0sYYuz3.jpg

21 hours ago, Red 333 said:

Also, tangentially related to the ceramic/wood/bone/tusq discussion is this increasingly popular trend of people like Phoebe Bridgers putting rubber or foam under the strings between the bridge and the sound hole of their guitar. Instead of desiring to get a clearer, louder tone, they want to deaden it! Different strokes.

Aha, , , a new trend I never heard of, , , yet.

Apart from that my bass player did it 30 years ago during a recording - funny enough it was his Höfner violin bass.

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13 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

There are reasons to believe we see the same 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                    So if he wanted to Macca could switch right back to the Yesterday sound from one minute to the next. Are U listening Paul !?

0sYYuz3.jpg

 

Have to add the one above IS the original Texan played upside down - by whom I can't recall.


Here it's turned around, which means right, , , which actually means wrong. . 
qeMXndY.jpg

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As someone who loves the metallic overtones produced by models sporting the historically-maligned plastic adjustable bridge, this is one of the few topics that draws me out of the woodwork these days.  Often overlooked is the fact that string vibrations travel through the metal framework to the top (somewhat like an archtop bridge), and not through the plastic.  The plastic faux-bridge serves only as a pin holder.  Note that none of this applies to the non-adjustable plastic bridge on models such as the LG-0, where string energy must indeed travel through the tone-deadening plastic.

And it’s truly rather amazing how well some of these plastic adjustable bridges have held up.  The one on my ‘66 Epi Cortez is bone stock, and in perfect condition after 57 years.  A lot of traditional bridges have led much briefer lives!  A totally goofy idea for sure, but one with a very interesting outcome.

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  • 7 months later...
Posted (edited)

I just wanted to weigh in that Philadelphia Luthiers has the rosewood saddles back in stock should anyone want one.

i have a 60’s J45 Original Reissue, and it came with an unbleached bone saddle. I also have a replacement Tusq, and I will soon have the rosewood as well; I’m hoping in the next two weeks to do a simple demo of all three saddles.

for what it’s worth I love the tone currently. I’m just a curious pup.

Edited by MorristownSal
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9 hours ago, MorristownSal said:

I just wanted to weigh in that Philadelphia Luthiers has the rosewood saddles back in stock should anyone want one.

i have a 60’s J45 Original Reissue, and it came with an unbleached bone saddle. I also have a replacement Tusq, and I will soon have the rosewood as well; I’m hoping in the next two weeks to do a simple demo of all three saddles.

for what it’s worth I love the tone currently. I’m just a curious pup.

But you apparently still need the >`grrrail´< = Burned white glazed porcelain.

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On 6/5/2024 at 3:04 AM, MorristownSal said:

Em.  I’ll keep my eyes peeled for one.  They are rare on reverb.

Rare fragile & precious, , , 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                               perhaps pricey too. . 

 

                                               Yet SO good to have in the collection. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 10/20/2012 at 11:07 PM, groovadelic said:

I recently picked up a 67 Hummingbird. The first thing I did without a second thought was to get one of those bone saddles from Philadelphia luthiers... The guitar sounds great - amazing bottom, loud, resonant, and brighter... The only quality I don't really like (and it might be because I'm not used it) is it has a raspy tone which also has a vintage vibe to it.

 

Well, I decided to throw the wood saddle back in out of curiosity and its definitely a softer sound as one might anticipate. The thing that surprised me was that the raspiness is gone. I think I like the tone better actually. No, it's not as pronounced, but I'm digging the woody dry tone. I guess I'm don't really like a bright guitar with that "zing" to it.

 

Everything I've read however tells me the opposite. Anyone here have any experience with wood saddles? This is my first and I'm no longer writing it off as an inferior poor design.

 

I would love to hear those that perhaps were around in the 60s on why Gibson would choose a wood saddle and what the opinion was at the time.

알리 익스프레스 천원마트는 한국의 다이소와 비슷한 형태로, 대부분의 상품을 천 원 대의 가격으로 제공하는 이벤트입니다. 일반적으로 시중에서는 가격이 다양한 다양한 상품들을 천 원 단위로 구매할 수 있으며, 최소 3개 이상의 상품을 구매해야 한다는 점이 이 이벤트의 특징입니다. 알리익스프레스 프로모션코드를 활용하면 더욱 저렴하게 쇼핑할 수 있는 기회가 됩니다.

A question without having all the details. Listened to a voice mail tonight that the technician that did a neck set up on my '78 370SH Takamine (lawsuit era) had replaced the bone saddle with a wooden one - don't know what kind of wood. The Tak has a spruce top, Jacaranda laminated B/S and a rosewood bridge. Wondering what the advantage of a wooden saddle vs bone is? Thank you in advance.

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27 minutes ago, cayine said:

A question without having all the details. Listened to a voice mail tonight that the technician that did a neck set up on my '78 370SH Takamine (lawsuit era) had replaced the bone saddle with a wooden one - don't know what kind of wood. The Tak has a spruce top, Jacaranda laminated B/S and a rosewood bridge. Wondering what the advantage of a wooden saddle vs bone is? Thank you in advance.

The difference will probably follow the obvious logic that comes to mind when looking at the theme :

Bone = harder > more defined - more volume - generally clearer.
Wood = softer > mellow - less volume - generally more rounded.


Most would prefer the first (including me). However the withheld gentler sound can create magik - fx on certain recordings where nylon strings are too nylon (pointing in a wrong direction) and steel over bone too brittle. 

But you yourself must decide - nobody on earth can do it for you. It's up to your repertoire, style of playing, touch & soul.

                                              Have fun

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  • 2 weeks later...

Gosh, now I have two Tusq adjustable saddles, a bone, and two rosewood ones. Dave F gifted me a Tusq and rosewood one a few weeks back to “add to the collection”.

this morning I put on Dave’s rosewood saddle, and a set of the old Lifespan strings (with the bronze B and E). The 50 sounds so buttery warm, and it’s delicious. You give up a little volume compared to the bone saddle, but I’m hanging in this world for a while!

so… a big thanks to DaveF, and I have another rosewood saddle I’d be happy to send on to one of you fine folks for the ask.  Just message me…

the below picture is when it had the bone…

3vrYEbah.jpg

 

 

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14 hours ago, MorristownSal said:

Gosh, now I have two Tusq adjustable saddles, a bone, and two rosewood ones. Dave F gifted me a Tusq and rosewood one a few weeks back to “add to the collection”.

                                                  - - - - - - 

 You give up a little volume compared to the bone saddle, but I’m hanging in this world for a while!

 

 

Ever exciting topic, , , , but right now D.T is under assassination. . 

Edited by E-minor7
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/14/2024 at 12:35 AM, E-minor7 said:

Ever exciting topic, , , , but right now D.T is under assassination. . 

Back to sanity = adjustable inserts. Well, good you hear you expand in this way and recordings would be welcome. 

No need to say that J. Taylor the Young gives a thumb up. He knows what these things can and cannot do. 

Wonder if he just trusted fate and kept his wooden saddle without really comparing back then. Or if A/Bs actually happened and made him stay soft. 1 facet to notice is that he never returned to the concept once it was left in the mid70s. And nowadays the quite legendary 50er has a fixed version of some sort. 

Sometimes feel tempted to slip one down myself - and do it. But my situation is that I really dig old strings and that combined with rosewood tends to get slightly dull or underplaying. Therefore the (rather) old steel/ceramic combo is the choice here. Yet some test recording waits in the fall. We'll see, , , and hear. . . 

                                              Long short = Bein' able to switch'n'experiment is a privilege. 

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