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#1
04-11-2015, 12:36 PM
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New Saddle Material Dilemma
I recently purchased a vintage 1974 Sigma Martin DR-7, and am getting a new saddle put on. My plan was to get a bone saddle, however the luthier who is working on it only has Ivory and Corian as choices of saddle material. I have some moral qualms about using Ivory, so the plan is to go with the Corian, but I know the Corian is going to be much softer than the bone I had originally planned.
My question is, is it worth trying to get a bone saddle (or even a blank that the luthier could work with) ordered from somewhere else online? I know from reading other threads that the Bob Colosi products are supposed to be great. The other choice would be to go with the Corian for now, and see if I like it, and then swap it out to bone later myself if I find I need to. I like a rich, warm sound out of my guitar, so maybe the Corian might actually work better for me, as I have also read that the bone might over-brighten the sound. Any thoughts or suggestions? 
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#2
04-11-2015, 12:58 PM
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I can't imagine a luthier who does not have bone as a standard option for nuts and saddles. It is readily available and inexpensive.
If viable, I would chose another luthier to do the work. I would not supply the luthier with materials.
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#3
04-11-2015, 01:16 PM
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Quote:
I agree with Charles. Bone is such a standard choice for nuts and saddles, it's very odd that your luthier doesn't have it as a standard option. If you really like the luthier and want to continue to work with him you could let him know that Stew-Mac offers bone nuts (including nuts pre-shaped for Martin guitars - you can see them here).
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2017 Alvarez Yairi OY70CE - Sugaree c.1966 Regal Sovereign R235 Jumbo - Old Dollar 2009 Martin 000-15 - Brown Bella 1977 Gibson MK-35 - Apollo 2004 Fender American Stratocaster - The Blue Max 2017 Fender Custom American Telecaster - Brown Sugar Think Hippie Thoughts...
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#4
04-11-2015, 01:24 PM
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Bone is what you want on that. Tusq could be an option, but won't likely be an upgrade to what you have now. I'd ask the luthier to get some bone and you'll bring the guitar back when he's ready. I get bone blanks from Stewmac.com usually and I have them in two days...so he should be able to get it pretty quickly.
"Ivory" seems to be a word that is thrown around pretty liberally. I'd ask him what kind of ivory he's talking about. I have a guy that brings me "ivory" for his saddles, but i learned it's nothing more than bleached bone that is marketed as ivory. Tusq is the same way. They call it "Man-made ivory" (I call it plastic).
__________________
Bryan 
Last edited by bnjp; 04-11-2015 at 01:30 PM.
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#5
04-11-2015, 01:25 PM
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Quote:
has them!
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#7
04-11-2015, 02:05 PM
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Well, I chose this luthier because he is one of the only authorized Martin repair folks anywhere near me, so I still feel pretty confident in his abilities. But I want to make sure to get the right thing for my instrument, and from what everyone here has said, and from everything else I've read here on AGM, it seems like bone is really what I want.
I just spoke to the luthier and I am going to have a bone blank sent to his shop. Thank you for the feedback!
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#8
04-11-2015, 02:58 PM
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Quote:
Tom
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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything
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#9
04-11-2015, 04:19 PM
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Ok - so one more related question:
I am going to go ahead and upgrade to bone pins as well. I know that the difference made by a bone nut is nominal, and my current one is fine, but is it worth going ahead and getting a matching set while he is doing everything else?
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#10
04-11-2015, 06:47 PM
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Quote:
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Bryan
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