Do you glue the saddle?

[rodmbds]

I've read and heard quite a lot about this. I've always glued the saddle, just a little drop of white glue to keep it in place when changing strings, to which the other day my friend reply "do you GLUE it?" as if I'd just commited murderer.

I've always done it to prevent it from falling and cracking or dinging when removing strings.

Do you guys think it's ok to glue the saddle and, if so, what would be the best procedure? Or is it just better to be more careful when the strings are off?

Thanks!

[Bax Burgess]

Should be little to no worry of a saddle, in good condition, cracking or getting dinged when it drops onto a flat hard surface. A nail file will smooth any problem.

[John Arnold]

I glue long through saddles with hot hide glue. I don't normally glue drop-in saddles.

[Looburst]

YES, what John just said! A cut thru saddle should be glued in place and not necessary on a drop in saddle though.

[Mark Hatcher]

A properly fitted saddle doesn’t fall out when you change strings. It should be tight enough to stay in if you hold the guitar upside down. It should also not be so tight that you can’t pull it out with your fingers.

[PHJim]

My '62 D-21 has a cut through saddle that has never been glued. I've owned it for 40 years and have never had any trouble with it.

[Looburst]

Ye, it's not always a have to thing. Depends on how tight the fit is, IMO too.

[Alan Carruth]

What Mark said. A saddle that is loose enough to fall out will bend forward over time and make the slot D-shaped, if it doesn't actually break out the front of the bridge. It will also get looser, of course.

[Mooh]

Never. A snug fit is all you need. Removing a glued saddle is a pain in the posterior.

[redir]

One caveat to the tight fit though. If you have an under saddle pickup then you want a looser fit.

I generally don't glue slot through saddles either unless there is not enough meat to hold it well. I never glue in a classical saddle though I have seen that done.

Actually what I do is a faux slot through saddle and then you get the best of both worlds.

[arie]

i doth not glueth in saddles of any typeth

[Imbler]

I don't glue them in either.

Now what I have done when I sanded one a smidgen too thin is tape off the saddle and apply thin CA glue to the portion that sits in the saddle slot. After hitting it with a spray of accelerator, you can then sand the "thickened" saddle and get that perfect fit you were going for.
And it is invisible cosmetically as it sits in the slot. Actually, it is pretty invisible in any case.
Mike