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  #1  
Old 01-15-2021, 05:08 PM
Mirosh Mirosh is offline
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Default Source of saddle shims?

Where can an amateur guitar lover get saddle shims - a variety of thicknesses, of hard material like rosewood or bone or other suitable material? I'm ready to move beyond credit cards and blister pack! What do you use or recommend?
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Old 01-15-2021, 06:02 PM
redir redir is offline
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I would recommend a new saddle

You can buy thin wood veneer from any luthier supply. It will be way more then you need but still.
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Old 01-15-2021, 06:40 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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I don't generally recommend shimming a saddle as the shim must be as hard as the saddle and utterly bonded to the saddle if it is not to impair the guitar's function. If I do shim a saddle (or nut), I favor paper permeated with ca glue. It is a consistent thickness, easily accomplished, nearly invisible on a nut, and handles the structural requirements very well.
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Old 01-16-2021, 06:06 AM
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Bob Colosi.

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/SaddleShim.asp
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Old 01-16-2021, 08:06 PM
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Colosi is great for shims, but I second the recommendations to just get a new saddle. I find properly shimming a saddle to be a lot more work than just sanding down a replacement.

Bob Colosi can hook you up with pretty much anything you need from a saddle perspective.
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Old 01-18-2021, 05:21 PM
Big Band Guitar Big Band Guitar is offline
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The only time I shim a saddle is to determine the height that is needed to make a new saddle.
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Old 01-19-2021, 06:14 PM
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I’ve glued a thin strip of bone to the bottom of a bone saddle using CA superglue. I put it on a little oversized and then shaped it to fit the existing saddle and then sanded it down to the height I wanted. It worked okay. Just use a piece off of a different saddle.
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Old 01-19-2021, 07:28 PM
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I'm pretty sure Stewart-MacDonald had bone shim stock.
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Old 01-28-2021, 04:20 PM
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Default Bone Saddle Shims Available at LMI

I have been using the bone saddle/nut shim material available from LMI for a few years now. This shim material is 0.02" thick, is real bone and is reasonably priced. These bone shims work great and easily cut with a fine toothed saw; do not use a knife, the shim will chip. Glue up with CA glue for a very strong bond. I suggest to always glue the shim to the saddle or nut and not into the saddle or nut slot, then sand and profile as needed. Sounds amazing, way better than cardboard, paper or wood.

Here is the link:

https://www.lmii.com/nuts-saddles/15...475-x-020.html

Be advised that when using CA glue with this natural bone material, the CA glue cures very fast, no accelerator needed.
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Old 03-16-2021, 07:55 PM
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I've used fleabay without issue. They are listed as dollhouse floorboards.
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