Anyone think of using lead under their saddle?

[waveform]

Seeing Im not going to be eating my guitar and not touching it this seems like a good idea maybe. This is my reasoning,

A) Lead is soft and saddle will meld into transducer and bridge better.

B) Im no Phd but lead is very conductive perhaps the lead will amplify the magnetic field generated by the strings above.

I was thinking a thin strip, like 4mm wide that ran the length of the bridge.

[sdelsolray]

Any magnetic field generated by an undersaddle lead strip will not be amplified by the remaining parts of an acoustic guitar, which is mostly wood.

[Mandobart]

This is not a reasonable idea. Lead is not really ferromagnetic - it reacts very weakly with a magnetic field. Lead is much denser than wood. A wood-Pb-wood sandwich would have two attenuating interfaces where lead meets wood. A far better plan would be to use a carved woodblank to fill the saddle-bridge gap. An even better plan is a one-piece bridge. Realistically, you wouldn't hear a difference either way.

I find my guitar plays better when I do touch it....

[ManyMartinMan]

One of those creative thoughts that - if likely possible - would have been tried, and done, by every major maker.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by waveform

Seeing Im not going to be eating my guitar and not touching it this seems like a good idea maybe.

HI W-form
Why not try it, and set up some tests to report back to us (or others who are interested).

As far as density, Platinum or Gold are more dense (hence heavier) if that is your aim.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by waveform

... lead is very conductive perhaps the lead will amplify the magnetic field generated by the strings above.

Strings don't generate a magnetic field.
Pick ups do that.

Strings perturb a pick up's magnetic field in accordance with string's vibration.
This results in alternating current matching the string's vibration being induced into the windings of the pick up.
This signal is sent to the amp.

[waveform]

Thanks folks. Ferromagnetic, not conductive like I was thinking. Why electric strings sound better, have more iron in them. Maybe a passive pick up? A thin wire wrapped around an iron core? Piece of guitar string, just saw a You Tube video on it so it has to work.


Im filling my saddle down right now with a V grove on the bottom. I really just wanted at first a material that would let the saddle and bridge bind more for sonic resonance.

Its the plastic nut and saddle Im replacing on this beat up "new" dsr1 I got from guitar center for 450 bucks. Got the two year warranty on it so I decided to go Frankenstein on it.

People Im just trying to think a bit more Jimi Hendricks on this one...

[varmonter]

My horse doesn’t like the extra weight.

[Murphy Slaw]

Go for it.

Who would have thought an industrial gasket material would ever be used for one of the most popular guitar picks ever?

Or that relieving yourself in the house would catch on?