Looking For Best Compensated Saddle For Martin GPCPA4

ryevick · #1 10-07-2019, 09:09 PM

I am about to do some adjustments on the bridge of my Martin and I need to buy a couple of saddles just in case I take too much off the bottom of one, I'll have another one to work with. I know some prefer bone and some prefer tusq. I'm open minded about it. I think I would prefer bone but the only issue I have with bone is sometimes there are soft spots in a bone saddle. Not all bone saddles are created (quality controlled) equally, so I'm just kind of looking for the "best" saddle for my Martin and I'm open to suggestions and tips. Thanks a lot I really appreciate it!

JayBee1404 · #2 10-08-2019, 05:05 AM

Talk to Bob Colosi. http://www.guitarsaddles.com/

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

Athens · #3 10-08-2019, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Talk to Bob Colosi. http://www.guitarsaddles.com/ .

Yep. That's the best advice you can get right there.

ryevick · #4 10-08-2019, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Talk to Bob Colosi. http://www.guitarsaddles.com/

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

Will do, thanks!

ljguitar · #5 10-08-2019, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryevick

I am about to do some adjustments on the bridge of my Martin and I need to buy a couple of saddles just in case I take too much off the bottom of one, I'll have another one to work with. I know some prefer bone and some prefer tusq. I'm open minded about it. I think I would prefer bone but the only issue I have with bone is sometimes there are soft spots in a bone saddle. Not all bone saddles are created (quality controlled) equally, so I'm just kind of looking for the "best" saddle for my Martin and I'm open to suggestions and tips. Thanks a lot I really appreciate it!

Hi ryevick

The BEST (absolute best) compensated saddles I've ever had were installed and tweaked by my luthier. That's because every instrument is slightly different…even manufactured ones.

And some people's ears are more sensitive to pitch than others' ears are.

Saddle setup and compensation is not limited to adjusting the height of the saddle. The nut slots need to be proper depth, and the neck relief needs to be set before saddle height is adjusted. Intonation is the final step after those three are resolved.

DenverSteve · #6 10-08-2019, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljguitar

[size=2]Hi ryevick

The BEST (absolute best) compensated saddles I've ever had were installed and tweaked by my luthier. That's because every instrument is slightly different…even manufactured ones.

Yes. A saddle should be compensated for that guitar and those strings at the time you have the guitar set up properly with a proper neck and nut set up. Done by itself, it will likely be off when you do have all those other things done.