Larrivee Saddle?

KevinH · #1 09-06-2020, 08:29 PM

I ordered a Larrivee 00-40R and it just showed up a few days ago. So far, I'm really liking it. Maybe I'll post a NGD later.

I did the usual setup measurements on it after a few days of sitting in my humidity controlled room and found the action was 6/64" (0.094", 2.38 mm) on all strings. That's my usual target for the low E, but I'd like to lower the high e down to 4/64" (0.062", 1.58mm).

Rather than take a chance on ruining the original (bone) saddle I went to look for some online. MacNichols has a couple Larrivee saddles ($15), but neither look like the one on my 00. I'm sure I could get an exact replica from Bob Colosi, but I was looking to buy a few to play with so at $30 a pop that starts to get costly.

Any ideas on sources for a compensated saddle that fits on a 00? My saddle, shown below, measures 71 mm x 2.9mm (thick). Or do you just buy a blank and start from scratch?

Has anyone tried the MacNichol wave saddle for Larrivee? It doesn't have the stepped compensation on the b string, but maybe it still works?

Rockysdad · #2 09-06-2020, 08:39 PM

Larrivee sells saddles etc. on their site.

https://www.larrivee.com/shop

GGSanders · #3 09-07-2020, 06:48 AM

Larrivee sells saddles from their website that only compensate the B string. It won't look exactly like the one on your guitar, which appears to compensate all of the strings, gradually, from G to low E.

Several years ago I ordered a wave compensated saddle from Colosi for my '76. Had to use the original uncompensated saddle as a template since saddles on older intruments were different length. It corrected intonation issues on the b and both high and low e strings.

Since then, I have tweaked the saddle compensation and fine tuned the action on my Larrivees by very carefully filing and sanding the top edge of the saddle, after lowering the saddle height into range by sanding their bottom edge.

Its really not hard to do, and well worth it, when you realize with a little effort, you can really dial in both the intonation and the action you prefer. I would try the wave design MacNichol offers. It costs less than either Colosi or Larrivee, just might be perfect right out of the box. Then try tweaking it, if its not.

SpruceTop · #4 09-07-2020, 08:24 AM

You can make your current saddle to the specs you want by placing it upside down in a vise with the bass end flush with the top of the vise jaws and the treble end sticking up twice the distance of how much you want to remove to get the treble-side action spec that you want at the 12th fret. Now with a piece of 150-grit, one-side-adhesive sandpaper stuck to a flat sanding block, gently sand back and forth until the entire bottom of the saddle is flush with the top of the vise jaws. Doing it this way can ensure a square front-to-back bottom saddle surface depending on how good and square your vise jaws are. So how do you measure the treble-end bottom surface of the saddle when initially placing it in the vise? You can use an accurate ruler or machinist scale or even better is a dial test indicator. I use a granite surface plate with an indicator. If you have a friend who is a toolmaker or machinist, they can put your saddle in a Bridgeport mill and accomplish the same results using the setup procedure to position the bottom of the saddle in the vise. Even if you order saddle blanks or preshaped saddles, you'll likely still have to do some fitting by sanding ther bottom of the saddle to the correct height. Having Bob Colosi make a saddle to your exact specs may be the easiest and best way to go to ensure the results you want. Good Luck!

KevinH · #5 09-07-2020, 09:05 AM

Thanks SpruceTop. I do modify my own saddles and find it to be a nice way to spend some quality time with an IPA

. I was mainly looking for a replacement saddle so I could work on it rather than messing with the original or starting from scratch with a blank.

Checking with Larrivee should have been obvious. I didn't realize they sold saddle replacements. Ordered a few this morning.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

You can make your current saddle to the specs you want by placing it upside down in a vise with the bass end flush with the top of the vise jaws and the treble end sticking up twice the distance of how much you want to remove to get the treble-side action spec that you want at the 12th fret. Now with a piece of 150-grit, one-side-adhesive sandpaper stuck to a flat sanding block, gently sand back and forth until the entire bottom of the saddle is flush with the top of the vise jaws. Doing it this way can ensure a square front-to-back boyyom saddle surface depending on how good and square your vise jaws are. So how do you measure the treble-end bottom surface of the saddle when initially placing it in the vise? You can use an accurate ruler or machinist scale or even better is a dial test indicator. I use a granite surface plate with an indicator. If you have a friend who is a toolmaker or machinist, they can put your saddle in a Bridgeport mill and accomplish the same results using the setup procedure to position the bottom of the saddle in the vise. Even if you order saddle blanks or preshaped saddles, you'll likely still have to do some fitting by sanding ther bottom of the saddle to the correct height. Having Bob Colosi make a saddle to your exact specs may be the easiest and best way to go to ensure the results you want. Good Luck!

AZLiberty · #6 09-07-2020, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinH

Any ideas on sources for a compensated saddle that fits on a 00? My saddle, shown below, measures 71 mm x 2.9mm (thick).

The saddle in the picture is clearly a compensated TUSQ saddle, not bone.

It's a standard size.

KevinH · #7 09-07-2020, 08:18 PM

What's the giveaway? FWIW, Larrivee says they use bone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

The saddle in the picture is clearly a compensated TUSQ saddle, not bone.

It's a standard size.

GGSanders · #8 09-07-2020, 10:02 PM

I don't see that the saddle in the photo is a Tusq saddle. Looks like bone, to me. According to their website all of their instruments come fitted with bone saddles. This was not always the case. Years ago certain series did come with TUSQ, my '03 DO-3 was one of them.

That said, the saddle offered on their website is bone, is their standard size, and will need to have the bottom sanded down to give you your preferred action. But, it only compensates the B string. If intonation is off you'll need to fine tune the compensation on top of the saddle for any string needing it with a fine file and sandpaper. It's not hard to do.

The wave compensation saddle offered by Bob Colosi and MacNichol also compensates both high and low E strings, while Larrivee's saddles do not.

leew3 · #9 09-08-2020, 08:51 AM

I replaced the original saddle in my L 03 with a stock Taylor saddle that came with a GS when I replaced that one with bone. Don't tell the Larrivee!

AZLiberty · #10 09-09-2020, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinH

What's the giveaway? FWIW, Larrivee says they use bone.

The molded in compensation shelf for the B string.

Larrivee's bone saddles (like most) have a wave shaped compensation for the B-String.

Yours looks just like the TUSQ saddle on my OM-03R.

Larrivee has gone back and forth over the years. Everything was bone, then everything was TUSQ, then the Californing guitars were bone, while the BC ones were TUSQ, then 05 and higher was Bone with the -03s getting TUSQ, then everything bone... and then for a while the -03s had TUSQ again and after that I lose track.

If you want a Bone Saddle with minimum fitting, I would order one from Larrivee. Should be already profiled, and thickness sanded to just a hair thicker than your saddle slot.

KevinH · #11 09-09-2020, 08:36 AM

I'm not sure the molded-in shelf means its TUSQ. I did end up ordering some saddles from Larrivee and the picture on their website (below), which they identify as bone, looks very much like the one currently on my 00. I'd imagine that shape would be fairly straightforward to machine out of bone using a CNC router. I'll report back when the saddles show up in case anyone else is interested.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

The molded in compensation shelf for the B string.

Larrivee's bone saddles (like most) have a wave shaped compensation for the B-String.

Yours looks just like the TUSQ saddle on my OM-03R.

Larrivee has gone back and forth over the years. Everything was bone, then everything was TUSQ, then the Californing guitars were bone, while the BC ones were TUSQ, then 05 and higher was Bone with the -03s getting TUSQ, then everything bone... and then for a while the -03s had TUSQ again and after that I lose track.

If you want a Bone Saddle with minimum fitting, I would order one from Larrivee. Should be already profiled, and thickness sanded to just a hair thicker than your saddle slot.

Rockysdad · #12 09-09-2020, 08:50 AM

The saddle is identical to the ones in my Larrivee guitars, L-10 (2016), Custom shop L-03 (2016), and Om-05 (2012), I spoke to Larrivee directly and was told they were bone. (Just trying to help clarify)

KevinH · #13 09-10-2020, 09:16 AM

My saddles showed up from Larrivee - quite fast actually. Larrivee does say they are bone. I have no reason to doubt them. And the drop and bending tests you can find on YouTube appear to confirm. They are identical to one that was on my 00-40. If you're looking for a replacement saddle, Larrivee is a good source. Thanks to all for the suggestions.