My first bone saddle

[Mirosh]

I've been enjoying my Yamaha AC1R for a couple months. My first ever new guitar after decades with a 1970s Yamaha FG-200 with a big belly bulge, too-high action, and sour intonation. Had a good local luthier do a setup with nut and saddle work and some additional work on too-wide frets, loose wire inside, etc.

Today I put in a bone saddle with pretty much the same shape as the factory one and very slightly higher overall. Intonation is a little bit off. That can be addressed. But the difference in sound, volume, crispness, sustain - wow! It's like I have a new new guitar. Reminds me of years ago when I installed a CD player into my sound system and played CDs instead of LPs. It was as if I had removed a mattress from in front of the speakers!

[Dru Edwards]

What great results for a new saddle. Perhaps the original saddle was never seated properly in the slot or just wasn't cut properly. Regardless, it sounds like you have a 'new' guitar.

Did you also get new strings put on? Same brand/gauge as you always have? That can also make a difference.

[kriso77]

Great analogy with the LP/CD comparison. Don’t be afraid to shave it down with some sandpaper on a flat surface to adjust your height. A little goes a long way.

[Mirosh]

OP here. The original plastic saddle was a bit loose in its slot - I could rock it fore and aft. That can't be good. The bone is a snug fit. I did not change the strings - the D'addarios the luthier put on (EJ16?) remain. I may sand the bone down a bit and maybe try to tweak it for intonation. Thanks for your responses.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Mirosh

OP here. The original plastic saddle was a bit loose in its slot - I could rock it fore and aft. That can't be good. The bone is a snug fit. I did not change the strings - the D'addarios the luthier put on (EJ16?) remain. I may sand the bone down a bit and maybe try to tweak it for intonation. Thanks for your responses.

Thanks for the follow-up. It's probable that your issue was the original saddle loose in the slot. Good luck with the intonation with the new bone nut. Have you done that before? It isn't easy.

[Mirosh]

I have worked on my two 1970s FG-200s to improve them short of a neck reset, including new short saddles and bridge doctors, but have done little at the saddle re: intonation. I may leave this new bone saddle on my AC1R as is because the intonation problems are only there if I look for them.

I could examine the original saddle and this new bone one closely and try to replicate the original's contours. If I screw it up, I can get another of the same bone saddles fairly easily and cheaply. For now, I'll play it and enjoy it as I get to know it better. Thanks for your responses.