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  #1  
Old 03-21-2020, 02:23 AM
sirwhale sirwhale is offline
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Default Saddle compensation for G and B

Has anyone had success with saddle compensation for the G and B strings? Action at 3.0mm to 3.5mm 12th fret.

Generally I have found carbon strings to intonate very well on my guitar, but have found nylgut needing compensation. I've just ordered a new saddle with compensation for the G and B strings, I'll let you know how it goes.
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Guitar: Camps Primera Negra A (a flamenco guitar)
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Old 03-21-2020, 09:25 AM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
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Hi 'whale. I haven't noticed any improvement/difference with compensated saddles - I've tried saddles compensated for the 3 string and even tried a steel string compensated saddle. For me to notice a change in intonation, I think it would require a thicker than normal saddle on a lightly built guitar with bright (carbon) strings tuned to standard. My tuning is 1 to 2 steps below that, which may conceal intonation issues.
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Old 03-21-2020, 10:04 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Short answer:

The act of depressing a string against a fret stretches the string. Stretching of the string increases its tension. The pitch produced by the vibrating string is related to its tension. Thus, stretching the string increases its vibrating pitch.

The amount by which a string stretches, and the pitch increases, is dependent upon a number of factors, including the type, gauge and construction of string, the material from which the string is made, the vibrating string length, the player's technique, the height of the strings (i.e. how much the string is stretched by fretting), and so on.

The usual way in which the unwanted increase in pitch is addressed is to lengthen the actual vibrating string length. Doing so reduces the pitch, since the pitch the vibrating string produces is inversely proportional to the vibrating string length. The lengthening of the actual vibrating string length is usually accomplished at the saddle and is known as compensation at the saddle, or, simply, saddle compensation. The goal is to decrease the pitch of the vibrating string length - by lengthening the actual vibrating string length - by exactly the same amount as the increase caused by fretting.

Given that each of the six strings is different from the others, and they are often slightly different heights, each string needs its own unique amount of compensation to best play in tune. The amount of compensation that each string needs is determined empirically for that combination of factors - string type, material, gauge, string height, player technique, etc. No one, single amount of compensation is best for all combinations. That is, if you change string type, for example, that different type of string might require a different amount of compensation for that string to best play in tune.

If you are using a combination of factors that is different than that for which the saddle compensation was created, the vibrating string will not play as in tune as possible. That is, for best intonation, the saddle needs to be set up for a specific combination of string gauge, type, material, string height... A "drop-in" compensated saddle is only an approximation unless it was setup for the specific combination of factors you are using.

A drop-in compensated saddle will give better intonation than a non-compensated saddle, but unless it has been created for the exact combination of factors that you - and your guitar has - it will only be "close".

On the instruments that I make, I use a 3/16" wide saddle that accommodates the amount of compensation each string requires. Narrower saddles often don't have sufficient width to allow that.
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Old 03-22-2020, 01:05 AM
sirwhale sirwhale is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bax Burgess View Post
Hi 'whale. I haven't noticed any improvement/difference with compensated saddles - I've tried saddles compensated for the 3 string and even tried a steel string compensated saddle. For me to notice a change in intonation, I think it would require a thicker than normal saddle on a lightly built guitar with bright (carbon) strings tuned to standard. My tuning is 1 to 2 steps below that, which may conceal intonation issues.
I've only really noticed an issue with strings containing nylgut. With the G string intonating the worst, the B string slightly, and no problems with the E string.

I've ordered a purpose built compensated saddle. It's strange that I've never seen one before on a nylon-string. I'm hoping it will help because I find the intonation issue annoying. I really like the Alchemia strings' character, but want them to intonate better.

Should compensated saddles on nylon-strings be more common?
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Christian
Guitar: Camps Primera Negra A (a flamenco guitar)
Strings: Aquila SugarAquila Rubino, Knobloch CX, Aquila Alchemia
I play: Acoustic blues & folk
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/sirwhale28/videos
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  #5  
Old 03-22-2020, 07:37 AM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sirwhale View Post
I've only really noticed an issue with strings containing nylgut.....

Should compensated saddles on nylon-strings be more common?
I don't see a great need to be honest.
You seem to be having a very narrowly focused problem, particular to your own unique situation.
It could be that you'll satisfactorily solve it with the customized saddle though, so good luck with that.
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