Installed a bone saddle

[kwakatak]

I spent a good hour or so in the wee hours sanding the new bone saddle from Bob Colosi for my Larriv

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by kwakatak First: How tight should the saddle be in the slot?

Just tight enough that you need a pair of pliers to pull it out. Should be no play whatsoever.

Originally posted by kwakatak Originally posted by kwakatak Second: How do you know if you've sanded too much off? How does it play? If you need to sand more off, mark the entire bottem with pencil, sand the pencil mark off, try the saddle. Originally posted by kwakatak This is in regards to the top surface and possibly the base. The brak angle of my high E string appears to be much shallower than all the other strings. There's no buzzing on the high E string and in general I wanted my action a little higher across the board since the thicker strings were bottomng out on me with the TUSQ saddle. Maybe the high E slot was'nt cut as deep as the rest. Ramps? You could cut them yourself. Originally posted by kwakatak I have other questions but my master summons me and we must be off. It's a dogs life.

[kwakatak]

Just tight enough that you need a pair of pliers to pull it out. Should be no play whatsoever.

I don't need pliers to pull the new saddle out. As for play, there may be the barest hint of it (sliding around, not rocking around) but I made sure that the bottom is perfectly flat.

How does it play? If you need to sand more off, mark the entire bottem with pencil, sand the pencil mark off, try the saddle.

IMO it actually plays a little better. The action was a tad too low for my liking on the low E and A strings. The High E and B strings seem to be just as low as with the TUSQ saddle.

Maybe the high E slot was'nt cut as deep as the rest. Ramps? You could cut them yourself.

I'm inclined to let it be for the moment.

One other question: the smell of bone when you sand it is quite odd and a little creepy. Ever read Edgar Allen Poe's "The Telltale Heart"? That's kinda what I felt like - poor moo cow!












PS: like I said, it may be too early to tell. The guitar seemed to repond better after washing up from the task and getting a little sleep.

[JasmineTea]

Well then, sounds like you accomplished what you were after.

I'm gonna get a bone saddle for mine eventualy. Still has the tusq. I may even try some of that red fossilized walrus

[kwakatak]

Yeah, little by little the guitar as a whole is growing on me. I guess I was expecting this big difference and there really wasn't one. All I was left with was the feeling that I was in over my head and that maybe I should take the guitar in to my tech and have him set it up for me.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I'm just not cut out for any kind of tinkering. Well, at least I know that I shouldn't try and buff out the satin finish on my own.