Best Acoustic & Classical Guitar Saddles in 2022

Last update: January 15, 2023

Are all acoustic guitar saddles the same?

An acoustic guitar saddle is a small strip of material that the strings rest on. The saddle helps to transfer the vibrations of the strings to the body of the guitar, which amplifies the sound. There are different types of materials that can be used for the saddle, such as bone, plastic, or metal. The type of saddle you use will affect the tone of your guitar.

Do all acoustic guitars need a compensated saddle?

No, not all acoustic guitars need a compensated saddle. Many guitars have what is called an "open" string tension, meaning that the string tension is not always equal across all strings. This can cause the intonation (the tuning of the strings) to be slightly off, especially on the lower strings. A compensated saddle helps to correct this by slightly offsetting the position of the saddle, so that the string tension is more evenly balanced.

Do guitar saddles affect tone?

The short answer is yes, guitar saddles can affect tone. The type of saddle you use, along with the material it's made of, can affect both the sound of your guitar and the playability. If you're looking for a brighter sound, you might want to try a saddle made of bone or brass. If you're looking for a warmer sound, you might want to try a saddle made of ebony or rosewood. The height of your saddle can also affect the tone of your guitar. If the saddle is too high, the strings can buzz against

Do titanium saddles make a difference?

There are a lot of cyclist who would say that titanium saddles make a difference. They are often more expensive than other materials, but they are also said to be more comfortable. Titanium is also a very strong and lightweight metal, which is another reason why some cyclists prefer it.


Unbleached Bone Saddle - Fits Many Newer Yamaha Guitars - 75.2 mm Length Review:


These saddles were recently purchased for my Yamaha LJ6 and LL6. With a candle, there were no discernible bright or dark areas, which is positive. The movement may be fine-tuned despite the fact that the width was ideal, the length took 10 seconds of sanding, and the height required additional sanding. The saddles on my guitars contain built-in pickups, so a flat bottom is crucial for consistent volume. I used the video as a guide and, after sanding the bottom, I set a level on edge of the sandpaper and moved the saddle along the edge to achieve a 90-degree angle. The guitar sounded quite decent with the previous Urea/plastic saddle, but the B string's tone from the third to the sixth fret was harsh and unmusical. Along with fixing the issue, the bone saddle gave the guitar a richer, more balanced sound. Although the overall tone is better in a way I truly enjoy, the volume and sustain did not, in my opinion, change. I'm thrilled with the result. Update: After playing the guitar for a while, I certainly notice greater sustain than previously, however the volume remains largely same.



Acoustic Bone Saddle - Fits Many Martin Guitars Review:


A few Martin guitars are mine. For my Lxme, I purchased this replacement bone saddle. Under the strings, the stock saddle had suffered severe wear and tear. Over the previous few years, they had made several deep grooves. I was buzzing a lot and the intonation had grown so terrible. I decided to use a bone saddle because it is denser and stronger and should last longer before becoming deeply encrusted.The new bone saddle is much stiffer and stronger feeling. It slid into the bridge perfectly. It stood fairly tall. My old saddle had been modified to be quite short for low motion. The single sheet of 120 sand paper that came with the new saddle was enough to sand it down to the height I wanted. (There are several YouTube tutorials that can show you how to accomplish this if you've never done it.) I was pleased with the sound after writing it down, comparing it to my old saddle, and adding some fresh strings. My intonation is correct once more, and the buzz has subsided. My guitar now sounds brand-new. Even if it just lasts as long as the factory tusq saddle, it was a terrific bargain and well worth it. I hope it lasts longer than my stock one.



Blisstime 2 Sets 4pcs 6 String Acoustic Guitar Bone Bridge Saddle and Nut Made of Real Bone Review:


My rating is mainly for the bridge saddle because I have only recently installed it and have not yet placed the nut.In terms of materials, fit, and finish, my cheap Chinese-made acoustic guitar (Kona) is surprisingly good for the price. When played acoustically, the tone was likewise acceptable. Additionally, it features a piezo bridge saddle pickup, which sadly produced a terrible sound. The guitar was unusable when "plugged in" because the E and B treble strings completely drowned out the other strings in volume. The G string split/crushed the flimsy plastic saddle, so I replaced it with this bone saddle in a rare case of a guitar part failing and turning out to be lucky.The replacement saddle was practically exact in its dimensions. I simply needed to carefully file some string notches and sand about.020" off the bottom of the new saddle to complete the replacement task, which was quite simple. The acoustic sound quality improved, although not significantly. I would describe it as being slightly less brilliant and more balanced. However, listening to it when plugged in resulted in a massive improvement in sound. The harmony of the strings' relative loudnesses is almost flawless.Although it didn't make my $120 guitar into a $1200 guitar, it is now playable when plugged in, and I believe the bridge alone makes this Amazon purchase worthwhile given how much better the piezo sound is now.The replacement bone nut appears to be virtually an exact duplicate of the one on my guitar based on side-by-side measurements, but as I haven't yet installed it, I can only add one more observation about the nut. Given how much better the guitar sounds with the bone saddle inserted on the bridge, I predict the nut will only slightly enhance the sound (on chords with open strings only). Changing the nut might be problematic depending on your guitar because it might be challenging to do so without harming the finish. Due to the fact that I don't feel forced to do so at the moment, I postponed fitting the nut. But I now have a backup nut in case the original one on the guitar ever breaks.



For a Left Handed Guitar - 2 Sets 4pcs 6 String Acoustic Guitar Bone Bridge Saddle and Nut Made of Real Bone by Blisstime Review:


Years of fret buzzing rendered my 40-year-old Fender F-3 unplayable. So... Since it was already a low-end guitar, I leveled, contoured, edged, and polished it. I reasoned that I couldn't make it any worse. Unbelievably, it turned out *excellent*. Since the frets on older low-end guitars are now perfect and the aged wood sounds amazing, it is worth the time to do the frets.It was necessary to change the high action I had set it up for after thoroughly cleaning the frets (i used it for slide primarily because of the fret buzz). I considered TUSQ, but at the cost of a nut, I had some leeway.I examined these under a microscope, and it is clear that they *ARE* bone. They are surprisingly dense.The saddle sat snugly but not too firmly in the groove. To achieve a low action on the 12th fret, I sanded down its lower surface.The nut is likewise perfectly fitted, but once more the bottom needed to be sanded to adjust the motion. To match the headstock, I had to add a small amount of angle to the lower surface.Most importantly, it is unequivocally audible how the straight saddle and the bone saddle with intonation composition differ. Up the neck in particular, the tone is "sweeter." The severely poor intonation of the G and B strings was greatly improved using a digital tuner.



Bone Saddle - Fits Many Taylor Guitars - Wave Style Compensation Review:


Compared to the wave compensated Tusq saddle that came with my 2017 Taylor 214ce DLX from the factory, this bone saddle fit fairly closely. Despite not being a luthier, I've been playing for about 50 years. The low E at the 12th fret has to be changed from.09375 to.080 since I'm playing more jazz these days. My other acoustic guitars are a 2001 Taylor 814ce with excellent action, and a 1970 Martin D35. Since you can always take more off but not put it back, I went slowly. I used 150 grit sand paper taped to a level surface to sand each side uniformly while maintaining the centerline, checking the width with dial calipers frequently to ensure it was the same as the factory saddle. The factory saddle's width was measured along each of the six spots where the strings cross it, and I regularly checked my progress on the new saddle's width along those same six points. I fitted it in the bridge to make sure it fit properly after adjusting the width till it was the same as the stock saddle. Although it was tight, getting in and out was not too tough. I took care to preserve a square bottom, which is necessary for vibration to travel to the sound box and is likely also critical for the E2 pickup, then sanded the bottom of the bone saddle in a vice using rubber gasket material to shield the saddle from the metal vice edges. I moved carefully and used dial calipers to quantify my incremental advancement every 20 to 30 passes until I attained my goal. To make guarantee that I was sanding squarely, I used a sheet of 150 grit sand paper taped to the bottom of a flat piece of wood. Additionally, I made sure to check frequently to make sure the amount I cut when measured on each end was the same. In order to track my progress, I also inserted the bone saddle and re-strung the guitar three times. To make sure I hadn't gone too far, I paused and refitted the saddle when I was.008 inches from my aim. Given that the action was exactly where I intended it to be, I'm delighted I stopped short of my overall target decrease amount. With the suggested Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze, the action is now.080 at the low E and 12th fret and.060 at the high E and 12th fret. 12's. I had already looked online and discovered a 2013 specification sheet that demonstrated this still complies with Taylor's production requirements for a grand auditorium. A Stewart MacDonald string height gauge was employed. Following that, no truss rod adjustments were required to prevent buzzing. Although some of the low end volume was lost when the saddle was lowered, it is still playable and much easier today. And whenever I want to return the action to.09375, I still keep the factory one. This new bone saddle makes me very happy. I apologize for the length of this review, but I wanted to go into as much information about the procedure as I could to aid anyone else who would attempt to do this successfully.



BQLZR 4 string Ukulele Guitar Nut And Saddle Made Of Ebony 1 Pair Review:


To practice on, I got an inexpensive ukulele. As a result of the very high string height, practicing was a little difficult (part and parcel of a cheap ukulele among other things). YouTube has tutorials on how to sand these down to the height you like, but don't rush the process. If the pitch is too high, pressing the strings will become tiresome and you won't want to practice. If the pitch is too low, the strings buzz and you lose interest in practicing. I needed two tries (first one left the strings too high so more sanding). Having the ukulele's original versions as backups gave me some confidence. They look fantastic. Spending a few hundred dollars on a nice instrument that is already set up properly is an alternative to these cheap components. I haven't arrived yet.


Does a bone nut and saddle make a difference?

A bone nut and saddle can make a big difference in the quality of your guitar’s tone. Bone is a natural material that is denser than synthetic materials like plastic. This means that it can transfer vibrations better, resulting in a richer, fuller sound. Bone is also less likely to absorb moisture, so it can help to keep your guitar’s strings in tune.

How do I know if my guitar saddle is too high?

If your guitar saddle is too high, it can cause the string to buzz against the first fret. You can check this by holding down the string at the first and last fret and seeing if there is a gap between the string and the fret. If there is, then your saddle is too high.

How do I know if my guitar saddle is too low?

How high should a classical guitar saddle be?

The saddle on a classical guitar should be high enough to allow the strings to vibrate freely, but low enough so that the fingers do not touch the frets when the hand is in the playing position. The ideal height is a matter of personal preference and depends on the size of the guitar and the player's hand.

How much does it cost to replace an acoustic guitar saddle?

An acoustic guitar saddle is a small piece of bone or plastic that sits in the bridge of the guitar. The saddle helps to transfer the vibrations from the strings to the body of the guitar, which amplifies the sound. If the saddle is damaged or worn out, it can cause the sound of the guitar to be muted or dull. Replacing the saddle is a relatively simple and inexpensive repair that can be done by a qualified guitar technician. The cost of the replacement saddle will vary depending on the type of guitar and the materials used.

How tight should an acoustic saddle be?

An acoustic saddle should be tight enough that it doesn't rattle or buzz when you play, but not so tight that it's difficult to move. You should be able to slide it up and down the neck without too much resistance, but it shouldn't be loose enough to fall out on its own.