"To bone or not to bone"

[thermostrat]

I've been toying with the idea of getting a bone saddle from that Colossi guy for my 514 but ain't quite convinced it'd be worth it. Anyone here with input that has a hog/cedar guitar that can help me decide. Only those that have half hogs. I know it will affect different setups differently, so I'm really looking to hear from those that know for sure of the tonal benefits of this modification. Someone has GOT to know from experience...

[Edward]

Yessir, I have done so.  It is not the dramatic difference that some tout, but it is a difference, nevertheless.  It is or is not worth it, and the determinant factors come down to the individual guitar and your tonal preference.   Personally, I feel it is the inexpensive guitars with cheap plastic saddles and/or poor setups which benefit most; with good quality guitars that are properly setup the difference is even less dramatic ...IME.

So no substitute for trying it, but at least it's an inexpensive tonal experiment and one that is easily reversible should you not like the results.

Side note: Bob Colissi is a pleasure to work with.

Edward

[mgap]

T-stat- IMHO don't bother it is not worth the effort

[thermostrat]

You guys rock! Thank you so much for your prompt, honest responses. That is exactly what I was looking for. My guitar already sounds amazing. I was just wondering because I have heard talk about it. And equally, that Bob is great to work with. Thanks again!

[stepchildusmc]

the saddles are cheap enough and easy to change out, just loosen the strings and swap it out. it wouldn't hurt to try and see if it's to your liking.

[michaelw]

the saddles are cheap enough and easy to change out, just loosen the strings and swap it out. it wouldn't hurt to try and see if it's to your liking.

+1
if any perceived change is not what is desired, it is easy enough to revert the guitar back by reinstalling the current saddle

on another note, in terms of strings, i prefer the tone of GHS infinity bronze strings
on a 514ce over elixir 80/20 nanoweb lights, but that's my own preference -
tstrat, you may  or may not  like the strings that i do, but there isn't
any way for someone else to determine for you that will be an "improvement"

same things goes with picks or tuning machines, electronic tuners, humidifiers or straps ... try them & use what you like
ymmv

[Edward]

Hey thermostrat,

Since Michael mentioned his preference in strings, may I also add that the difference one hears in string brands is often more significant a tonal difference than a saddle swap.  So if you love how your 514 sounds right now but just curious about "what's out there," then give a few a whirl. 

FWIW, I have yet to own an acoustic over the many yeeeaaars that didn't sound better to my ears with PhosphorBronze over the 80/20s.  Which likely says more about what my ear likes than anything, but just thought I'd throw that out there.  I personally love what elixir PBs bring to the table.  Food fer thought, anywho

Edward

[thermostrat]

Yeah... I'm not sure I wanna spend extra bucks for curiosities sake but what a few have mentioned makes sense... Next time I change out strings I'll try some different ones that may change things up a bit and see how it goes.

[GSMC Bob]

I tried a bone Colosi sadde in my Mahogany/Cedar GS.  In the end, I thought the guitar sounded better with the original tusq saddle and I put it back in.  However, on some guitars I have preferred the bone saddle, including an EIR/Cedar short scale 714ce I used to have that had a Taylor wave compensated bone saddle.  It's one of those things that needs to be judged on a case-by-case basis.  It doesn't cost much to test it out and, in the case of my GSMC, I put that bone saddle I did not prefer for that guitar into an EIR/Sitka Taylor that sounded much better with it than with the original tusq saddle.  Think of how much individual guitars of the same model/woods can vary in terms of tone and I think you can see why it is hard to make a blanket statement about whether a bone saddle will be your preference in a particular guitar without actually trying it out!  And that is not to mention that what each person calls "better" tone can vary according to their own personal ears and playing style...

[GSMC Bob]

Since Michael mentioned his preference in strings, may I also add that the difference one hears in string brands is often more significant a tonal difference than a saddle swap.  So if you love how your 514 sounds right now but just curious about "what's out there," then give a few a whirl. 

FWIW, I have yet to own an acoustic over the many yeeeaaars that didn't sound better to my ears with PhosphorBronze over the 80/20s.  Which likely says more about what my ear likes than anything, but just thought I'd throw that out there.  I personally love what elixir PBs bring to the table.  Food fer thought, anywho

I am with you on the Elixir Nano PB's, Edward.  I find them usually much better than 80/20's to my ear for my playing...

Bob

[stepchildusmc]

yep, a change in strings will make a much more noticable difference. i find that with every new guitar i play a "string rouelette" game. i try out a bunch and see what sounds better to me. mostly it goes back to a certain brand/set( but i think that's due more to brand loyalty than any major tonal difference...nobody can remember what the last 6 sets of strings sounded like). but some other guitars like the different ones surprisingly my maple 616 hates the strings my ebony 616 likes.

[MexicoMike]

"I thought the guitar sounded better with the original tusq saddle and I put it back in.  However, on some guitars I have preferred the bone saddle,"

I did the same with my 414ce - went to bone then, after a week, put the original Tusq back in.  As noted, it's a cheap experiment, especially if you make the saddle yourself - bone is cheap from any of the various guitar suppliers.  I make a lot of bone saddles for guitars I own/have owned, whether steel or nylon-stringed because I always change the action height from oem.  But sometimes a bone saddle is NOT an improvement over tusq/whatever, despite what guitar makers claim/charge for the "upgrade." 

"upgrade" is a currently fashionable word for something that, IMO, is just a change, not necessarily better.  Everybody calls anything they do to a product an "upgrade."  Sometimes it's the opposite…like a bone saddle on my 414! 

[GSMC Bob]

I do have to say the intonation up the neck with the Taylor "Wave Compensated" bone saddle was the best of any.  The downside is it wore more quickly than a Colosi bone saddle because of the the sharp point of the "wave".  It ended up with notches from the strings after awhile.  The Colosi saddles are more rounded across the top and compensated only at the B-string (like the original tusq).  The Taylor, of course, is a much more "drop-in" affair and needs little to no adjustment if your neck angle is right.

[Jersey tuning]

Anyone have experience/opinion regarding an ivory saddle (got one on my Martin 2-17)? Ebony nut (like on 2-17)?