Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Topic started by: Doulos on May 21, 2016, 07:00:10 PM
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I had some string buzz on my d string so I thought I would try a bone nut and saddle on my 414ce. I got my parts from here http://www.guitarpartsandmore.com/?nav=home (http://www.guitarpartsandmore.com/?nav=home) (no affiliation). After spending all day finishing them up I tried them out. I didn't like them. The sound was brighter but not a good bright to me. At first I felt my sound was louder but I didn't seem to have the richness or fullness of sound I had with the Tusq. I installed Tusq and am much happier with the sound. I'm glad I tried the bone nut and saddle. You never know until you try it yourself. I have bone installed on an older Fender acoustic and it sounds great but for me not on this Taylor.
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Good observation. While many of my guitars have bone saddles, some others sound better to me with Tusq. It's certainly an individual choice, and there is no one perfect solution for every guitar's tone, as there are too many contributing factors.
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Bone sounds great on my GC 12-fret, although I have no frame of reference re Tusq on a GC 12-fret.
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... there is no one perfect solution for every guitar's tone, as there are too many contributing factors.
This, big time!
I involuntarily chuckle to myself every time I hear or read someone opining that bone saddle/nut are sonic upgrades to that man-made crud, blah blah. It is exactly as SF stated: there are a myriad of factors that contribute to tone, nut and saddle being just two And even this discounts the fact that every piece of bone (just like wood) has its own individual properties that are not completely predictable.
Then there is the equation of which man-made material: tusq, micarta, graphite, plastic, etc., each having their own properties. Moreover, the "better" the guitar is engineered and built, the more these materials are considered as a sum of the guitar's overall voice. Which is often why cheap guitars typically benefit from a saddle replacement (or even a properly cut cheap nut which can sound better than replacing it with another magic material!). It's not like the bone material "fixed" the tone as much as any saddle harder/denser than cheap generic plastic would likely improve its tone; but not axiomatic for pricier guitars whose "whole build" is part of the equation from the get-go.
At the very least, a saddle swap is an inexpensive experiment that is easy to A/B, and reverse if need to. Glad you found out what works and what sounds better! :D
Edward
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I have a routine that whenever I buy a new guitar I do a little experimenting. I go through various string changes of which I have kept a log. I have found the same strings sound differently on different guitars/woods/builds etc. Another thing I do is try bone and saddle materials and Tusq. I have chosen bone on some guitars whereas I have found Tusq to sound better, to me, on others. I learned to setup my own guitars several years ago after I paid a tech at Guitar Center for a setup and it seemed he did "nothing" to my guitar. I also took a Takamine to a "luthier" who advertised in the paper and who had great reviews from pros and amateurs alike. I got the guitar back and wasn't completely satisfied with it either. I have since bought some tools from StewMac and find great pleasure setting up my own guitars and friends alike. If I get a nut or saddle too low I chalk it up as experience and try again. I try to measure many times to carefully get it right. I enjoy my "hobby". I do agree with much that is said here. The entire build definitely goes into the tone equation.