Where to find Bone Saddle and nuts in JHB

Distortion_101

Hey guys.

I'm looking for someone who makes bone compensated saddles for acoustic guitars and custom nuts.

I've decided I don't want plastic or trebly materials as that what is on my guitar at the moment and I want the full sound (as much as nuts and saddles can deliver) to be delivered, which means only bone, no TUSQ products.

So where can I buy or have one made locally and what's the general price? Also what options do I have, cow bone, fossilized ivory etc etc?

Thanks for your time guys
DS101

Bob-Dubery

If you must have bone somebody's going to have to cut the pieces from blanks - or cut a larger piece of bone into blanks. To source the raw material try knife makers fairs, stores and suppliers or speak to your friendly local guitar tech. Or import the pieces yourself.

Don't put Tusq in the same category as cheap generic plastic. It isn't a plastic and it certainly has it's merits.

Which ever route you go you, the pieces you get will need some work performed. Saddles will, at the least, need to be cut down to the right hight, nuts will need rather more work. So it's not a quick job, and the technician, rightly, will charge you for the labour.

Where do you live? Costafonix on this forum cut a bone nut and saddle for me and did a good job at a reasonable price. Costa is on the near east rand (relative to JHB that is).

peterleroux

I know Pete Buckle out here in Benoni does bone saddles and nuts - his details are in the luthiers list at the top of the page.

Beef bone (usually from ribs, I think) is the most common bone for nuts. Other materials that are good are Tusq (designed as an ivory substitute), Corian (a resin with stone dust to increase it's density - much harder and denser than plastics) and the various ivories. I can't comment on the sound of ivories, having nevery played a guitar with them, but your options are: mammoth ivory (so-called fossil ivory)- legal for export, warthog or hippo ivory - legal for export, elephant ivory - legal for purchase in South Africa, but not legal to export. Bone is much cheaper than ivory, and I know as a material, enamel (ivory) is much harder than bone, but someone who's played an instrument with ivory parts will have to comment on the sound.

Distortion_101

I know there is alot of work that goes into bone saddles. I don't deny that. Okay east rand is perfect for me as I live that side of town ?

Reason why I don't want TUSQ is cause it tends to bring out the highs. My guitar is a bright grand concert and I don't need any more highs. We'll worn in DR Dragonskins PB strings have added great low end while still retaining the clarity (great strings btw, lots of squeak but amazing tone!)

But now I need a little more which I believe will be added by bone. If not ill try TUSQ. Expensive route, I know but cheaper than getting a new guitar. Amazing how my taste in tone all of a sudden changed ? dreads are a little too low, mine is a little too high. So just trying to bring the lows up.

Will try them and see what happens. If its a good change I'll do the nut as well!

AlanRatcliffe

If you're serious about it, have the luthier cut you both a Tusq and bone one at the same time but not glue one of the nuts in (string pressure holds them in). Try 'em both for a while and see which suits you (and the guitar) best - maybe a combo. Once you settle on a choice, pop back to the luthier for a spot of glue

I know a classical player who gigs with a dozen nuts and saddles (mostly bone and ivory) and will change them out depending on the acoustics of the venue and her mood.

Distortion_101

I didn't know they were supposed to be glued in? What I you need to make adjustments?

I know that they suppose to fit tight, and have a flat bottom to transfer as much of the vibration as possible. More vibration (or larger surface to vibrate) is more volume and low end. Too much in a small guitar an it can cause other issues though.

I'll try the bone. If I get the sound I want, I'll stick with it. As I say, I've heard alot that it adds extra clarity (which my guitar DOES NOT need) if not ill try TUSQ.

AlanRatcliffe

Not essential, but a drop of cold glue stops it from falling off when you change strings.

The thing about bone is a lot of it varies from piece to piece. The cow bone most use these days is fairly consistent compared to some other types, but there is still some variation.

Bob-Dubery

Have you tried using different strings? You can change tone somewhat that way. 80:20 and phosphor bronze don't sound the same. BUT there are tension differences as well. All else being equal there'll be more tension in a PB set than in the corresponding 80:20 set.

Distortion_101

I prefer the tension of the PB and the sound. 80/20 is too metallic for me. PB is great from the start and gets great low end later while retaining new string clarity. The DR Dragonskins have that exact tone I'm looking for. Just a little too squeaky. I will try DAddario EXP PB too. I always use coated cause my fingers are really corrosive to strings.

I don't worry much about it falling out. I take care of my guitar. A well fitted one also won't fall out easy.

I guess all I have to do now is get a bone saddle made, and try it out.

Ray

Distortion_101 wrote: Hey guys.

I'm looking for someone who makes bone compensated saddles for acoustic guitars and custom nuts.

I've decided I don't want plastic or trebly materials as that what is on my guitar at the moment and I want the full sound (as much as nuts and saddles can deliver) to be delivered, which means only bone, no TUSQ products.

So where can I buy or have one made locally and what's the general price? Also what options do I have, cow bone, fossilized ivory etc etc?

Thanks for your time guys
DS101

I had some work done by Pete Buckle a few years ago. Good work. Didnt cost a lot but it was nut, saddle and some other stuff I cant remember what. And it didnt come to very much. But I cant remember maybe 5 or 6 hundred or so. Now, what he used at the time was Eland bone because it's apparently more dense. But I'll tell you that there are people with far better ears than mine over here becasue I'ver swapped bone stuff out for micarta and listen like crazy which is better and ... and well it's lost on me. But anyway, you've also got to wonder what the effect of a different material nut is worth once the string is fretted.

Distortion_101

Once fretted a nut has no use. That I know. That's why the saddle is my first choice.

I'll change it for the sake of correct height, and normal chords. For my electric I'm going TUSQ. Tuning stability is something else. And it's quite a dark guitar. Plus I have a few buzzing issues ?

studmissile

If you near to Benoni I would get Pete Buckle tot do it. (011) 973-483

Gearhead

Distortion_101 wrote: Once fretted a nut has no use. That I know.

...but it is not true. The string still angles over the nut so any tension vibration will still be transferred. The fretted string has no choice but to vibrate in tension as much as it does in up/down & front/back. If you do not believe, just put a tuning fork on the nut and a capo on a fret so that one of the fretted strings is in tune with the fork. See how it resonates and reconsider.

Bob-Dubery

Gearhead wrote:
Distortion_101 wrote: Once fretted a nut has no use. That I know.
...but it is not true. The string still angles over the nut so any tension vibration will still be transferred. The fretted string has no choice but to vibrate in tension as much as it does in up/down & front/back. If you do not believe, just put a tuning fork on the nut and a capo on a fret so that one of the fretted strings is in tune with the fork. See how it resonates and reconsider.

I've been thinking on this lately. Martin Simpson has these effects that he adds by strumming behind his left hand (making a chord or holding a slide) and his guitar rings like a bell when he does that. For that to happen the nut must be transferring energy somehow.