Best saddles for Start
- Thread starter BorisTe
- Start date
Re: Best saddles for Start
The textured roller one is a dodgy looking China design... if it works and it didnt look so ugly, it'd be good, but I'd bet they won't last and are probably 10x tackier looking in person
The second one is painfully generic and made of crap
Imho, bent Fender saddles or big fat brass saddles, depending on whether you want brighter or warmer tone
The textured roller one is a dodgy looking China design... if it works and it didnt look so ugly, it'd be good, but I'd bet they won't last and are probably 10x tackier looking in person
The second one is painfully generic and made of crap
Imho, bent Fender saddles or big fat brass saddles, depending on whether you want brighter or warmer tone
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Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Best saddles for Start
Highwood contoured vintage is what you are looking for. High quality bent saddles with no risk of death by height adjustment screws on the side of your hand.
They are kinda pricey though.
Highwood contoured vintage is what you are looking for. High quality bent saddles with no risk of death by height adjustment screws on the side of your hand.
They are kinda pricey though.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: Best saddles for Start
If you want your guitar to stay in tune as best as possible -go Graphtech on the saddles and nut -trust me -I didn't want to believe it for years, but it's true -really true. My guitars flew dozens and dozens of flights this year and before the Graphtech/NYXL setups on all my gig guitars 2 years ago I used to have to acclimate my guitars to the altitude and humidity of the local place as soon as I landed by opeining up the cases and making them soak in the climate to make sure they were not kooky and going out of tune prematurely constantly at gig time. I don't do that at all anymore -as the Graphtech setup allow for a cleaner tension movement across the binding points. NYXL strings are better too for this too BTW. For a live guitar you won't really hear the difference of the softer Graphtech material, in the studio it's slightly mellow but a good Clean Boost with an EQ bump will bring it right back if you want it -or use a studio EQ in the mix phase.
If you want your guitar to stay in tune as best as possible -go Graphtech on the saddles and nut -trust me -I didn't want to believe it for years, but it's true -really true. My guitars flew dozens and dozens of flights this year and before the Graphtech/NYXL setups on all my gig guitars 2 years ago I used to have to acclimate my guitars to the altitude and humidity of the local place as soon as I landed by opeining up the cases and making them soak in the climate to make sure they were not kooky and going out of tune prematurely constantly at gig time. I don't do that at all anymore -as the Graphtech setup allow for a cleaner tension movement across the binding points. NYXL strings are better too for this too BTW. For a live guitar you won't really hear the difference of the softer Graphtech material, in the studio it's slightly mellow but a good Clean Boost with an EQ bump will bring it right back if you want it -or use a studio EQ in the mix phase.
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Best saddles for Start
I've used and love the Graphtec and it does work as advertised. I have only one strat now, and it has a great bone nut on it and Callaham hardware from tuners to strap pins. I love the traditional sound of the steel as well. I don't gig though and the advice from Negative Ease is very good.
I've used and love the Graphtec and it does work as advertised. I have only one strat now, and it has a great bone nut on it and Callaham hardware from tuners to strap pins. I love the traditional sound of the steel as well. I don't gig though and the advice from Negative Ease is very good.
Re: Best saddles for Start
Graphtech won't do anything whatsoever for wood temperature change behaviours, and thus cannot help acclimation of a WELL-setup guitar
If your previous nut and saddles were extra bindy, that's their/your fault
Graphtech won't do anything whatsoever for wood temperature change behaviours, and thus cannot help acclimation of a WELL-setup guitar
If your previous nut and saddles were extra bindy, that's their/your fault
Silence Kid
New member
Re: Best saddles for Start
Funny thing is- A lot of respected bridges/saddles have been made out of zinc; just not on Strats. I have steel and zinc saddles on various guitars (and between Strats.) They're different but I think neither is really better than the other.
Funny thing is- A lot of respected bridges/saddles have been made out of zinc; just not on Strats. I have steel and zinc saddles on various guitars (and between Strats.) They're different but I think neither is really better than the other.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: Best saddles for Start
of course the wood has to acclimate -the graphtech nut and saddle makes it easier for the wood to do it's moving versus a bone/brass/plastic nut or anything else
of course the wood has to acclimate -the graphtech nut and saddle makes it easier for the wood to do it's moving versus a bone/brass/plastic nut or anything else
mojosman
New member
Re: Best saddles for Start
+1 for this. I used Callaham vintage saddles on one of my partscasters, and I can tell you that you will get longer string life. It’s very rare to break a string at the saddle with these.
+1 for this. I used Callaham vintage saddles on one of my partscasters, and I can tell you that you will get longer string life. It’s very rare to break a string at the saddle with these.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Best saddles for Start
Here's the catch: In order for someone to tell you what best is for you, you need to tell them what best is for you. Someone can't just up and tell you that something is the best, period. Things can be the best at meeting specific criteria that you name, but not simply "The Best," period, with no specific criteria to meet.
Here's the catch: In order for someone to tell you what best is for you, you need to tell them what best is for you. Someone can't just up and tell you that something is the best, period. Things can be the best at meeting specific criteria that you name, but not simply "The Best," period, with no specific criteria to meet.
Jacew
New member
Re: Best saddles for Start
I use and have used generic Fender/squier plate ones, some like in lower picture (can anyone tell whether that looking saddles are chrome or zinc anyway?) and Wilkinson steel ones that I probably like most. And some others.
Plate ones I rarely use in a will of maxing out sustain, but they've all worked. Never had issues with binding and never broken a string.
When speaking of standard ones with height screws, and aside ones made of some soft turd, I even dare to say trem block might make bigger difference.
I dropped saddles in my partscaster on the plate recently due to excessive action. (probably need to shim the neck). Result of removing height screws was the most sustaining strat I've ever played. It's great except I don't quite like the lack of radii in strings.
I use and have used generic Fender/squier plate ones, some like in lower picture (can anyone tell whether that looking saddles are chrome or zinc anyway?) and Wilkinson steel ones that I probably like most. And some others.
Plate ones I rarely use in a will of maxing out sustain, but they've all worked. Never had issues with binding and never broken a string.
When speaking of standard ones with height screws, and aside ones made of some soft turd, I even dare to say trem block might make bigger difference.
I dropped saddles in my partscaster on the plate recently due to excessive action. (probably need to shim the neck). Result of removing height screws was the most sustaining strat I've ever played. It's great except I don't quite like the lack of radii in strings.
Re: Best saddles for Start
Chrome and zinc ain't mutually exclusive
Chrome is the default shiny-coating on the outside
Zinc is the usual pressed-and-heated powdered crap on the inside
Chrome and zinc ain't mutually exclusive
Chrome is the default shiny-coating on the outside
Zinc is the usual pressed-and-heated powdered crap on the inside
Re: Best saddles for Start
That is the exact reason I'm considering those new Highwood saddles, the screws are recessed so that they don't stick out above the top of the saddle. I think it's ingenious.
Al
That is the exact reason I'm considering those new Highwood saddles, the screws are recessed so that they don't stick out above the top of the saddle. I think it's ingenious.
Al
