considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

[DankStar]

I'm considering a new nut & possibly new saddles filed to specs for my LP special so all the string heights can be appropriate across the whole guitar, and to potentially stop my high e from falling off the fretboard.

What should these items run me?

Was quoted about $100 for nut - seems kinda high.

Thanks

 

[BrianS.]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

If they are making the nut from a bone blank, than that is a fair price. I charge $65 for a bone nut and I'm on the cheap end of the spectrum. Add in parts and the cost of filing the saddle slots (30 bucks?) and it seems like a fair price.

 

[CodeDante]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

I have the same high e issue and it bothers me greatly. Would getting a new nut and new bridge saddles fix that problem? If so what should I get and where can I get it?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

$100 is high. One of the best and most respected guys in L.A. charges $68 to fabricate a bone or graphite nut, and $88 for brass. I consider that high, but he charges a bit of a premium because he has a very good reputation. Another guy I used to go when I lived in a different part of town charged $45, and did a fine job.

 

[Bludave]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

Do yourself a favor and have a new nut made from Ivory. That should run about 100$ as long as it is not Mammoth Ivory. The clarity & note seperation will be worth every penny. As far as saddles go...... I like Graphite. I have a heavy hand and was breaking a ,lot of strings. Since I have replaced the saddles on most of my guitars with graphite I have not broken a string in quite some time & when I do it is usually on a guitar that I have not changed the saddles or I have gotten lazy and the strings have been on way too long....

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

If you're constantly breaking strings at the saddle (heavy handed or not) it's usually because of a bur. I always file and polish my saddles now on every new guitar that I buy. Since I've been doing this I have NEVER broken a string.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

I like wooden nuts made of oak I make myself. Has anyone else ever tried this?

 

[kilphody]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

Do yourself a favor and have a new nut made from Ivory. That should run about 100$ as long as it is not Mammoth Ivory. The clarity & note seperation will be worth every penny. As far as saddles go...... I like Graphite. I have a heavy hand and was breaking a ,lot of strings. Since I have replaced the saddles on most of my guitars with graphite I have not broken a string in quite some time & when I do it is usually on a guitar that I have not changed the saddles or I have gotten lazy and the strings have been on way too long....

YUP

 

[erksin]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

If they are making the nut from a bone blank, than that is a fair price. I charge $65 for a bone nut and I'm on the cheap end of the spectrum. Add in parts and the cost of filing the saddle slots (30 bucks?) and it seems like a fair price.

Is there really that much mark-up on a bone blank? 'Cause an unshaped bone blank is $5 tops...

Around here, a new nut is anywhere from $40-$60. $100 is absolute gouging.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

I'm confused...everybody is saying how high this is.

Is $100 just for the nut or for the nut and bridge???

If it's just the nut thats too much, but if it is the nut and a new set of saddles and then I have to assume a set up than $100 is a deal.

 

[Rodney Gene]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

Do yourself a favor and have a new nut made from Ivory. That should run about 100$ as long as it is not Mammoth Ivory. The clarity & note seperation will be worth every penny.

Only 6 notes out of 126 will change. It depends on how the guitar sounds unplugged as to whether those 6 notes are improved. Since nuts only affect open strings, choosing material based on the sound of the guitars open chords is the best route though that is usually no more than 4 notes unfretted at most. Ivory may be a good option though only in a small number of guitars. As for luthiers, they generally charge what they are worth. Avoid the low cost shops. Cheers.

 

[MojoMonster]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

I'm considering a new nut & possibly new saddles filed to specs for my LP special so all the string heights can be appropriate across the whole guitar, and to potentially stop my high e from falling off the fretboard.

To address the actual issue here and not what anything costs... simply replacing the nut with one that has the slots cut better, ie., giving you more room on the high e so it won't fall of the FB will fix this issue.
New saddles won't make as much a difference as getting an actual setup done on your guitar. Part of any setup should be dressing the saddle, ie., smoothing out the path of the string and making the radius of the bridge match the radius of the neck.

IMO, both of these things can be done by anyone competent with hand tools and a few spare hours, at most. The only tricky thing would be laying out and cutting the nut slots, but even that can be done on a budget.

Getting a bone nut won't hurt anything, but I wouldn't pay for new saddles unless the tech tells you that you actually need them or you want to experiment with other materials.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

I'd probably take it down to Truetone Music in Santa Monica. For being a premium store in the middle of town, they price things really fair and always hand you back your guitar exactly the way you wanted it.

I paid around $55 for a polished bone nut installed in my SG, and there's no trace that any work had been done, which only a pro can do on a Gibson with the nut lacquered in. They also stock all the popular hardware and pickups. They have a bigger assortment of Duncans than most stores.

 

[Chocklit_Thunda]

Re: considering new nut & bridge saddles for LP

I like wooden nuts made of oak I make myself. Has anyone else ever tried this?

Do they hold up? Iv thought about using an ultra hard wood along the lines of walnut or ironwood but I'm worried about the wood splintering or cracking under the pressure