How to fit a bone saddle and nut. Why fit a bone saddle and nut on an acoustic guitar?

[@guitar-academy]

Republished because I messed up the sound at the end of the video . . .

[@rocketpirates8787]

Hi Great video Can you tell us what is this song you play in comparison?

[@nikolajdragovic19]

Hello. it happened to me that after a professional guitar setup my guitar lost its sound, it lost its resonance. of course it was much softer and more comfortable to play but the sound was very bad. can anyone give advice. I apologize in bad English

[@mikel9319]

@@nikolajdragovic19 Just guessing what could have gone wrong: 1. Changed strings - Not all strings sound good on all guitars. Sometimes it is best to use the string brand that the manufacturer uses (ex. Washburn = Vinci). 2. The bridge/saddle setup - any change in materials. The nut only effects open strings. 3. Lower action may result in less tone as the string's vibration is actually dampened by hitting frets. I don't know why but even some famous pros have their acoustics setup this way (usually the ones trying to impress you with speed but their music is lacking).

[@mircea5013]

@@nikolajdragovic19 yup, happened to me after lowering my action. I think the saddle was lowered too much, there is a bit of fret buzz when picking harder, also it kind of lost some tension in the strings. This might be due to lower saddle still, or at least it seems this way. So I'm actually going to a luthier with it in a few days in order to raise the saddle by replacing it with a bone one, which would be taller. Hope I get it fixed.

[@guitar-academy]

@@BillLumbergh4you All the better for fingerstyle here's the course I wrote. Book 1 kzbin.info/aero/PLIQJcXCYbgO2q9hDUBT0E5z1JZDk3bowI Book 2 kzbin.info/aero/PLIQJcXCYbgO1uyExG1qS2puZ6aC11cA-M

[@nelisperez1370]

I just had to come back here and tell you that I’ve been studying your videos for 2 weeks. I watched this one about 8 or 9 times and your videos about string action and fret buzz about the same amount of times. I’m proud to say that thanks to you, today I was able to upgrade my plastic nut and saddle to bone. I sanded them down just how you showed us. I adjusted the truss rod, I shaved down my wonky frets after using a fret rocker, I lowered the action to the perfect height for me and I was finally able to play some barre chords cleanly because of this for the first time ever. I’ve only been playing for 2 months so I’m most definitely a beginner. Being able to say I set up my own guitar 2 months in is something I’m so damn proud of and it’s thanks to you. Just wanted you to know that all the effort you put into making these videos are so helpful and I appreciate your time and dedication making them! Sincerely, Nelis...from Miami, FL 😊👍🏼🤘🏼

[@guitar-academy]

Wow . . you should be proud, well done . . and that knowledge will last a life time . . Thank you for choosing these videos to learn from . . 🙂🙂

[@The_Real_Daniel]

You progress lots in the last year?

[@aaronvincent9003]

It's impossible for someone who is a beginner playing guitar for two months can play barre chords. Are you a promoter?

[@nelisperez1370]

@@aaronvincent9003 Definitely not a promoter. I was able to play some basic barre chords 2 months in due to lowering the action after watching the videos. I mean my transitions weren’t super clean from a regular chord to a barre chord but doing practice exercises to strengthen my fingers playing repetitive barre chords they sounded clean since I didn’t have to use so much strength due to the super low action. (I should also mention that I use light strings).

[@aaronvincent9003]

@@nelisperez1370 Good for you! For me, two years ago I was a beginner, today I am still a beginner. I am struggling on the basic 6 chords and their transitions, not even dare to dream of playing barre chord. It's incredible to be able to play barre chord just by adjusting the guitar!

[@fredslayton]

I thought I was the only one who plucked the string before unwinding so I can hear it go ‘whooooooooommmmmmmm” lol

[@guitar-academy]

it's a reassuring sound that . . 😀

[@brimster-valorantaggressiv3419]

NNNYYYYIIIIIOOOOOOOWWM

[@guitar-academy]

@@brimster-valorantaggressiv3419 🙂

[@fufc1231]

its a way to know you aint pulling it into your eye lol

[@hishpahlowtnavalowt8731]

Lool, i think it goes without saying.

[@carlbussmann7559]

Comparing the string height on the nut to that on the saddle - with a properly adjusted neck - is an excellent idea.I have done this on two guitars and the difference is quite noticeable. Thank you - excellent video.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you for commenting from you experience . . much appreciated 😊😃

[@vegitoblue2187]

the best upgrade I ever did on my guitar. Its hard to find people who do custom guitar work in my area. Fortunately found a someone who did a fine job leaving no mark on the wood

[@jimkozzy9293]

Hands down the MOST soothing voice in you tube.

[@guitar-academy]

thank you very much . . 😊😊

[@jet687]

I bought a guitar for my niece and I didn't realize how much difficult it was to play compared to my own guitar. It's now somewhat more playable thanks to your videos. I'm a little scared to adjust the nut further though because some of the frets are proud. I'll give the nut another go. Thanks for your help!

[@guitar-academy]

Sometimes you have to compromise, especially with cheap guitars or older guitars because the frets not be even. This video might help a little kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnO2nqKbnc9qqbM 😊

[@dukeofearl4117]

I setup my Fender acoustic. The action was high and I had a bunch of frets that were too high. I almost got rid of that guitar but now it play as pretty as it looks. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I could tell the difference between the original and setup on that Glary. Sounds so much better.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . and thanks for sharing!😊

[@lynnglidewell7367]

This was a fascinating video. Such an accomplished artisan at his craft. Every important detail covered. Here in the States I've never seen anyone go to such length to explain why each detail is so important. It sounded beautiful once completed. My compliments.

[@guitar-academy]

Wow, thank you very much . . that's really nice of you 😊😀

[@sarge2651]

Very noticeable tone difference after. Much more sustain and clearer low frequencies and overtones. Great video!

[@guitar-academy]

Glad you think the sound is improved ! thank you very much . . 😊😊

[@paulc3960]

Your video is good. It also included intonation on the nut side. One website said the gap between string to first fret would be o.25 to 0.3 mm. I had done 3 guitars nut and saddle replacement prior to watching this video. Pressed the 3rd fret to check the gap is good, as it will not be affected by the trust rod bow nor by the saddle height.

[@jeanlawson9133]

The material of the pins also make a drastic change as well as does notching for the string changing angle...But yes bone nut and bridge changes a instrument from boring to expressively bright... sustain and intonation are definitely noticable.

[@thomasleach1255]

Outstanding! You can always tell a real old guitar-head by his/her fingernails; stubs on the fretting hand and talons on the picking hand.

[@guitar-academy]

LOL . . this is very true. 😊😃

[@maxwellfan55]

Nothing flash, nothing rushed or unnecessary over-talking. Just very clear concise instruction, excellent camera angles and pre-presuming nothing. These are all very good teaching skills and a magnificent example to anyone making instructional videos. The tips on metal fatigue on loosening/tensioning string inner cores was particularly useful regards string breakage. I agree re bone saddle, nuts, for me the best material for acoustics, that generally applies to pins also. I also like snakewood. Thanks.

[@guitar-academy]

Wow, thanks! that's really nice of you 😊😃 Snakewood isn't that common over here in the UK but also looks beautiful. 😊

[@maxwellfan55]

@@guitar-academy A pleasure! I do minor set-ups for friends and being a banjo player I'm always on the search for the best possible tone from an instrument, even to a self-confessed nerdy level. It goes with playing banjo especially because there's so many moving/inter-changeable parts and adjustments. My view is ALL components (guitar or banjo - or any string instrument) have a cumulative affect on tone however minor. For example, I recently changed tuners on a Gibson acoustic (chrome Grovers to gold Gotohs) and swear it now sounds different. Your opinion welcome or am I going mad!? Haha. Hence all practical advice is very useful from others, so thanks very much for your presentations.

[@guitar-academy]

@@maxwellfan55 I agree with everything you said, but I'm sure you're aware yourself there's a level of psychology as well. I've done tests where I record the instrument, then do changes and record again and sometimes what I think I hear isn't there. It's strange . . saying that sometimes the changes are bigger than I thought I heard . . 😊😃

[@maxwellfan55]

@@guitar-academy Agree, finite changes sometimes hard to gauge, but its fun getting there! Not so good where changes made have lead to an (apparent) deterioration of tone, especially when spending good money🤨. It's only over recent years I've begun to fully understand just how critical atmospheric conditions and humidity affect even the the most boutique of instruments, and how to properly address that issue. I will have to look to find out whether you have produced something on that, especially for variable UK weather conditions.

[@guitar-academy]

@@maxwellfan55 I only became aware of major climate issues from people like yourself and other guitarists from around the planet. I know an USA truck driver who goes from sea level to great altitude in a few hours and it messed up his neck. I know someone from Alaska who had all the frets try to pop out because the guitar had frozen up for a few days. Here in Wales I have a room that stays a little damp and it's perfect for preventing the thin wood on antique violins and guitars from cracking, but is really bad for the pots on electric guitar. Regarding the sound, I just don't think about it because it just make life more complicated. 😊

[@MrRubaduba]

Thank you so much, i learned a huge ammount from your videos. I've set up a few of my guitars and greneraly made them better to play but your instructional videos is like fine tuning the process. Great!

[@guitar-academy]

Glad you found the information useful . . thank you . . 😊

[@itsallaroundyou7085]

I'm assuming if you feel confident in changing the nut and saddle you probably have changed your own strings before. But for anyone super new, before you go buy a tool for pulling out pegs, a fork or butter knife work quite nicely. I actually keep a fork in my guitar case that I've been using for years lol.

[@festushaggen2563]

Thank you for the thorough instruction. This was really helpful and made it possible for me to change out the factory plastic nut and saddle to bone on my acoustic. I had never done that before and wouldn't have tried it otherwise but your demonstration gave me the confidence that I could do it and it turned out great. Love the new sound. Keep up the great work on your videos. They're very well done and informative. Subscribed.

[@guitar-academy]

You're welcome! thank you very much . . 😊😊

[@VinsaneOne]

About to order a new bone nut and settle for my old acoustic. Going to order two of each actually in case of a screw-up and I don't think my old saddle is proper for a matchup so it will be trial and error but thanks to your video I know what to do.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . . That sound like a wise way of doing it. I always like to have spares around . . just in case 😊

[@choimdachoim9491]

When you sand the bottom of the nut and place it back-to-back with the original nut, if the bottom of the original nut was at a square angle to the vertical side of the nut, the two nuts should stay in perfect contact with each other. If they separate as you remove your fingers from them then one of the angles is not square. This should be checked with an actual "square" because otherwise the nut will be tilted slightly one way or the other and intonation will be noticeably off. I recommend placing the nut to be sanded into a jig of some sort to assure it remains square to the sanding surface. The jig can be sacrificial or clever, either one will work.

[@The_Timinator]

Even more amazing than the informative instructions is, He's doing all this work on a Glarry Acoustic Guitar, I'm not sure I would even bother to buy one, the top model sells for $99.00 US with free shipping. The video is top tier for information, thank you so much !

[@guitar-academy]

ahh . . that's the point, to make a cheapo guitar nice. It doesn't always pay off, but I've made a few very cheap guitars play and sound really nice. Thank you very much for the great comment . . 😊😊

[@luisg1653]

I'll be trying this on a guitar I got for free. Better to try on a cheapo than a nice one right?

[@The_Timinator]

@@luisg1653 Free is the best...do an Internet search about the guitar first, it just might be worth something...if you can't find info than dive right in.

[@luisg1653]

@@The_Timinator yup, thats what I did. There wasn't much to see. Dakota DG 100, they were made and sold for Empire Music in Riverside, CA. Looks to be a laminate body, not sure about the top but most likely also laminate. It works as a kind of living room guitar. I can take it places and not worry about it getting damaged.

[@The_Timinator]

@@luisg1653 LOL cool, really Riverside, CA? I live in Palm Springs area (Riverside County) I grew up in Fullerton, CA. (home of Fender) I had a friend who's Dad worked at Fender from '62 to '80, the local Pawn Shops were full of Fenders and Fenders that were stolen without the Lables or Headstock decals... I actually bought a Blueprint to a Stratocaster back in the 70's at a Pawn Shop in Anaheim, CA. (city next to Fullerton) So have you done the upgrade yet?... I'd be interested in knowing how it went. I've Modded 3 Chinese Fender Copies, yeah it's fun to experiment on a guitar that's "worthless" and turn it into some cool... ROCK ON BROTHER

[@jonathanroyce9692]

much more focused, full tone after. wonderful tutorial. 👍🏻

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much 😊😀

[@craniifer]

The cat is relatable. I can't even change strings without him running off with one of them.

[@guitar-academy]

They are great aren't they . . she has a bell and on virtually every video I do you can hear her bell in the background . . . 😺😺

[@milboltnut]

excellent work ! Thank you. I have bone bridge pins and now the saddle and nut ! Definitely brighter and better sustain.

[@guitar-academy]

That's great to hear! and thank you 😊

[@FirstPersonNewf]

I have to replace a nut and saddle on a 12 string. this video will be a great guide. thanks

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . good luck on the job 😊

[@davidlynch5998]

Thank you sir for a most informative lesson, you must keep up the good work,, God bless

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you, I will try my hardest 😊😀

[@Niko_bt]

That 5th fret has a lazy eye! 😅 this was very helpful ty!

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . LOL yes it does have a lazy eye 🤣😂

[@indridcold4210]

What amazes me is that the action on a Glary guitar from the factory had a properly fitted saddle and nut for a decent action

[@guitar-academy]

I had 2 of these for review and they were both OK straight out of the box, but they did need neck relief adjustment. This was an issue with the second one (it was a GT502) because the truss rod didn't feel properly seated. Sadly I didn't notice this during the unboxing/review because it didn't need adjustment straight away. 😒

[@Catfish2255]

Always good to put a piece of tape along the bridge end to stop any scuffing from the peg remover tool..

[@guitar-academy]

that's a good tip 😊😃

[@jim34morrison]

I could listen to dude play all day.

[@guitar-academy]

wow . . thank you very much 😊😃

[@JohnnyRebKy]

I got some bone pins and a walrus ivory saddle coming for my Martin Hd28. Can’t wait to get them on it !

[@guitar-academy]

Walrus . . cool . . 😊😃

[@ajaymhaske2352]

After fitting the bone saddle and bridge my guitar is sounding much better and melodious. I made it with a cow bone.

[@guitar-academy]

such a small seeming change, makes a massive difference . . 🙂

[@mattwilliam4803]

-sounds deep, rich, full, and resonant, with the bone... not bad at all, for a "cheap" guitar... I think it helps you bought it with the natural top, as well

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much . . Yes, I agree with the top, but these days lots of cheap guitars come with decent tops (which is great) 😃

[@mattwilliam4803]

@@guitar-academy -I've heard some KZbinrs saying the tops on these cheaper Glarry guitars.. are solid-wood tops... is this true ??

[@guitar-academy]

@@mattwilliam4803 Yes it is . . the sides (ribs) are laminate but the tops are solid 😊😊

[@mattwilliam4803]

@@guitar-academy -wow !!! thanks !!!! here in the U.S., you CAN'T buy one.. I checked last night... the price has gone up to $90, and ALL the Sellers are... SOLD OUT. !!!!

[@Richie_]

Richer and more resonant. Nice tune at the end.

[@guitar-academy]

Yes, I agree with you. Thank you, you can learn the tune here kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnSmf6ZrpduMiKM

[@bambeeification]

I thought my guitars were all rubbish... Now I know they can be fixed, thank you.

[@guitar-academy]

That's great . . thank you 😊😃

[@stringedassassin]

That piece at the end is awesome.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . It's called 'the troubled heart', you can learn how to play it in the fingerstyle course: kzbin.info/aero/PLIQJcXCYbgO2q9hDUBT0E5z1JZDk3bowI You can get the tab by following the instructions in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXWZq4qqe9Cbe68

[@ronznine7870]

Very well done. A free and concise lecture on luthier work by a very knowledgeable pro. Thanks for the polished and well presented information. Every time I thot of a question, if I waited a minute or two, you always seemed to get to it and answer it. You could give lessons to other YT site builders.

[@guitar-academy]

Glad it was helpful! thank you very much 😊😃

[@patticakesintexas]

Thank you for sharing this video with us. It looks tedious but doable. Fantastic sound after the adjustment.

[@guitar-academy]

Yeah, you only have to do it once though . . 😊😊

[@andyrogers3756]

Loved your videos, made replacing nut, saddle and pins very easy. They were plastic worn and was getting a nasty buzz. Sound has improved 10 fold and the sustain on bone is unreal feels like the notes last forever. Much cleaner sound too. My only suggesting is can you make a video on the different types of saddles and why they are intonated, which way they should slope on what stings etc I did buy a LH saddle and nut and my guitar is 100% lefty but saddle on it was possibly a right handed saddle? Maybe ive been had on ebay and they have sent me a right handed. so confused by this

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . That's a great suggestion for a video . . I'll put it in my to do list 😊😃

[@user-zy3zd3sx2d]

Brass tone pins for the bridge would enhance high end clarity and resonance of your guitar.

[@guitar-academy]

personally I don't like brass parts on an acoustic, but I do like them on an electric. Bone or ebony are my favourite e materials. But it's purely opinion and taste. 🤔

[@user-zy3zd3sx2d]

@@guitar-academy True but worth experimenting. I'd also like to mix both type of pins.

[@guitar-academy]

@@user-zy3zd3sx2d that would be interesting 😊

[@user-zy3zd3sx2d]

@@guitar-academy A mix of solid brass and rosewood pins would be interesting.

[@TheTektronik]

The strings on my acoustic are 12/52 and I'll be replacing it with 13/56 and a new bone saddle so I don't have to work on the action too much.

[@guitar-academy]

they should sound rich . . 😀

[@treslongwell1332]

why not use a tiny amount of bedding compound (wood filler?) under the saddle to make solid perfect contact?

[@guitar-academy]

A couple of reasons I personally wouldn't use it are, to make it easier to remove the saddle in the future and to avoid any acoustic energy loss caused by the changes of materials. . . It might be an interesting experiment though that I will try in the future 🤔

[@russseuffert803]

A terrific video. Very helpful step by step instructions with great camera work. Other instructional videos on YT should be as good as yours! Oh, and your cat gave me a few chuckles too.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much . . . Yes, the cat is the star.

[@leopoldofernandezjr.508]

Beautiful sounds..also the music remind my past 😢❤

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much . . you can learn the tune here kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnSmf6ZrpduMiKM

[@eldesgraciado6690]

Some mad skills at the end, you could do movie soundtracks.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . 😊😃

[@fredsmith6324]

ok to breath in bone dust? also not keen on breathing in urea dust, in the case of yamaha plastic saddles, which yamaha says are actually made of 'urea'.

[@guitar-academy]

Yeah, I'd recommend a mask 🤔

[@jasonmitchell6092]

BONE IS MUCH BETTER LEARNED ALOT THANKS BRO

[@guitar-academy]

thank you 😊😊

[@XSFlanger]

TUSQ is also worthy to check out.

[@guitar-academy]

yes, agreed 😊😃

[@rimmerd9908]

Interesting stuff. I will probably get the local expert to do mine but it is really interesting to see how people go around these things. What is that lovely little tune by the way? It's very moving for such a simple piece... Thx!

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you 😊. . the tune it 'The troubled heart by Sad Fantasy' here's how to play it; kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnSmf6ZrpduMiKM

[@rimmerd9908]

@@guitar-academy I learnt it from your playing. Just got a new guitar so been practicing it. Thanks for the link.. The simple tunes are the best and if written well as the most moving...

[@guitar-academy]

😊😊😀😀@@rimmerd9908

[@stephensmith1034]

This video was most helpful. I'm going through this process, now. Thanks.

[@guitar-academy]

Glad it was helpful! thank you 😊😊

[@salmon1s]

how is the intonation on the g string? Usually it should be wound and since it's not in theory you should need a bit longer scale. That's why the b string is a bit longer than the g...

[@guitar-academy]

The guitar intonates perfectly. Sorry to disagree with you, but the G string does not have to be wound at all. The strings are wound to create the correct mass to tension ratio, so the same effect can be achieved using unwound strings with a greater mass or thicker gauge. This is why classical guitars are hardly ever have compensated saddles, because the mass of nylon strings is greater than steel ones.

[@salmon1s]

ok, thanks. I was just asking...@@guitar-academy

[@guitar-academy]

@@salmon1sSorry if my answer was over the top, I was just trying to get as much detail as possible for my students and subscribers. 😊😊

[@JTB--]

Great Video. Is that 80 Grit sandpaper you are using to sand the saddle down?

[@guitar-academy]

I can't remember, but I always use fairly coarse sandpaper because the bone clogs it up they quickly. 😊😀

[@alberto8710]

What’s the name of the song at the ending?? Is soo beautiful

[@guitar-academy]

the song is here kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHmwd4qNj9eYmM0 and you can learn to play it in the fingerpicking course, here is the playlist for the course kzbin.info/aero/PLIQJcXCYbgO2q9hDUBT0E5z1JZDk3bowI

[@Dany12156]

@@guitar-academy thank you so much , dear Sir! Cant get this tune out of my head ).

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . . 😊😊

[@vin4216]

GCH Guitar Academy: Used special tools to remove the pins Me: Used two coins 😂

[@bryangrocke9476]

Teaspoon works great .

[@jonathanroberts6110]

Really interesting! I'm inspired to change mine now!

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much . . . 😊😀❤

[@alexv8729]

hey, I really enjoyed your video and found it really helpful. May we know the name of the song you played at the end of the video because it has a really nice rift and beautiful sounds to it. I would love to play this for my friends and family.

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much . . The tune is 'the troubled heart by Sad Fantasy', I have done lessons on how to play it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnSmf6ZrpduMiKM

[@williambrown6721]

Someone once told me that there was a nut on the inside of the sound hole below the neck of the guitar is that some kind of an adjustment ?.. please reply back! Thank you sir...

[@guitar-academy]

Yes I see you found the answer to your question. But for anyone else reading your comment the nut inside the sound hole is the truss rod adjustment and here is how to adjust it; kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5jWf5J-hM-JaMU

[@user-zy3zd3sx2d]

Cats have a built-in Swiffer to keep the area you're sanding free from sanding dust. lol I'm assuming the holes in the nut and saddle has something to do with the production line?

[@guitar-academy]

Cats also seem to know when a camera is on 😊 I don't know for sure, but I guess you right with the holes, they are a good sign to tell you they are plastic . . 😊

[@user-zy3zd3sx2d]

@@guitar-academy They sure love cameras. I don't know if you have Swiffers in England but here in the US, it's a dust mop. Cats have their own Swiffer sweepers built-in. lol

[@micbeezy6146]

Do you have to file slots for each string?

[@guitar-academy]

no, not for the saddle. Just make sure the strings looks straight when you put then on and they will make their own slight notch over time. 😊

[@CaratacusAD]

Excellent video, I was just wondering why would you sand down the whole nut vs filing the slots?

[@guitar-academy]

I keep meaning to make a video on this subject. The slots should a very precise width, and file the nut correctly you should use a set of nut files which are very expensive (£100 +). Sanding the bottom of the whole nut can be done with just a piece of sand paper. 😊

[@CaratacusAD]

@@guitar-academy Thanks for the reply. I've heard it's a fiddly technique as well. Most of my guitars have zero frets so it isn't an issue yet. I am thinking of buying a cheap one to practice on. Also, if suppose if the nut is really high you'd have to cut massive slots which would be prone to mess ups. Thanks for the great videos :)

[@guitar-academy]

@@CaratacusADThank you . . it's a shame zero fret guitars aren't more common because it's a very good system. 😊😊

[@Anthony-hs8kj]

What song are you playing at the end? I would like to learn it. Sounds really good.

[@guitar-academy]

The tune is this kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHmwd4qNj9eYmM0si=Fgi-VdgZhh0AGzty and here's how to play it kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2SzqZiGhtJ5eK8si=ap3CD-e_IFAdLQtp 😊

[@babarishka]

Quick question: I was surprised that you mentioned brass as an alternative material. I love a lot of jangle/top end in my sound so I thought it might be worth a try, but I've read that it produces too harsh of a tone. Do you have an acoustic with a brass nut and saddle and how does it compare with bone?

[@guitar-academy]

Good question! Brass is sharper sounding than bone, but it really depends on the guitar. If the guitar is already tiny and sharp bone is the best choice, but if the guitar is muffled and woody the brass parts can really lift the tone . . Remember that the nut only effects the tone of the open strings . . I hope this helps 🙂🙂

[@babarishka]

@@guitar-academy Thanx much for the quick reply.

[@jimmys3853]

Spectacular video. Very informative - great tutorial. nice video work as well. Cheers!

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you! Cheers! 🙂🙂

[@JoeNathan42420]

I don't expect to get an answer but my issue is, the guitar I'm working on is a friend of mines guitar. He got it when he was a teenager and never really played it but held on to it for all these years. He knows that I've been playing since I was around 7 or 8 and when he died this this he left his guitar to me. Over the years he'd wanted to restore it, so he took the string's off, and the saddle probably came off with them I'm not sure. He sanded it down and basically left it. It's a cheap guitar so I'm not gonna take it somewhere to be professionally restored because I can probably do a pretty good job myself. My question is. Should I just put the saddle an strings on, see how it sounds an make adjustments accordingly? Or is there a standard measurement I can start with an go from there?

[@guitar-academy]

there's no standard measurement you can get without the strings being in place. When you put the strings on the whole guitar changes because of the forces placed on the guitar by the strings. If you've never worked on a guitar before it might be wise to start with cheap strings that you can afford to take of and put on a few times and then replace with new strings when you've finished. If the guitar hasn't had strings on it for years, you might have to leave the strings on for a couple of days before you start looking at the measurements because the guitar might bed in slightly. I hope this helps 😊

[@JoeNathan42420]

@@guitar-academy yes it does help. I also watched your video on adjusting the action I think it may have actually answered my question lol. But you're right I've never actually worked on a guitar besides changing the strings an tuning keys once. I've been playing for going on 30 year's so I might have to pick it up 🤣 thanks for your help

[@guitar-academy]

@@JoeNathan42420 No problem . . you'll probably have loads of fun with it . . 😃😃

[@copernicus633]

A milling machine would be much faster way of shaving the saddle. However, with an x-y vise and an end mill bit on a drill press, this could be done without a proper milling machine.

[@GuitarG123]

Great instructional video.Can the sides of the saddle be sanded down if its too wide for the saddle slot?I have a small parlour acoustic and slot is only 2.5mm most bone saddles available are 3mm also slot is 7cm long which is slightly shorter.

[@guitar-academy]

Yes, you can sand the saddle to fit if you want. The only advice is to be careful and make the fit as snug as you can 😊😃

[@xjar215x]

You adjusted the nut by sanding it down at the base but what do you think of making the nut slots deeper with a file instead? A lot of KZbinrs advise using files that correspond to the gauge of each string so the action can be lowered for each individual string. They also advise lubricating the nut slots with graphite. Do you think this is necessary?

[@guitar-academy]

If you have a piezo pickup under the saddle or if you want to fit one, don't file the wood under the saddle because it has to be perfectly flat and the only way of doing this is to use a router and a jig. Yes, it is a good idea to use some graphite at the nut to help the strings move across the nut easily when you tune the guitar (it isn't a must though). I haven't done a video on adjusting the nut because of the cost of the tools. My set of files for adjusting the nut cost over £160.00 which is more that this guitar cost. Most people can't afford this, but you can get a needle file that goes to a point so the slot is a V shape, this is a cheap way of doing the job and it's good enough for most people.

[@xjar215x]

@@guitar-academy ok thank you!

[@NumNaughts]

High quality video

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you . . 🙂

[@StevieZero]

I just bought an Epiphone Dove and am severely dissapointed with it the strings are half dead. I'm gonna do this to it and hopefully it'll come alive

[@guitar-academy]

that's a shame, they are a nice looking guitar . . New strings can make a massive difference . . 🤔

[@StevieZero]

@@guitar-academyI think you might be right.I just stuck the capo on the 3rd fret and it absolutely came alive, I'm so relieved I thought I'd bought a duffer.. It's a beautiful guitar I'm not used to acoustic I've had my head stuck in the electric and bass constantly for the passed 6 years and I think I was expecting the same kinda sustain...It sounds perfect now with the capo on it...

[@devinhernandez]

Name of that tasty rift at the end !??

[@guitar-academy]

The Troubled heart by Sad Fantasy kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHmwd4qNj9eYmM0si=sI3V2XZU-Etau6AO

[@leeturton9254]

Excellent video...and a fellow Englishman thumbs up from me🙏👍

[@guitar-academy]

Awesome, thank you! I have surprisingly few English viewers, if my KZbin stats are to be believed . . 😊

[@coldieng]

I have a Fender acoustic with no bridge saddle. I have nothing to make a comparison. How do I sort this please?

[@guitar-academy]

measure the size of the slot for the saddle and do a search for a saddle of that size. They are standard sizes, so you should find one of the size you need . . 😊😊

[@tylerjames1716]

can i just sand down the strings so they dont touch

[@guitar-academy]

errr . . well good luck if you try 😂🤣😂

[@tylerjames1716]

@@guitar-academy just kidding anyways lol

[@guitar-academy]

@@tylerjames1716 😊

[@reostudio5758]

When you attach the new nut is it no need to put some glue to be sure is it in place always?thnk you

[@guitar-academy]

No, not if it's a tight fit as this one was it will be fine. If you have to glue it, make sure you don't use strong glue, in case you have to remove the nut again in the future. 😊

[@raykall]

Great stuff! This was very informative, thanks for sharing.

[@guitar-academy]

Glad it was helpful! thank you 🙂

[@Saitentanz]

Thank you for this video! What grain do you use for the sand paper, and do you polish the bottom of sattle and bridge with a higher grain? Many thanks in advance.

[@guitar-academy]

I am not to fussy about the grain of abrasive paper I use, I literally just rub my finger against it to decide, but it has to be quit course wet and dry (about 300) and you have to clean it often because the bone sticks to the surface. I just give the bottom of the saddle a quick wipe to get the dust off and I polish the outside of the bridge with oil (lemon or almond) and not in the slot. 🙂 I hope this helps

[@777xino]

Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing.....loved your cat helping out :)

[@guitar-academy]

Thanks for watching! She's a star . . 🙂

[@rajatbasak9703]

Wow. Excellent work. I am going to upgrade my cheap Granada Guitar soon..

[@guitar-academy]

I hope all goes well and you're pleased with the results . . . 😊

[@guitarado]

great video. ok and on my acoustic maton, the height at 12.fret is 1,6 and 1,2 mm and I can hear buzzing on the B string at first 3 frets once its hit harder... what to do ? shim the nut or polish the frets ? I sanded the saddle little bit, that´s all I did. The nut was not manipulated.

[@guitar-academy]

is it when the string is open or when you finger the first fret ? Remember that when you shim the nut, all the strings increase height wise, but you can test the nut by putting a small piece of paper under the B string and see if this cures the buzz. This video might help kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnO2nqKbnc9qqbM

[@guitarado]

@@guitar-academy thanks. no, open string is OK. it is only on first 4 frets and once I hit by plectrum or thumpick harder...quite playing is ok but if you want some drive sometimes you attack the string harder. I can make it by truss rod but then the action is not sutiable for me (1,8 and 1,3 mm at 12 fret > I prefer 1,5-1,6 and 1,1-1,2 mm). I try to put the paper under the B and let you know :)

[@guitar-academy]

@@guitarado it sounds like you might have to do as described in the video I suggested. 😊😊

[@generalawareness101]

Is there a way I can adjust my saddle down without going too far so I then need to shim it, or buy a new saddle? New saddle is hard to find for mine and always out of stock plus 15 USD delivered so I don't want to go too far though it is far too high (I did take a little off).

[@guitar-academy]

I can't answer this accurately without seeing the guitar, but all I can suggest is to do it in small increments until you reach a safe but lower height. Another idea is to get a blank saddle and file it to the right size. With a blank saddle it doesn't matter what make or model of guitar you have. I hope this helps.

[@tyrotrainer765]

Are you Andy from 'Andy Guitar', your voice is a dead-ringer?! Reference removing the pegs, if you undo the strings then push the bridge ends down into the sound hole the pegs lose their grip in the bridge and can be removed easily just using thumb and finger.

[@guitar-academy]

No, I'm not Andy . . yes, that trick works most of the time, but not often on new guitars I think they hammer them home with a rubber mallet 🤔

[@tyrotrainer765]

@@guitar-academy Hehehe probably. Could ask a question? About restringing a righty acoustic to lefty; the general advice is no, but I've been looking at cross-sectional plans for a range of dreadnoughts and they all appear to have perfectly symmetrical bracing from the top of the body to behind the bridge. There is a single diagonal stringer well behind the bridge that's doesn't appear to be structural ie a bracer. Therefore I think that it's feasible to safely mount a new bridge, saddle and nut, and re-string. Am I wrong? I'm in the PH and you simply can't get a lefty in the area I live. I want to do what you did and pick up a cheap guitar and get it up to reasonable quality. Thanks for your quick reply earlier.

[@guitar-academy]

@@tyrotrainer765 Hmmm . . whether you can change a righty acoustic to lefty depends on the make and model. The most obvious things you need to change are the nut and possibly the saddle. Each slot in the nut is cut according to the thickness of the strings, but you can just buy a new lefty nut and/or cheap enough. The biggest issues can be if the guitar has got a cut away (obviously this can't be moved), and is the saddle on an angle. It's common on acoustic guitars for the saddle to be on an angle so the thick strings are longer than the thin strings, this is done for intonation and would need to be changed. On some guitars the bridge is bolted in place which would make it an easy job, but on others it's glued and can be very difficult.

[@tyrotrainer765]

@@guitar-academy Cheers for that. It's actually quite easy to get LH plastic and bone bridges, saddles and nuts here, from China via online shopping, very cheap as well. Yeah, I'd only attempt it on a dreadnought; I've got LH nice LH Yamaha dreadnought and a mini Martin I bought in London a few years ago, and looking inside everything is perfectly symmetrical, so string tension shouldn't cause any twisting issues as far as I can see. I want a cheap guitar I can throw into the back of the car and take down to the beach without being worried if it gets a few knocks. Thanks again, love your videos.

[@guitar-academy]

@@tyrotrainer765 No problem, thank you 😊😃

[@arshdeepsaluja1376]

How do u remove the nuts on the side of the bridge.?? I want to change my bridge but i am not able to remove them?

[@guitar-academy]

If the bridge is bolted in (which not all are, some are glued) you have to drill out the top so you can access the head to prevent the bolt from rotating whilst you are removing it. Sometimes after you've removed the bolts you have to carefully chisel the bridge out. This is a big job and I don't recommend it if you aren't sure what you're doing, you could destroy your guitar . . 🙂🙂

[@Davidgilmourswhammybar]

I have just had my guitar back from having a set up to lower the action which was previously at approx 3.25mm at 12th fret at both low and high e strings. The action measures 2.25 at both e strings. Does this sound correct as ibwould have thought the high e would be set lower tgan the low e action? Also i have noticed that the saddle has been swapped out for a new saddle. The old saddle was bone and compensated at the b string. The new saddle does not have the compensation at the b and there is close to 1mm gap on one side if i push the saddle up tight to the bridge. Should this be a better/tighter fit? And is it normal to swap out a saddle without informing me of this? I would really appreciate your take on this as someone who has great knowledge in these matters. Thanks.

[@guitar-academy]

It's a hard question to answer without the guitar in front of me, but I'll try. 🤔 The height the action can be lowered too very much depends on the guitar and how level the frets are, also some makers give recommendations for action height that is a little higher than most people like (including me). The saddle not fitting seems wrong. The compensating saddle can cause intonation problems instead of solving them, again it depends on you guitar and strings. You can check if the intonation is correct by tuning the guitar up with a digital tuner and then check if the tuning is correct on the 12th fret. It the 'B' string is flat on the 12th fret when the open string is in tune then the guitar needs a compensating saddle. Here's a video showing how to test the intonation, it's a different guitar but the technique is the same; kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXichn54m72ejZosi=jpROXX2aCn4zYhBJ

[@Davidgilmourswhammybar]

Thanks so much for getting back to me, I really appreciate it. The intonation is pretty good at the 12th fret. I just didn't think that the top of the saddle would be adjusted to sand of the compensation at the B string, which seems like they must have done this if it is indeed the same saddle and they have not replaced it with a new one.

[@reklusivegamer]

He probably plays like a god with those nails :D

[@John3one7]

Like a majestic eagle.

[@Majnun74]

Great instructional video! I still wouldn’t trust myself to do this, though.

[@guitar-academy]

Yes, it's not for everyone and it's more fun playing a guitar than working on it (in my opinion) 🙂🙂

[@barkrussell4083]

Good instructional video beautiful guitar pickin thanks for posting

[@guitar-academy]

Thank you very much ! 😊

[@coldfish5005]

Can someone please tell me What can be the reason for the break of Guitar saddle?

[@guitar-academy]

Age can cause the material go very brittle, but also the slot or the saddle being not quite flat can cause them to brake as well. I hope this helps 😊

[@arash5550]

Did you record the last test with both same position mics ? That sounded so different like different strings. That much effects the sound ?? Impressive

[@guitar-academy]

No, the guitar has a pickup and an internal mic that were used to record it. Fitting the Fishman pickup. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHyWm6ijZcR5n8k

[@arash5550]

@@guitar-academy damn im going to buy some bones tomorrow !!!

[@jasonchiak6789]

Awesome !!! May I know the name and title of this piece of music? Thanks of the guide on guitar action and it make my cheap guitar sound much better.

[@guitar-academy]

here's how to play the tune 'the troubled heart by Sad Fantast' kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnSmf6ZrpduMiKM

[@user-we7ny2tk8h]

Quick question, so I’m not very experienced with the guitar yet but I was replacing my strings for the first time and noticed that my bridge saddle was missing and I couldn’t find it anywhere. I did some research and bought a new one but I was just wondering how much I need to sand it down to since I don’t have my old one as a reference since it was lost.

[@guitar-academy]

I couldn't answer that in text but perhaps this video will help, kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5jWf5J-hM-JaMU

[@BrannonHancock]

what happened to the intonation on the "after" video? The tone was improved but the tuning was pretty far off, no?

[@guitar-academy]

With this guitar the intonation was pretty much perfect by the time I finished, but if you watch the play list you'll get more detail . .

[@jmcap6826]

Highly recommended 👌

[@guitar-academy]

😊😊

[@catzdollz9810]

WOW! Yes! Bone is much more desirable!

[@guitar-academy]

😊😀

[@shanec4441]

Thanks for the detail instruction

[@guitar-academy]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching 🙂

[@andrewhaddon7689]

I can understand the bone saddle affecting the sound quality but how does the nut do so?

[@guitar-academy]

The bone doesn't stick and makes tuning more stable, but apart from that it makes no difference apart from when playing the open strings 🙂 🙂 . I replace them because I had a plastic nut split years ago and it caused the string to damage the maple fingerboard.

[@Alex_Martz]

What to do when the groove on the neck where the nut goes is uneven? I have a 2nd hand guitar that someone sanded on the groove and there's a tiny space at the bottom of the nut, if you shine light on one side you can see it trough... Does adding wood glue or some filler will fix it?

[@guitar-academy]

The only time I've come across this is when the there's extra some material under the nut (glue or varnish). Usually you just have to make sure the slot is cleaned up with a mini file. If you want to clean it up without removing the nut, yes a little filler would work . . 😊😃

[@Alex_Martz]

@@guitar-academy It's already clean because someone tried precisely to clean the residual glue from the previous nut and sanded too much unevenly, I'm just worried that if I put wood filler the new nut will stuck to it and later impossible to remove

[@guitar-academy]

@@Alex_Martz good point. I guess you could put the wood filler in and level it and put the nut in after the wood filler is dry . . 🤔 or you could get a new blank nut and shape the nut to the guitar (that's what I would do)

[@flechegosselin]

very interesting merci, by the way, very nice playing

[@guitar-academy]

Glad you found it interesting . . thank you 😃

[@bobhulquist9902]

thanks i'm going to rest it myself , and take my time .

[@guitar-academy]

Yes, you've got the right idea . . do it slowly and carefully. Thank you for watching 😊😀

[@TheForce_Productions]

I've been about to replace the saddle on my electroacoustic Takamine and after take off the original one, I've found out that it has some kind of slots or splitted sectors for each string in the side that goes towards it's piezo. So I couldn'd go any further, anybody knows anything about this? Thanks in advanced!

[@guitar-academy]

The shaping on the bottom of the saddle seems to be a common Takamine thing and on some Ovations and makes it really difficult if you want to lower the action. You can get a Graphtech Tusq saddle if you just want to upgrade the material, however there is no easy way to lower the saddle without careful filing and shaping. I've put a standard bone nut on in the past because it was a rush job and I didn't have the parts, but it's better if you can get the shaped one.

[@TheForce_Productions]

@@guitar-academy Thank you very much for the answer. Additionally and after the issue I've just mentioned, I was researching about it and found out a lot of Takamines owners that had replaced their saddles for bone, and since then they had a lot of feedback when using it's piezo; and the conclusion was that looks like that in Takamines the plastic saddle works also as an isolator in order to improve the piezo function, so they didn't recommended to use bone as alternative in this electroacoustics. Anyway inspectng closely the saddle in mine it is pritty dense and harder than common plastics you could find over there, not bad at all really. Well, maybe this info could help anyboby. Cheers and thanks again!

[@guitar-academy]

@@TheForce_Productions yes that's very useful information . . 😊

[@SanchoSanto]

Where did you buy the nut and saddle kit? I don't see a link below your video or on your amazon page. I've got a cheap old guitar with plastic nut and saddle. I'm getting a buzz from the saddle after changing the old strings the guitar came with so I would like to take on this project.

[@guitar-academy]

I just search eBay for the best offer . . I search 'bone nut' 🙂

[@Twentykixx]

Brother, the TUSQ for me in a drop test has much higher tonal expression from the material. It almost sounds like a piece of glass. My guess is the mid-high would be better than the bone with this material. My only concern is maybe the bone would allow the resonances to couple more effectively? There are typically trade-offs, so wondering if you’ve tried this material at any time? Thank you, the content is as usual very edifying. 👍🏼

[@guitar-academy]

I fit TUSQ on electric guitars to replace the nut but never on an acoustic guitar, but my favourite material for electric guitars is brass. I like my acoustic guitars to sound richer with as little bite as possible because I fingerpick and hardly ever strum. At the end of the day it's personal taste and sometimes the guitar that governs the choice of material. Bone is cheap enough and easy to work with and is a great improvement over a standard nut and therefore is the best thing for a beginners lesson on replacement.

[@Twentykixx]

@@guitar-academy ; yeah, I have both and plan to fiddle around with both as time permits. I’m also changing the plastic pegs for ebony. I did some research and love that they are in the middle of the range for the response characteristics. Plus the inlays look sharp. 😄 In any case the Martin I bought with the plastic pegs and TUSQ saddle sound as good or better than a friend’s hummingbird. I just want to play a little here and see if I can get more wholesome clean. It’s a little chirpy, that may be the TUSQ. The nut is TUSQ too, but it’s set so perfect from Elderly, the upper action is perfection, so not touching that baby. 👍🏼 The only thing is the bridge height, so going to lower a tender bit and hope I don’t get 🐝.

[@guitar-academy]

@@Twentykixx I hope it all goes well . . 😊

[@Twentykixx]

@@guitar-academy ; I have your tutorials to help fix me if it does! You shred bro! 🤘🏼🎸

[@guitar-academy]

@@Twentykixx 👍😊