Uke saddle

Ukecaster

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I need a new saddle for this 20's Favilla uke . Most uke saddles I see online are the shorter 53mm type. I need a longer saddle, to fill up the entire saddle slot, all the way across the bridge, which is about 69mm. Looking for ebony or bone. Where can I get a couple of these, so I can fit a new saddle?

20's Favilla.JPG
 
maybe adapt one from a classical guitar?

The first two saddles I made were guitar blanks. A lot of filing, but doable.

just a thought

Eugenio
 
Both StewMac and Luthiers Mercantile sell saddle blanks for both uke and guitar in bone and plastic (or Nubone or Tusq).

Also ukuleleworld.com sells uke nuts and saddles in both plastic and micarta. Micarta is similar to the Nubone or Tusq materials and is way easier to cut and shape than bone as well.

You might also consider either CB Gitty and/or Mainland Ukes, which also sell different uke nut and saddle items.

Not sure of the sizes of any of these, but these would be my primary sources.

A while back, I bought a block of ebony from StewMac that was sold as an 'acoustic guitar bridge blank' for like $8 on clearance, and I've made MANY nuts and saddles for ukes, and I still have about 70% of it left. All you need is a ruler, a mitre box with a good wood saw, some files/sandpaper, and lots of patience, but this block of wood cost me less than any of the other options, and I already had the tools needed.

Make sure you wear a mask (even a paper painter's mask is enough) because both the bone dust and ebony dust WILL get into your nose, mouth and lungs, and is considered toxic, despite the terrible irritation it will cause, and the 45 minutes of desperate hacking and coughing and gasping for breath...(I speak from experience, and NO a bandana [worn like an outlaw] is not a sufficient filter against such fine dust particles] - dont be like me unless you want to give yourself something like a near-fatal asthma attack :)

Also, wear gloves too, and wash your hands after, because if you have this dust on your fingers and you touch your eye, and the dust gets in your eye, you will have a really bad time.
 
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