Bone for Plastic Saddle

I've got was thinking of getting a bone saddle for my Lanikai Concert, Does anyone have any thoughts about these, are they worth getting? Do they make any difference to the sound?

Regards

Sorry meant to say Bone or not Bone for

Can make a difference. It depends upon a few things, not least the quality of the bone. A good, dense piece of bone can make an instrument a little brighter than a cheap plastic saddle. You may also find that wound strings wear little grooves in plastic saddles - good, hard bone is more resistant to this.

If your uke is very bright, you may want to consider another option - ebony, perhaps - or stick with the plastic.

The difference in sound is usually marginal - sometimes not easily heard at all. The greatest difference is usually when both nut and saddle are swapped out for bone.

Some bone blanks are poor quality. These often feel kind of gummy when you try to saw, cut or file them. What you want is nice dense hard bone that rings when you drop it on a hard surface.

The great thing about tweaks like this is that the new parts are cheap, and if you keep the old parts safe then the job is reversible if it doesn't work out.

If I were you I'd try it and see. What have you to lose?

Thanks Buddhu, Do you know of anywhere to get these bone parts? and thanks for adding em as a friend.

No probs, mate.

As for sources, well I've used http://www.allparts.uk.com before. Not the cheapest, but they were quick.

There's also: http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/shop/Nuts-&-Saddles/c-1-124/

Hobgoblin shops also stock some parts, as do many guitar shops.

The best prices I usually find on ebay.co.uk, but availability is patchy. Search on "bone saddle" and "bone blanks" in the musical instruments section.

Generally I measure the nut or saddle and then order slightly oversize. If in doubt about size, order guitar nut or saddle blanks then you'll have plenty of excess and no chance of finding the part too small.

If you want to change the nut for bone as well, mandolin nut blanks are usually the right size for uke.

I dont know what they have by you but you can grab bone saddles at any Sam Ash, Guitar Center or large music chain...check for availability.

You can get lucky and score TUSQ there too which is supposed to be better than bone.

Nah, Spooner... We live in the UK. You can't ever get anything in the UK.

I have a tusq saddle that I am not using. Yours if you like. PM me your address.

Give serious thought to a Tusq saddle. I replaced a bone saddle on my Pono/Mango and it brightened it up. For the price it's a modest upgrade.