BIGDB
Well-known member
Anyone have a ebony nut and saddle on there ukulele? i read somewhere that they wear down really easy and you have to change it a lot. Is that true or do they hold up good? And how do they sound?
Ebony nut/saddle?
- Thread starter BIGDB
- Start date
dismount
Well-known member
BIGDB, check out my thread "experimenting with martin s-1 saddles" Dismount
chrimess
Well-known member
They hold up OK for me and have nice sustain, even rosewood which is very traditional but (I consider it) not very durable has performed well on my Kelii.
OP
OP
BIGDB
Well-known member
Thanks! I checked it out but i didn't see anything on how they hold up
OP
OP
BIGDB
Well-known member
Do you think you'll ever have to replace the cause that's what I'm worried about
chrimess
Well-known member
I'd give them at least 5 years/30 string changes.
D
dhoenisch
Guest
I have a couple antiques that have the ebony nut and saddle. The saddles do wear down with grooves in them, but they don't go that deep. The nuts seem to hold up just fine. I've replaced the nuts due to chips in them. However, obtaining a piece of ebony is no big deal if you ever need to replace them.
Also, if it helps, I have a 1950's Harmony uke with a mahogany bridge and integrated saddle, and a rosewood nut. The bridge/saddle is original to the uke, and I'm quite sure the nut is as well, and are both still in operation to this day.
Dan
Also, if it helps, I have a 1950's Harmony uke with a mahogany bridge and integrated saddle, and a rosewood nut. The bridge/saddle is original to the uke, and I'm quite sure the nut is as well, and are both still in operation to this day.
Dan
Nicko
Well-known member
There are an awful lot of 75-year-old vintage instruments out there and in use that are sporting original ebony saddles and nuts, I think.
rpfrogner
Well-known member
AncientMatingCalls
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I cut an ebony nut for my mandolin and it seems to be doing just fine. I can't really speak to its longevity just yet.
OldePhart
Well-known member
Ebony is simply not going to last like bone or the synthetic replacements for bone...but I would think it would do quite well compared to most varieties of rosewood.
Also, there are a lot of vintage ukes with ebony or rosewood saddles and many of them are playable. It's not so much a case of wear as compression, and once the wood compresses a certain amount it doesn't seem like it would compress much beyond that.
John
Also, there are a lot of vintage ukes with ebony or rosewood saddles and many of them are playable. It's not so much a case of wear as compression, and once the wood compresses a certain amount it doesn't seem like it would compress much beyond that.
John
dismount
Well-known member
My way of thinking after working a lot of years dealing with wood compression, I think a little groove in the saddles means your getting really good contact ,string to saddle and makes for a fuller sound.
