Changing nut and saddle

Hi, does anyone know....if it will make my uke sing better if I replace the plastic nut and saddle on my Kala to bone? Thanks
What about the product called Nubone?

You're as wise as I am...Fine adviser I am:music:.....What's "Nubone"...I find "Ebony" is just as as good as anything else unless you are using steel strings.

Nickie said:

Hi, does anyone know....if it will make my uke sing better if I replace the plastic nut and saddle on my Kala to bone? Thanks
What about the product called Nubone?

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If your new uke is an import or the cheaper variety type, changing out the saddle may help some ( but not much), but changing out the nut won't make any different in sound. Remember, once you fret with a chord on the neck, the nut becomes mute.

The below comments are my inexperienced opinion, and from my ear. So I maybe wrong. (yes saddles matter more in sound than nut)

From plastic, yes, changing them you may hear different. My Kala originally came with bone. I've tried plastic, tusq, tusq black, ebony, all other materials are better than plastic (for me, plastic sounds too bright, loud but not focus/solid sound). Now I am happy with ebony nut and saddle on my Kala, they sounds natural, sweet, looks good.

Bone sounds natural as well with a little bit brighter tone.

TUSQ & TUSQ Black sounds louder, bright, nearly perfect on bringing out high/mid/low frequence from the strings with low loss. For my ear they sounds not natural, perfect, but not natural.

However, I found not easy to hear the different between ebony, bone, and tusq (not like on guitars which easier to hear the different). But easy to hear the different from plastic to any of them.

For more information about NuBone and TUSQ (they called it human made ivory), google "tusq" or "nubone" (both products from the same company) you will easily find the manufactor's website.

I just changed a saddle from "mystery hardwood" to ebony and it did not change the sound. The ebony is noticeably harder than the mystery hardwood.

Why did I do this? I built the uke and I always get the intonation correct with saddle made from a cheap scrap of hardwood. When I am happy I duplicate the saddle with bone or ebony.

I replaced a plastic saddle with a bone one once, but I simultaneously lowered the action and compensated the scale length (a lot). The uke played in tune so much better with the new saddle that it was difficult to tell if the actual sound got better or not.

Pondoro said:

I just changed a saddle from "mystery hardwood" to ebony and it did not change the sound. The ebony is noticeably harder than the mystery hardwood.

Why did I do this? I built the uke and I always get the intonation correct with saddle made from a cheap scrap of hardwood. When I am happy I duplicate the saddle with bone or ebony.

I replaced a plastic saddle with a bone one once, but I simultaneously lowered the action and compensated the scale length (a lot). The uke played in tune so much better with the new saddle that it was difficult to tell if the actual sound got better or not.

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Can you explain a bit more about getting the intonation correct and compensating the scale length? How do you do this and how does changing the saddle affect this?

And how would you even change the nut? Chisel or mill it off and then glue on a replacement?

dkame said:

Can you explain a bit more about getting the intonation correct and compensating the scale length? How do you do this and how does changing the saddle affect this?

And how would you even change the nut? Chisel or mill it off and then glue on a replacement?

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You compensate a uke by slightly changing the scale length - mainly by changing the top of the saddle to make the string longer or shorter (we are talking 1/6 of an inch or less). Google "compensated saddle" or go to a music store and you will see some saddles that make every string slightly different in length. On a guitar the saddle is often slanted to accomplish the same thing, but that doesn't work on a reentrant-tuned uke, the middle two strings usually want to be longer and the outer two strings shorter. Changing the saddle height has a smaller effect on intonation but it does have an effect.

I like to get the strings right at the nut (height only) and then lower the saddle while also changing the compensation, I try to make those two things become correct at the same time.

Removing a nut is pretty simple but I will leave that explanation to the pros - I only did it once and got lucky but I might have broken something.

This is a compensated saddle for saving your time Sorry for the low picture quality of my phone

Thanks guys! My uke has black nut and saddle, wonder if it's black tusq?

Nickie said:

Thanks guys! My uke has black nut and saddle, wonder if it's black tusq?

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Some Kala ukes have ebony nut & saddle They looks black.
So I think yours is ebony

To quote Sir Mick:

"I see a plastic saddle, want it painted black...

No fake bone anymore, I want it painted black...

Hear the Tusq and Nubone and there seems a certain lack...

No tone, no richness there when your uke tone's way off track..."

Just remember that all that glitters is not gold, and all that's black you may not hold...

Rick Turner said:

To quote Sir Mick:

"I see a plastic saddle, want it painted black...

No fake bone anymore, I want it painted black...

Hear the Tusq and Nubone and there seems a certain lack...

No tone, no richness there when your uke tone's way off track..."

Just remember that all that glitters is not gold, and all that's black you may not hold...

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I may hold on ebony its black. As I said I am happy with them