Has anyone tried more exotic material like pre-ban ivory, pre-ban walrus ivory, west african ivory, fossil mammoth ivory, and or fossil walrus ivory as a saddle material, and does it make a difference in tone from regular bone or TUSQ.?
Ivory will sound no different than bone. Tusq is much softer and will wear faster but is sometimes better if you are using a pickup system under the saddle.
Best bone is from the leg of a buffalo. We have a buffalo farm close by and Brian Griffin from Griffin ukes goes there on butchering day; brings home the lower leg portions and prepares them for his instruments. He showed me some of the fresh stuff he had just brought home. Was kind of disturbing but it's being recycled.
I find it interesting that the more rare & exotic the material, the higher it is rated for nuts/saddles by the general player population.
I prefer Ebony, and common bone sounds a bit harsher, but works fine.