Official Luthiers Forum!

I have seen responses here that indicate that those that use 1/4" saddles believe that extra width makes better for intonation. True? If so., why don't more members use the thicker saddle?

Good question Bob, i used a thinner one on no 2 but noticed that Hesh and Alain use thicker ones that seem to help, i am curious on this matter too so i'll bump to hear more!

Probably because of tradition. Also, some don't like the look of a wide
saddle. Personally if you place your saddle slot correctly you should be
able to intonate with as narrow as 3/32 but it is a lot easlier with a wider
one. I am switching to 3/16ths.    With a wider one, you also can have a
more gentile slope on the tail side of the saddle which allow for better
contact and you are less likely to break strings. Also, if you change string
types etc you have more flexibility to adjust it.

1/4 is a pretty thick. I think Brock is using that width. Hopefully he will
chime in.

I asked this question in a poll recently and 1/8th was clearly the most
common. I asked Ervin Somogyi and Mike Doolin since I respect them
highly and they both use 3/16th

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Thanks Andy, makes sense to me to use a wider saddle also, the question remaining is how wide is too wide for aesthetics, i'm guessing that 3/16" would look right too!

Mine are 3.5mm and have been plenty wide enough for me. If I had trouble with intonation, using one that wide, I'd probably go to the split saddle like my compatriot Dave White uses.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

It isn't about intonation, it is about how the string makes contact with the saddle.

Ervin Somogyi wrote an indepth article about it in an old AL or Guitarmaker journal. It is pretty convincing.

I will see if I can dig up what mag and issue it was.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks Brock!

IIRC, Frank Ford`s site has some pretty good info.
I can`t seem to find the link at the moment, though.

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,