Length of Old and New Versions of the Martin Long Saddle

[Darryl Young]

How long is the Martin long saddle? Did the length change from the old version to the modern version that uses a routed pocket (drop-in)?

If you let me know quick I'll go try to cut a test bridge tonight! Procrastinate and I won't post any pics tonight.........

[Darryl Young]

Appears it's 3 3/4" long on the new style long bridges. I went with that. Apprehensive as I didn't want to mess up this bridge blank which is Brazillian rosewood.....but it seems to have went well.

[enalnitram]

I'm like you, I like that drop-in long saddle. do you suppose the naysayers will have the last laugh? or will we?

[Darryl Young]

I don't know Martin. I like the looks of it. Bryan Kimsey says he likes the tone of the long, drop-in saddle the best. Both he, Mario Proulx, and another guy stated on the UMGF that the depth of the saddle slot has more impact on tone........shallower more "wood tone" (warmer) and deeper you get more "bone tone" (brighter, clearer). I don't know how old that post was but Mario said his thoughts on tone/saddle slot depth have eveolved over time. At the time of the posting, he was leaving 0.100" of brazillian rosewood under the saddle. Mine will probably be just under 1/8".

I'm using the non-bleached bone for the saddle and nut for that old-timey, antiqued look. Should go well with the zipper backstrip and herringbone purfling I hope. Bracing is like pre-war as well.

I'm using an ebony fingerboard and a deep choclate brazillian rosewood bridge. Think that will look odd?

[enalnitram]

It's funny you bring this up. Just yesterday I was struggling with the same thing. I have a guitar with an ebony fingerboard and bridge for it, and I really don't want to use the ebony bridge, because of what I have heard people say (Mario is one) about ebony being a tone sucker, but also, because I have already built a guitar with an ebony bridge and I want to try something else just to see what happens.

so I've been asking around and everyone tells me that the fingerboard and bridge should match, it just looks better. so ... where do you plan to go to get a BRW fingerboard? when you find out plz let me know!

This guitar sounds killer.

can you post a pic of your fb with your bridge so we can see?

[darren]

I think the ebony fb and rosewood bridge combination is fairly common with classicals...

[darren]

As always, your take on things is appreciated, Rick.

[enalnitram]

I can see where you're coming from, Rick. It's very reasonable. But as a newbie, more or less, I'm left weighing the various things I've heard.

If you say that you've seen plenty of long saddles with bridges split in front of them, then I compare that to another experienced longtime builder that says he fits his long saddles tight, and he has never seen one split. if you say you don't hear a difference, and that there is no evidence to suggest there is a difference, I compare that to another builder and former engineer that I completely respect, saying that the long saddles definitely do have an effect on tone and response in a beneficial way.

so, if you say there's no difference, and you're right, then it doesn't matter what gets used, tonally. but if the other guy is right, then the long saddle is the way to go.

so it seems then, that my safest bet will be to use the long saddle and to fit it tight.

plus, the long ones, they just look cooler.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

And for sure cool is very important too! I have never heard a bad sounding Taylor, and I think they use Ebony for their bridges exclusively, if I'm not mistaken (which I have frequently been known to be :>().
How about Walnut for a bridge? Too light weight? Too soft?
Now I would really like to use Brazilian for a bridge soon, anyone have some nice brazilian blanks for sale?

Kevin

[Darryl Young]

I've read both statements from experienced folks........longer is slightly better and others state there is no difference. As for a rationale, here is Mario's:

Consider this; bone or ivory is denser than wood, so a longer saddle will add a wee bit of mass to the bridge unit as whole which will deepen the bottom end a hair, but at the same time, bone or ivory have much lower damping properties, and since we replaced more high damping wood with low damping bone with the long saddle, the whole of the bridge unit now is lower damping, which will brighten the entire range. "Better" will depend on what you want from the guitar. Minutia? For sure, but hey, look at it like Bryan says; taken to extremes, it's more obvious; it simply becomes a smaller difference, but it is still real and cannot be dismissed. In the end, it's the cumulative effect of all this minutia that works to give each luthier, and each instrument its own voice.

So I'm sure any differences are subtle. On classical guitars it's claimed the difference is noticeable and a rosewood bridge is always used.

RD, are the long slot bridges you see that are cracked the old style cut on a band saw or the new style Martin slots that are routed with a pocket.......or both?