Compensated Saddles a 101 primer
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:16 am
Saddle compensation is not a simple thing as the variables of a particular instrument are often different from another. The things that will influence the compensation are string gauge , the alloy used ,age of the strings and the placement and angle of compensation used on the bridge.
It is a fairy tale to think one compensated saddle design will work on all guitars. Lets look at the variables and what they do to influence things.
Action height :
The higher the action the more the strings will pull sharp
String gauge:
Light gauge and med gauge will have different tensions and working length of the string
Alloy
this will also influence to a degree the work hardening of the string
Compensation angle
Most common used is about 3 degrees
Compensation length
This is the extra length a build will use to place the saddle position on the guitar.
Zero fret position
The point where the string is actually in the playing line or point .0 of the string length
As a string gets played and ages the properties of the strings will change. This phenomenon is called work hardening. The strings will loose some flexibility and will harden. The string is also being corroded . This changes the intonation. Often the B or G strings will be hard to keep tuned.
So as you look at the needs for compensation you have to look at the playing style that the guitar will be used in. I make my own saddles to the individual guitar. Martin used to use a 3/32 saddle. I like to make my saddles .110. That gives me a little more adjustment room.
When I do a guitar I like to make the set up first then do the compensation last. With fretted instruments you may not get every fret to note true . I like to use the different positions to check intonation so there is a better cents placement up and down the neck. The higher the action the more to compensate to the flat side . The farther up the neck the more accurate your spacing needs to be. It won't take you long to learn to make a good compensated saddle.
It is a fairy tale to think one compensated saddle design will work on all guitars. Lets look at the variables and what they do to influence things.
Action height :
The higher the action the more the strings will pull sharp
String gauge:
Light gauge and med gauge will have different tensions and working length of the string
Alloy
this will also influence to a degree the work hardening of the string
Compensation angle
Most common used is about 3 degrees
Compensation length
This is the extra length a build will use to place the saddle position on the guitar.
Zero fret position
The point where the string is actually in the playing line or point .0 of the string length
As a string gets played and ages the properties of the strings will change. This phenomenon is called work hardening. The strings will loose some flexibility and will harden. The string is also being corroded . This changes the intonation. Often the B or G strings will be hard to keep tuned.
So as you look at the needs for compensation you have to look at the playing style that the guitar will be used in. I make my own saddles to the individual guitar. Martin used to use a 3/32 saddle. I like to make my saddles .110. That gives me a little more adjustment room.
When I do a guitar I like to make the set up first then do the compensation last. With fretted instruments you may not get every fret to note true . I like to use the different positions to check intonation so there is a better cents placement up and down the neck. The higher the action the more to compensate to the flat side . The farther up the neck the more accurate your spacing needs to be. It won't take you long to learn to make a good compensated saddle.
The later involves a lot of set-up skill, as I am discovering. Maybe other recent posts on this topic could all be transferred under a new set-up heading.