Better tone with un-notched saddles?

[bursty]

I don't have any opinion on the notched/no notch saddle issue but I did see JD and Greg Koch play some old Allman Brothers tunes here in St Paul a few years back and oh boy, was it amazingly sublime.

 

[Minibucker]

I would not trust that pre-notched saddles would work for a particular guitar any more than I would trust a pre-notched nut.
Heck...I always use a Stew-Mac notching rule, then eyeball the final spacing because I find it to be innacurate.
Honestly, I probably couldn't feel the difference of a couple thou' in either direction, but if my eye perceives it as off, it'll drive me nuts.

Yes, you're stuck with that spacing (unless you file down until they're gone and start again) and for the guitars I kept it on it was close enough thankfully. The notches work fine as far as keeping the string stable though. Unless you have a really shallow angle behind the bridge the string pressure kept things in fine even under hard strumming.

Actaully, on pretty much every Nashville-bridge-equipped Gibson USA I've had, the spacing has been pretty straight/centered on the saddles out of the factory. Maybe just lazy on their part or lucky on mine but it always felt fine, no slippage off the end of the fingerboard by either E's or premature fretting out, etc.

 

[lub]

Yes, you're stuck with that spacing (unless you file down until they're gone and start again) and for the guitars I kept it on it was close enough thankfully. The notches work fine as far as keeping the string stable though. Unless you have a really shallow angle behind the bridge the string pressure kept things in fine even under hard strumming.

Actaully, one pretty much every Nashville-bridge-equipped Gibson USA I've had the spacing has been pretty starlight/centered on eth saddles out of the factory. Maybe just lazy on their part or lucky on mine but it always felt fine, so slippage off the end of the fingerboard by either E's or premature fretting out, etc.

yeah Gibson USA has better string alignment than the reissues. maybe that's not 'vintage correct'

 

[Minibucker]

Ugh...my typing.

Am I remembering correctly that someone came out with saddles that had a wide v-notch in them? Like....

...of course, you'd be locked to that center-spacing too. Maybe I'm just imagining that. Never mind.

 

[Gibsonn]

Hi!
This may hurt luthiers but notching is not necessary.
The notches are made with the pressure of the strings on the bridge and especially by playing several hours a day?

 

[60thR0]

Hi!
This may hurt luthiers but notching is not necessary.
The notches are made with the pressure of the strings on the bridge and especially by playing several hours a day?

My new KMS ABR was unnotched and I just left it like that, but E and B strings kept falling off when bending (it’s top wrapped though…). Ended up having to do some rudimentary notches.

 

[Gibsonn]

My new KMS ABR was unnotched and I just left it like that, but E and B strings kept falling off when bending (it’s top wrapped though…). Ended up having to do some rudimentary notches.

My new KMS ABR was unnotched and I just left it like that, but E and B strings kept falling off when bending (it’s top wrapped though…). Ended up having to do some rudimentary notches.

If they are top wrapped you have to make notches?

 

[MarcB]

I changed the saddles on my SG and 335 to nylon.. and lightly tapped the strings with a nylon hammer to create the smallest of notches.. seems to work well and strings stay in place.. tone wise I prefer the nylons.. for the style of music I play..

 

[Gibsonn]

I changed the saddles on my SG and 335 to nylon.. and lightly tapped the strings with a nylon hammer to create the smallest of notches.. seems to work well and strings stay in place.. tone wise I prefer the nylons.. for the style of music I play..

I have yet to try the Nylon saddles on my Gibson ES-335.Do you feel any difference between Nylon and brass?

 

[MarcB]

I have yet to try the Nylon saddles on my Gibson ES-335.Do you feel any difference between Nylon and brass?

Yes definitely.. much less brighter.. smoother tonal range. I found the top strings were much brighter compared to bottom strings..
I use flat wounds and play a lot of jazz blues with my fingers.. so it suits my style/sound.. I was having to roll my tone down to around 3-4 (on 335 with burstbuckers).. with the nylon saddles my tone is now up around 5-7 which gives more articulation.. its a subtle difference but I’m liking it so far..