Anyone have some tips for removing a glued-in guitar saddle? I have a homemade dread with a glued saddle that I’d like to lower (and possibly compensate). I’m not too terribly worried, since this guitar is unplayable already but I’d like to try to bring it to life myself. Thanks!
Removing a glued guitar saddle
3 Likes
I am sure if you contact Stewmac these guy’s would have a solution to your problem
They have a ton of videos on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/stewartmacdonald/videos
1 Like
You can use heat from a soldering iron to loosen the grip of glue. You want to be careful to keep the heat on the saddle. A warning… if it isn’t bone, but instead is plastic… heat wouldn’t be the answer. I am not sure what you’d do there.
All that said… you don’t have to remove the saddle to lower it. You can file it in place. I would protect the soundboard with some paper or cardboard taped in place with a low tack masking tape. But working on it in the guitar is not a big deal.
4 Likes
Thanks! Yeah, I think it’d be easier to just work with the saddle installed… The main option to fix this thing is to replace the entire bridge anyway, so if I mess up the saddle it won’t be the end of the world.
3 Likes
If you are replacing the bridge shouldn’t a new one come with a new correct saddle? A new one would maybe be best although of course it’s possible to lower one
3 Likes
I’m planning to adjust the saddle first, because maybe I don’t even need the new bridge… intonation is a bit sharp, and I think the saddle is too high anyway, so why not. If I don’t fix it, I’ll be looking into a new bridge probably.
4 Likes
Have you checked the neck angle? Unless the saddle is monstrous, you’ll get better volume and playability with a slightly taller saddle.
3 Likes
That can be a symptom of excessively high action, so do keep that in mind
2 Likes
So here is another way to go. If the saddle is high and the intonation sharp (as you play further up the neck), then you may be able to route the saddle out of the bridge and cut a new saddle slot back 1/8 the inch and compensate the new saddle. Generally this happens from a poor neck angle, but on an inexpensive guitar you can remove/fill the old saddle slot with whatever wood makes up the bridge (rosewood?) and cut a new slot closer to the bridge pins directly adjacent to the previous slot. Done properly, it should fix your intonation concerns, and give you clearer, stronger fundamental notes.
3 Likes
Yeah, I do think the neck angle is off, which makes sense since the string height was very close to my Eastman’s (which plays wonderfully), but it had much less playability. So all in all, the repairs would cost more than the guitar is worth… and I’m definitely not up for doing a neck reset myself.
1 Like