Westerly Guilds Came w/Bone Nut and Saddle?
- Thread starter sixx
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Micarta (plastic), an early attempt at a "stable" material (like we think of "Tusq", today).
No kidding. Glad I asked. I see a conversion in my near future if the original nut and saddle are still present in the F50 I just bought (it's at the hospital getting the bridge reglued at moment or I'd check). Tks much sir.
Westerly Wood
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I know my D25 was plastic and most likely still is. I have only changed the tuning heads.
sixx, as you may well know, unlike synthetics, not all natural materials are created equal. Bone (or so-called fossil) can be hit or miss. When it is a definite hit, I believe it to be a superior material choice to the synthetic alternatives. It can provide for a very audible improvement in the sound. But there is always a risk, however slight, that your first effort(s) at nut and/or saddle replacement could be less than spectacular. (I may regret this later, but) on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing the best-of-best (such as the fossilized femur of the right front leg of the giant Carpathian Dragonfly), Cow Bone can come in at a solid 8, maybe even 9, where the most highly regarded plastics may eek out a 6 (to me) or possibly a 7 (to others).
Since I own a Nautical Jumbo, I'm going to search out a good specimen catfish saddle. I believe it will empower me to play southern blues most proficiently.
{chuckle}
I love my Tusq endpins!
My '96 DV6 came with plastic nut saddle bridgepins. I made a tusq saddle for it not long after i got her. Replaced the bent-up & wonky bridgepins with tusq at the 1st string change my luthier replaced my tusq saddle with bone a couple years later citing better response from the pickup. i couldent really tell either way really.
Kept the plastic nut-never really had reason to swap it out
Kept the plastic nut-never really had reason to swap it out
I had a Tusq saddle and end pins put on my D64 years ago.
walrus
walrus
Wut? No walrus, walrus?
adorshki
Reverential Member
We've also heard very good things about fossilized Tasmanian armadillo pizzle for bridge pins.
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adorshki
Reverential Member
Bone nut will enhance the sustain of unfretted strings.
I had bone N &S put in my D25 at the first refret and the results were noticeable and favorable, and I do play a lot of "open" chords.
Rick Schmidlin
Member
What about 1964 D40's ?
adorshki
Reverential Member
'bout 99+% certain it would have been the aforementioned micarta.
Can't recall Hans ever mentioning anything else on any regular production flattops, even the venerable D55.
It's been around in different forms for a long time and is actually very well suited to the application:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micarta
"Micarta industrial laminate sheet is a hard, dense material made by applying heat and pressure to layers of prepreg. These layers of laminations are usually of cellulose paper, cotton fabrics, synthetic yarn fabrics, glass fabrics, or unwoven fabrics. When heat and pressure are applied to the layers, a chemical reaction (polymerization) transforms the layers into a high-pressure thermosetting industrial laminated plastic."
I suspect in the case of Guild it's the cellulose paper type. It seems the most consistent with the "texture" of the stuff.
For counterpoint Guild made a point of letting it be known in the price list/catalog when they did go to bone N&S and adi bracing in Tacoma.
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txbumper57
Enlightened Member
My 1976 G41 Jumbo Dread was a night and day difference with a bone nut and bone compensated saddle installed. I am just not a fan of the Micarta sound but for the time period it was a pretty good material if you think about it. I am sure your Luthier knows what he is doing Sixx but if you find you need a place to get a bone nut or saddle, a lot of people here have had great luck with Bob Colosi's stuff at www.guitarsaddles.com Personally every Westerly made guitar I have owned truly blossomed in tone with the installation of a Bone nut, saddle (compensated or not), and bridge pins. It is one of those little tweaks that when it pays off pays off big time in my opinion.
TX
TX
Opinion shared.
Cougar
Enlightened Member
My Epi Masterbilt EF500 RAVS came with fossilized walrus ivory pins and saddle. That is one sonic little 000.
Gorgeous, Cougar!