Have a 1971 D40 that bought last winter and just changed strings on it. I rotate my guitars weekly so don't get bent out of shape over strings not being changed enough.
While changing strings, I noticed the nut, saddle, and bridge pins to be old plastic. I got no complaint as to how it sounds just wondered if old D40s came with plastic?
"Micarta" for nut and saddle to be precise but Hans corrected me a while back about
when it got used on a specific guitar (and think it
was a D40).
I thought it was "Always" but apparently not, and can't remember which era I thought used it but
didn't...'60's? Or maybe he meant "yes", they
were actually plastic?
Would bone give it a better or just a different sound in your opinion?
Bone saddle & nut improved volume and sustain on my D25.
A bone saddle affects everything all the time and a bone nut improves sustain on
unfretted strings so helps balance the overall output.
Subtle but discernible.
Recently another member mentioned they actually preferred Tusq after searching for something to replace their nut and saddle.
Pins have been discussed in past and I believe folks who say they can hear a difference.
I just think it's due more to the mass of the material itself as opposed to imparting any actual tonal qualities:
I subscribe to the school that says total bridge mass has a bigger effect on energy transfer to the top than pin material, and since seated pins essentially become part of the bridge mass, if you go to a substantially denser material you are in fact increasing bridge mass to some degree.