Discolored pins and saddle?

[dwasifar]

Guys, I have an unusual (to me) thing happening on my newish D-55. The bone saddle and bridge pins appear to be picking up color from the bridge:



It's as if the bridge was stained and the bone is picking up the stain.

Anyone else see this, or am I the only lucky one?

 

[mavuser]

that is typical and ive seen the tops of the pins turn red from a red lined hard case interior

 

[dwasifar]

that is typical and ive seen the tops of the pins turn red from a red lined hard case interior

Good to know. I have never seen it happen before.

When I took that saddle out I was rather surprised to see notches where the strings cross it. I might have to learn to make saddles.

 

[Coop47]

I think - and would love someone to confirm (or debunk) this - the ebony bridges on the newer Guilds are stained and that has not always been the case. Could that be the reason?

 

[dwasifar]

I called Guild to ask, and the guy said they've never heard of such a thing. I sent the guy the pic and he was taken aback by it; said he would have to talk to his tech team.

 

[gjmalcyon]

Bone is porous, right? I'm not surprised its picking up stain (if the bridge is stained), or is being stained by the natural oils in the ebony.

 

[geoguy]

Or maybe oiling the bridge is resulting in stain being transferred to the bone pieces?

I have also not seen that before, but I don't change strings as often as you do . . .

 

[dwasifar]

Bone is porous, right? I'm not surprised its picking up stain (if the bridge is stained), or is being stained by the natural oils in the ebony.

I have other guitars with ebony bridges and I have not seen this happen. But now that I think of it, the Taylor has a Micarta saddle and ebony pins, and the Larrivee has a bone saddle and ebony pins. So I'd certainly never see it on the pins, but I might on the saddle, at least on the Larry.

Or maybe oiling the bridge is resulting in stain being transferred to the bone pieces?

I have also not seen that before, but I don't change strings as often as you do . . .

I have not oiled the bridge, but maybe Guild did when they built it and went a little overboard.

I will say that this bridge seems pretty light-colored and porous as ebony goes.

 

[davismanLV]

To be honest, all my (older) ebony bridges are just as black as can be. That looks like rosewood that's been stained black or something. Only striped ebony would have that much grain pattern. Not sure what's up with that. When the pins are in holding the strings, you can't see it, though, right?

 

[dwasifar]

To be honest, all my (older) ebony bridges are just as black as can be. That looks like rosewood that's been stained black or something. Only striped ebony would have that much grain pattern. Not sure what's up with that. When the pins are in holding the strings, you can't see it, though, right?

Actually no. It is visible when the pins are installed. You can see it on the saddle too.

 

[SFIV1967]

A "newer" Guild, what does that mean? What year is that D-55 from? Is it an Oxnard made one? Well, sounds like and the saddle looks like.
I have to agree to what Tom said, that wood looks not like the typical ebony bridge on first look. But nowadays a lot of different looking ebony is used, so it is possible they stained it.

Ralf

 

[geoguy]

At the beginning of his string-test thread, he said it was a '21 Oxnard D-55.

That bridge wood does look unusually porous for ebony.

Maybe try cleaning the saddle or a pin with a little naptha on a cloth, & see if it lightens that discoloration?

 

[dwasifar]

I tried alcohol to no effect. I was hesitant to try mineral spirits (naphtha, paint thinner, etc) because I don't know what that will do to bone. If it soaks in, it might make things worse.

A "newer" Guild, what does that mean? What year is that D-55 from? Is it an Oxnard made one? Well, sounds like and the saddle looks like.
I have to agree to what Tom said, that wood looks not like the typical ebony bridge on first look. But nowadays a lot of different looking ebony is used, so it is possible they stained it.

Ralf

Actually I said "newish," not "newer." I felt like that conveyed it was recent manufacture, but not freshly out of the box. Sorry if that was misleading. Sometimes I feel like giving too much detail about an instrument feels a little like boasting about it. Geoguy is right, it's a '21 model.

 

[Coop47]

To be honest, all my (older) ebony bridges are just as black as can be. That looks like rosewood that's been stained black or something. Only striped ebony would have that much grain pattern. Not sure what's up with that. When the pins are in holding the strings, you can't see it, though, right?

They don't make ebony like they used to, Tom.

Seriously though, I've noticed the ebony on guitars in the last 10-15 years hasn't been as uniformly black. Makes sense that there would be a dwindling supply of the choice wood.

I need to check a few of my new guitars to see if there's staining - I think I've noticed it, but it's never bothered me.

 

[chazmo]

Coop, you're right. But, I'll be damned if that doesn't look like rosewood to me.

 

[Heath]

I kind of agree that it looks like stained rosewood. here is an old 70’s ebony bridge (yes, I see the crack)

 

[dwasifar]

Well, for what it's worth, my camera tends to make things look brighter than they are. But if it's rosewood, yeah it's not to spec, but I've decided I'm still okay with it because it sounds good.

 

[Heath]

To me it has more to do with the grain of the wood. I imagine it still sounds great!

 

[SFIV1967]

Actually I said "newish," not "newer." I felt like that conveyed it was recent manufacture, but not freshly out of the box. Sorry if that was misleading.

Oh, no, no problem at all, I'm German, so obviously sometimes I misunderstand such differences.
Ralf

 

[davismanLV]

Oh, no, no problem at all, I'm German, so obviously sometimes I misunderstand such differences.
Ralf

HEH!! Ralf's misunderstanding is my wealth of knowledge, comparatively!! LOL!!