Is it at all possible to install a through saddle or modify a straight saddle to a through saddle. Is it worth the trouble?

Sure- I do it all the time. Worth it? Well, that's debatable. I think it is, but I can work on my own guitars (as well as other people's... ). The advantages are:

1) I think they sound a little better

2) they look vintage and therefore "cool"

Disadvantages:
1) harder to adjust- can't shim 'em.

2) should be glued in

3) no undersaddle pickups. No problem for me- I don't like u/s pups anyway.

The way I convert is to fill the existing saddle slot with an ebony strip and then cut the new slot where it should be. I like to fill the slot, even though I'm going to be re-routing it right out because a) I'm probably not going as deep as the drop-in slot was, and b) the slot might not line up exactly where the old one was (might be a couple .001" smaller, for instance) or might need to be moved for better intonation. Mostly (a). When it's done you can't tell it wasn't original.

Bryan Kimsey
http://www.bryankimsey.com

The term "through saddle" has always perplexed me. What goes through the saddle, or what does the saddle pass through? Is a through saddle one in which the saddle length = the bridge length? Is the theory then, Bryan, that more bone material pressed against the bridge transmits more vibration? And why should they be glued in? It seems any saddle's going to stay in place once the guitar's strung.

I guess I'm looking for the saddle primer.

Thanks,
David

The term "thru" refers to the fact that the slot runs "thru" the bridge, as opposed to being "captive". You can take a thru saddle and push it out the other end. The term "long" and "thru" saddle are pretty much interchangeable, although "long" might furthermore refer to things like Dan Lashbrook's saddle where he routes the saddle into the actual wings of the bridge. I'm more traditional.

The saddle should be glued-in because it doesn't have the support of the "closed" bridge. In other words, the front edge of the bridge is now a free-standing piece of wood. If- when- the saddle tilts forward as ALL saddles do,it puts a lot of pressure on the front edge of the bridge and you'll probably eventually see a crack there. If you have a tall saddle, even a drop-in saddle bridge can crack- ask Edison. I didn't glue my Clarence White (long) saddle in for about a year and it started to crack- I saw it in time and superglued it and all's well now (and my saddle's glued in) So, unless they don't stick up very high (like .100" or less), they should be glued in. Plus, the very act of gluing a saddle in transfers more sound, IMHO.

Removing a Long Saddle

Terms:
long = thru = vintage (see any Martin GE or V)
short = drop-in = modern (see your average D2H)

So, if they sound better, why doesn't Collings do it that way from the factory?

1) drop ins are easier to work with

2) many people debate the sound issue

3) less warranty work- stronger bridge

4) harder for undersaddle pups

5) he will, if you ask him.

6) drop-ins can have deeper slots which puts the saddle closer to the top, which can sound as good or better than thru-saddles. Some danger in weakening the bridge, though. I've seen some bridges fold-up or crack in-line with the deep saddle slot.

Bryan Kimsey
http://www.bryankimsey.com

quote:

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Originally posted by CW646b:

So, if they sound better, why doesn't Collings do it that way from the factory?

1) drop ins are easier to work with

2) many people debate the sound issue

3) less warranty work- stronger bridge

4) harder for undersaddle pups

5) he will, if you ask him.

6) drop-ins can have deeper slots which puts the saddle closer to the top, which can sound as good or better than thru-saddles. Some danger in weakening the bridge, though. I've seen some bridges fold-up or crack in-line with the deep saddle slot.

Bryan Kimsey
http://www.bryankimsey.com

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7) If your action does strange things with the changes in seasons - which is something you have to think about if you live somewhere like Vermont, with warm, dampish summers and often cold, dryish (made even dryer by house heat) winters - you can have more than one saddle, with different heights, for a given instrument and pop 'em in and out as the action goes up and down. I haven't had this problem with either Collings yet, but I have with several M-word and T-word guitars.

"easier to work with" covers all the bases!


Bryan Kimsey
http://www.bryankimsey.com

Through your pictures and descriptions, I now understand. That is a very thin piece of free-standing wood left at the front of the through bridge, with lots of pressure wanting to fold it down. And I can imagine the physics of increased and tighter surface contact by adding glue to the three planes of contact between saddle and bridge.

David