I have a Larrivée dreadnought. I noticed the guitar is jangly in the upper registers, and discovered that the action was low on the B and E strings - not enough to buzz under normal circumstances but enough to buzz when the neck is under moderate pressure. I took it to a local tech, who made me a new saddle, adding about 1mm to that end.
Here is where things get a little weird. The guitar is still jangly, so I decided to put the original saddle back for comparison. When I put the original saddle in, I noticed it rocks a tiny bit from end to end, like a seesaw. Just a hair. The new saddle is too snug in the slot for me to try that; I had to pull it out with pliers. But when I compare the two saddles, the new one is perfectly flat on the bottom whereas the original is a tiny bit concave.
I think the saddle slot must be high in the middle, and Larrivée shaved the original saddle a bit concave to make it seat better - not entirely successfully, since it still rocks a bit. This means neither saddle contacts the bottom of the slot along its entire length, and I would expect if it's up at one end, it'll be the lighter strings end.
Could this be causing the jangly tone? I'd like to get more information before I go back to the tech and ask him to alter the saddle he just made.
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One thing I've discovered about fitting saddles (particularly in balancing piezo response, string-to-string) is to allow for the amount of top flex when an instrument's strung, versus not.
When strung to pitch, measure the bulging of the top in the center,at a spot on the bridge, directly behind the saddle. Note that measurement & un-string the guitar.
Now use a small jack inside (under the saddle area) to replicate that amount of rise at the same spot where you'd measured. With the jack still in place, flatten the bottom of the saddle slot as you normally would.
This will give you a "real world" saddle slot that's closer to being flat under string tension. I can vouch that it helps a lot with piezo installations and it may aid your tilting saddle, as well. Hope it helps.
This is the way..
what kind of material is the original saddle made of ? what about then new?
Trust me, the saddle started out flat and the slot was milled flat, too. Time and string tension have distorted them. But no matter, replacing the saddle with one that fits better shows that wasn't the source of the jangliness.
The pressure of the strings pushes the saddle down enough to ensure full contact. If the guitar has an undersaddle pickup and you hear the distortion through that, that's another issue and contact could be a factor.
Unfortunately it's next to impossible to add further diagnoses relying on your description of "jangly", without hearing this first hand.
Hi, the new saddle I feel may be too tight in its sot, if pliers are needed to remove it. This may also hold the saddle up off the pickup in some cases. In the photo is shown how I got around this issue back in the day. I remember those Martin Thinline under saddle pickups were a pain to fit at times.
Taff
OP- does this even have a pickup?
Hmmmm, the term jangly throws me, your right no mention of a pick up.
I have often found that when a customer describes a sound from their guitar over th e phone and then sends the guitar, my interpretation of the sound is quiet different. Whatever the sound is, now with a tight fitting saddle, I'd be looking elsewhere. Loose brace, loose truss rod ( pressure on the neck was mentioned).
Does it happen with open as well as fretted strings? Does it happen with all strings in all positions?
I suppose Ya gotta be there.
Taff
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