Corian Saddle

[Christian Johnson]

Made a saddle for a customer about a month ago. First time I ever used Corian; I usually use bone, micarta, or tusq. A week ago he stops me at church with a broken G string. This is one reason I made him a new saddle in the first place. Upon inspection, he already wore a pretty deep 'seat' into the saddle. This is why he was breaking strings already; he's a hard strummer. I sanded out the nicks, and I've asked him to ease up on the strumming but, has anyone else experienced this with Corian? My saddles usually are good for a year before we have string break problems due to wear. Break angle, etc are fine.

[FRANK]

LESS POINTY TIP LAY MORE STRING DOWN ON THE SADDLE

[Kerry Krishna]

Why would you be using Corian at all? Corian is generally the 1st thing replaced on guitars that come stock with it. And of course it is replaced with bone, so doesnt that say it all? I don't quite understand why or how it ever made any headway into Luthiery.( Martin!!!) I'd just make him a bone saddle and be done with it. But thats just me. Anyone else?

[Christian Johnson]

Thanks for the input. I tried it after chatting with a sales rep at a certain lutherie supply co. I think this will be my last use.

[Russell Vance]

Corian is used to make kitchen counter tops and stuff like that.......I have a box of the stuff sold to me as a 'great alternative' to conventional bone/Tusq material. I think most of us have been taken for a ride regards this material. Totally useless - on par with plastic except it's not as hard.

I use Tusq 'String Saver/Black Tusq" material for my heavy handed players who break strings frequently - it notches over time but is easy and relatively cheap to replace especially if the pre formed profiles fit directly (lots of different models). Pragmatic but effective - breaking a string half way through a performance hurts your tone more than changing your saddle material from the purist 'bone' to something that works the whole night.

[Christian Johnson]

Thanks, Rusty. I too like the Graphtec stuff. Corian is off my list. Back to the stuff that works!