Replacing a Saddle

[lilifield]

What is the proper way to remove/replace an acoustic saddle? While restringing my guitar I decided to put in a lower action saddle, however.... the original wouldn't come out... not even with a few gentle/firm pulls with pliers. Are those things glued down in there? Should I have given it a hard pull instead? :eek:

[Lordathestrings]

Just to clarify here, we are talking about a purely acoustic flat-top guitar with a one-piece saddle set into the bridge plate, with no electric pickups of any kind?

Usually the saddle is simply a snug fit in a slot routed into the bridge plate. It may have been glued in, but that should not have been necessary.

I'm reluctant to recommend brute force. If you have access to a good tech or a luthier, ask them about it.

[andrew3in1]

:eek:

The saddle should come out easily. But on some cheaper guitars it is glued in and not meant to be removed. I have seen these glued in saddles on Ibanez, Jasmine, and other cheap guitars. I would reccomend taking it to a Lutherier.

[lilifield]

Thanks! Yea, it's a lower-end Ibanez. I kinda thought it might be glued in there because I used gentle force and it wouldn't budge! Can't figure why they'd include a spare saddle with the guitar if the original was glued in. A luthier??? I'd probaby have to pay him more for a simple thing like that, than I paid for the entire guitar. It's not worth it to me... I'll just keep playing in high-action mode. Thanks!!! :)

[Lordathestrings]

Don't give up so easily!

A tech or a luthier can set up your guitar for lower action. Depending on the instrument, there may be limits on how much they can accomplish, but I'm sure they can improve it.

[andrew3in1]

:mad:

If a lutherie charges more than ten dollars he is cheating you. This is a 2 minute fix.

:rolleyes: