Graphtech saddles

[wolf5150]

Guys does anyone know if there's a difference in tone between the original Graphtech saddles and the new stainless steel ones with just an insert of graphite ?

It seems to me that the steel ones wouldn't have the same sustain due to a mis-match of contact surface and materials with the insert.

I hope I'm wrong, but would like opinions before I spend my money.

many thanks

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I originally had a set of the Ferraglide saddles on my Axis. I thought they would be the best thing, but I didn't like them at all. They had a peculiar plasticky sound to the attack, and I felt they lacked sustain. The original Graphtech string savers on the other hand are fantastic! I personally don't hear too much of a difference in sound (to the original saddles) and you hardly ever break strings.

 

[paranoid70]

I just put Graphtec string savers on my Silhouette Special (thanks Tim). I was breaking D strings at a ridiculous rate.

I just had them installed about two weeks ago and am very happy with them. I think that they do sound a little different, especially when the strings are new, but, it's not that much different.

Plus one added bonus is that if you rest your picking had on the saddles while playing, they are much more comfortable than the standard saddles.

 

[D.K.]

I have the string savers on my 20-th silos. Both sound tremendous and do not have that shimmy tone (which standard vintage saddles had in my opinion).

They feel a bit different, though - you feel less stiff and the strings feel softer and bendier. That is noticeable especially when playing unplugged. No biggy, it took me just about 30 minutes to adjust, now it feels exactly right.

 

[muzikman]

I think the new steel ones has more brilliance than the originals. Try considering the tone of your guitar as a whole then decide which one fits well on your guitar. For me I choose the originals for my Sub1. It sounded great! Believe me, you'll be satisfied especially if you're a hard player.

Here it is:

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Gotta love those Graphtechs.....

 

[candid_x]

I have the string savers on my 20-th silos. Both sound tremendous and do not have that shimmy tone (which standard vintage saddles had in my opinion).

They feel a bit different, though - you feel less stiff and the strings feel softer and bendier. That is noticeable especially when playing unplugged. No biggy, it took me just about 30 minutes to adjust, now it feels exactly right.

What is shimmy tone? You mean chimey tone?

 

[D.K.]

What is shimmy tone? You mean chimey tone?

Oh, sorry for choosing a wrong word. "Shimmy" was a way of trying to describe the metallic buzzing tone that my saddles made prior to the change for the graphtechs - "chimey" would have a too positive connotation. In fact, the vintage saddles sucked tone.

 

[candid_x]

Huh, interesting. I've never experienced buzzing from bent steel saddles.

 

[D.K.]

You know, that's something I have not experienced before either, it was just that something felt not quite right with the tone of my non-trem 20-th, especially unplugged.
Then I tried to reason out what the source could be and decided to try another saddles, as I wanted different saddles anyway, cause the vintage ones tear my palm apart when playing.
Both problems were gone in an instant as soon as I put the graphtechs on.

What I didn't know though, was that the sales guy had given me a wrong set of them, as they come in two widths - 10.4 an 11 mm. So I squizzed the 11s on the bridge and though it surely looked weird, it still sounded great. Now the problem is corrected and it actualy looks coll, too.

With the trem 20-th I had no tonal issues, but a tuning stability problem especially on the 3-rd string. Needless to say, graphtech helped to solve it as well.

BTW, I do only put graphtechs in place of the vintage saddles - all the others (Petrucci, Morse, block saddles, Schaller bridge on my silhouette) have felt perfectly fine right away.

 

[candid_x]

You just favor the tone of solid non-vintage type saddles. That's cool.

 

[D.K.]

You just favor the tone of solid non-vintage type saddles. That's cool.

Spot on - You hit it right on the nose

 

[Slingy]

I'd like to replace the vintage saddles on my Luke to MM block saddles. I don't really care about getting graphtech ones, but can these be ordered directly from EB? Or can someone show me the correct ones to get.

 

[57paf]

Ferraglides

Wolf:
I asked the same question of Tom Anderson (of Tom Anderson Guitars) and he told me the following:

Tom, Roy or Bruce--switch to Ferraglides - Anderson Guitar Forum - Sponsored By Magdon Music

 

[luiscesaripad]

Sorry for bring back this topic. I want to replace the saddles of my Luke 3, because they are getting like rust. My question is, if i replace with the graphtech, what is the string spacing i have to buy? I ask because, 2-3/16" ?

 

[paranoid70]

It's been quite some time since I put them on, but I think the ones made for 'Strat style' guitars should be fine.

 

[luiscesaripad]

Thank you so much !

 

[luiscesaripad]

Yes but there is 2 measures for strat, no ? 2-1/16" and 2-3/16"

 

[DrKev]

Actually, it's 2 1/8", 54mm.

I don't think graphtech do this size so go for the smaller size. Or get in touch with Customer Service, who sell saddles.

 

[luiscesaripad]

I called CS they said to get the 2-1/16"