point for the B string,
which will be just on the
pin side of the saddle. In
this case, you’ll remove
material from the front
(soundhole side) of the
saddle to create a ridge
at the rear. Using a small
flat file, carve away the
excess material from
the front of the saddle
(Photos 15 and 16).
Essentially, this creates a
notch in the blank.
8. Put the saddle back in its
slot, install a fresh set of
strings on the guitar, and
tune it to concert pitch.
7. Look at the saddle to
check your compensation.
If you’ve done the carving
correctly, the high E rides
at the center of the saddle,
the B sits on the rear edge
(Photo 17), the G sits on
the front edge, the low E
sits close to the rear edge,
and the A and D contact
points form a line between
the low E and G.
Now examine the
saddle from the rear:
Do all the strings come
off the saddle and angle
smoothly to their respective pin holes? To minimize string breakage, you
don’t want any sharp
edges here. Also, by having each string supported
at the correct angle as it
descends into its pin hole,
you get maximum transfer
of string vibration into
the bridge (Photo 18).
8. Finally, when the saddle
looks right from the front
and rear, check the intonation again. If a string
needs adjustment, file its
contact point forward or
backward accordingly.
9. Remove the saddle and
polish it with 600-grit
sandpaper and a cloth.
While you’re at it, clean
the fretboard with ultra-fine #0000 steel wool (safe
14
16
19
for fretboards, but don’t
let it touch the finish) and
then treat the fretboard and
bridge with lemon oil or a
lubricant like Planet Wave’s
Hydrate (Photos 19 and
20). Reinstall the saddle,
string up, tune to concert
pitch, and you’re good to go.
15
17
18
20
14. Checking the trailing angle for the low-E string as it comes off the saddle. The distance between the pin hole
and the saddle determines this angle, and it’s important to file it correctly for each string.
15. Filing the B-string
compensation after removing the bridge from the saddle. The mark you made earlier indicates how far into the
saddle you need to file.
16. The B-string “notch.”
17. The B-string notch seen from the front of the saddle.
18.
Check the trailing edge of each string to confirm there are no sharp edges and each string sits on a correctly
angled surface for optimal volume and sustain. This saddle is now ready to be removed and given a final polish
with 600-grit sandpaper and then a buffing cloth.
19. Cleaning the fretboard with ultra-fine #0000 steel wool. Yay,
shiny frets!
20. Treating the bridge with a soft cloth sprayed with Planet Wave’s Hydrate.
The Wrap
There we have it. To get Chapman’s well-
loved Taylor back in pro playing condition,
I adjusted the truss rod, tweaked the action
at the nut and saddle, and carved a
compensated bone saddle to give the guitar
a big sound and sweet intonation. This 914
turned out great, and I look forward to hear-
ing it on more hit records!
JOHN LEVAN runs a repair shop on Nashville’s Music Row. Through his Guitar Services Workshops, he gives players,
technicians, and retail employees hands-on training in the art of guitar repair. LeVan has written five guitar repair books,
all published by Mel Bay. His bestseller, Guitar Care, Setup & Maintenance, is a detailed guide with a forward by Bob
Taylor. LeVan welcomes questions about this article or his books. Drop an email to guitarservices@aol.com or visit gui-
tarservices.com for more info.
