Is Graph Tech Tusq feasible for a saddle on electric lap steel?

[Paul Douglas]

I'm playing around with home builds at the moment, experimenting with different designs and sizes. I've seen lots of home builds where the basic layout is: through body stringing where the positioning of the ferrules determines string spacing; strings go over a saddle that is something like aluminium angle; strings go over bone nut to tuners. Some use angle for the nut as well as for the bridge/saddle, but I don't think I have seen a single one that uses bone for the saddle (though you do see that sort of thing on acoustic guitars).

I have used aluminium angle for all my bridges and nuts so far. It works fine and is very cheap, so great for trying alternative spacings, but I don't have the skills to make a good job of tidying them up. Graph Tech make a couple of really large nuts that would easily be big enough to use as saddles. However, I haven't seen any home build examples that have used anything other than metal at the bridge end of the strings. If everyone does something the same way there's usually a good reason. Can anyone tell me what it is?

Thank you!

[Fred]

Aluminum angle is east to work and easy to install with essentially no woodworking skills. It has the added benefit of sounding good. For the homebuilder it's just the easiest route and there's no real downside.

There's no reason not to use other materials. Rickenbacher used bakelite and many other production instruments used steel. I've used brass and very hardwoods like cocobolo and purpleheart. They all work with only minor tonal differences. Graph Tech's Tusq should work just fine.

Fred

[BJ Burbach]

I have used Graph Tech nuts and saddles on several guitars and I love them. I use a 6220-00 and 1354-00 on acoustic guitars for the lap and several saddles, using their blanks. Asher uses TUSQ nuts on their lap steels. #6054-00, I have begged them to make 7 and 8 string versions, but they are numb. If I could get decent dobro nuts and bridge inserts for dobros and tricones, I would be happy.
Anyway, great stuff, smooth tuning, great for benders and I would use more, but they ignore steelers. I would settle for blanks and make my own, but mostly blanks are not big enough. On electrics, I like steel rod saddles.

BTW, I have also used graphite filled bearing bronze. It is bronze with graphite just melted into it. Wow, you think brass is good? This stuff is amazing! Built in lube.
I got some from McMaster Carr. I think Bunting Bearings makes it. The 1/4" is perfect for making Telecaster saddles for benders.

If we made a tone bar out of this stuff... Think I'll try that.;

UPDATE; Not great prospects for tone bar. It is oversized so more like 1" and not exactly straight, so needs serious machining.
The little ones do work as tele bridges, though, just need to cut them a little shorter, polish a bit and tap for the screw.




BJ