Best bridge & saddles for new bender?

Hello everyone! I'm getting B&W B and G benders installed in less than a month and was wondering what everyone's recommendation for saddles would be. Of course we've seen benders use every kind of saddle but in your experience what works and holds up the best?
I currently have the vintage 3-saddle bridge but I wouldn't mind a 6 saddle that you could intonate easier. I've read that the roller saddles really don't "roll" that well and I've always wondered if they affected the tone negatively.
It looks like Forrest Lee uses 3-saddle Wilkinson compensated saddles in many of his guitars.
Glaser & McVay's actual saddle that bends looks to have some sort of custom saddle and I can't tell if it's a roller or just a large diameter barrel in a single saddle.
What works best for you and is there anything I should stay away from?

Thanks!
Peter

I got my Hipshot, B/G, 3-toggle, back in the mid 80s. Being a pedal steeler, I figured I could use pedal steel tech, and make my Bender Tele function even better. Got a Schaller roller bridge, and mounted the roller saddles onto a Tele bridge plate. Installed a roller nut. The result of those mods was a dead, toneless Tele. The loss of sustain was quite remarkable! Took it to my tech. He said, "JB, you don't need all that 5h1t!" Went back to a stock plate with compensated saddles that I got from Jay, who used to work with Gatton. My tech very carefully made a new bone nut, paying careful attention to the angles of the slots. My Tele was back!
Stay away from rollers! They dampen the strings vibrations, leading to a loss of sustain.

Use whatever works best tonally for your guitar.

Like jmiles said, forget rollers.

Anything else will work - some wear faster than others, but even if you bend like a maniac (meaning use the gadget far more than you really should) it'll take you a year or two to wear a tiny groove in even a brass saddle. Then simply switch it for one of the other ones - a larger gage string won't even notice the groove.

On my main player (Pullstring #0002) that's played at least an hour a day, when I had the brass saddles on it I don't think I ever changed the B/E until I decided to switch to threaded steel after a couple of years.

Just use what works to your ears. Don't worry about the bender.

Jim,
If one has uncompensated saddles, can't you just turn them over?

Thanks for the info! I started to really like the look of the 3-saddle bridge so I'm glad that the 6-saddles don't necessarily perform better. I think I'll go with the Rutters Brass Straight Comp Saddles to keep the look unless anyone thinks the Stainless Steel version would slide easier.

Thanks for the info! I started to really like the look of the 3-saddle bridge so I'm glad that the 6-saddles don't necessarily perform better. I think I'll go with the Rutters Brass Straight Comp Saddles to keep the look unless anyone thinks the Stainless Steel version would slide easier.

I would go stainless if you're using a bender. Elimitate wear issues before they bloom.

Please don't take this as a commercial but I have the brass set chrome plated for the bender and Bigsby guys, chrome is a very slippery coating super hard so it will take quite a while before it wears plus it does not change the brass tone. Stainless is hard enough but I like the brass tone myself.

jmiles - absolutely! I didn't mention it because it seems like a lot of the brass saddle makers have gone to one rounded and one flat side - probably so you have to buy saddles sooner, since you only get three now - not what used to essentially be SIX!

Jim,
If one has uncompensated saddles, can't you just turn them over?

Even if they are compensated, you can just turn them over, but if compensated, you also need to go upside down, AND turn end to end.

Good point Raybob!

Please don't take this as a commercial but I have the brass set chrome plated for the bender and Bigsby guys, chrome is a very slippery coating super hard so it will take quite a while before it wears plus it does not change the brass tone. Stainless is hard enough but I like the brass tone myself.

Hi Marc! I was looking at your saddles yesterday. I didn't see the listing for the chrome plated brass, is that a special order?

I was going to go for steel but Marc talked me into these; I put a set on my P/W bender last December and they are holding up very well!

I was going to go for steel but Marc talked me into these; I put a set on my P/W bender last December and they are holding up very well!
How long did you have to wait for them ?

I don't know the exact no.of days, but it was pretty quick turnaround -- just find out from Marc on the current prep/plating time!!

Hi Marc! I was looking at your saddles yesterday. I didn't see the listing for the chrome plated brass, is that a special order?

Hey Peter yes they are currently special order if i get enough requests I'll add em to the site. Usually takes a week to get thru plating.

I have a regular set of Rutters brass saddles on my bender. I love when threads like this pop up. Just ordered a chromed set! Thanks!

I just got an e-mail notice from Marc Rutters that my chrome plated brass saddles are on the way! Can't wait to try them!