What saddles with your bender?

I'm just wondering how many folks with benders out there are using a brass, three-saddle bridge with your bender. Anybody switch from the modern six saddle to brass or vice versa? If so, why?

I think you'll find there are a lot of posts here about saddles and benders....most folks find the brass is too soft and the string used on the the bender will start sawing through the brass creating a groove....Happened to me after a couple of weeks....

Most people use steel....I tried the graphtech IOS saddles, which sound very close to brass and the notching has not been a problem- several weeks later....

My main Tele is an '83 top loader which has the stock Fender 6 saddle bridge. I've had a bender on it since I bought the guitar 22 years ago! I used a HipShot until about 9 months ago when I got my P/W installed and I've never had any problem with it at all, no wearing out, nothing. I used to have once instance with the HipShot unit which really wasn't much of a problem and it was about every 3 or 4 months I'd have to crank up the two Allen screws on the B string saddle as I'd find it a little lower than the rest. Since I have the P/W it doesn't do that anymore. Maybe the downward motion of the HipShot when applied made the screws turn!....JH in Va.

I use brass compensated saddles from Stewmac and they last at least a year - and that's with a lot of playing. The nice thing is one spare set for 13 bucks or so gives you three year's worth of replacements, since all three are identical.

It's worth the tonal improvement and warmth to use brass - I can't stand the harshhness of steel saddles. If someone is only getting two weeks out of brass saddles something is either wrong with the guitar setup or the saddles are really bad.

Thee six-piece saddles aren't even worth considering IMO.

Does anyone make six-piece brass modern saddles to replace the factory steel saddles?

Might try Stew-Mac.

These are brass and coated with black, gold, or chrome plating.

Stew-Mac Bridges (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_non-trem_bridges/Modern_Tele_Bridges.html)

Never tried them, but wanted to pass on the info. Personally, I'm using the aircraft aluminum (McVay Benders & saddles)

Hope this helps.

tomtheguitarguy

You can get a set from G+L---same set used on ASAT Classic--$26.00.

I went with Callaham's stainless steel saddles. Perfect!

Compensated brass for low E-A and D-G -- can't remember if those were from MannMade (out of business) or StewMac -- have had several sets on several guitars -- use compensated brass on my other Teles.

Compensated threaded steel for high B-E -- from Music One. Just a bit brighter sounding than brass, and not offensive to my ears.

I had the "sawing" effect on brass saddles if I cut a tiny guide groove, and excessive B string wallowing when I didn't cut a groove. Tried grooved steel, but string wallowing was still an issue. The threaded saddle keeps the B string properly located -- even for a ham-fisted player like myself.

I use a set of titanium saddles from AllParts.

I added a vintage bridge to my AS B-Bender. I left the steel saddle on the B-E, which happened to intonate fine. I need compensated saddles on the other strings to get perfect intonation. I tried brass, but I wanted a tad more punch. I went with IOS saddles for those 4 strings, and I have enjoyed the sound every since.

See pic before the Tusq IOS saddles.

http://keittlab.biosci.utexas.edu/albums/album15/vintagebridge.jpg