Tonal difference brass VS. aluminum saddles

[DoubleStop66]

I've always used brass compensated saddles from either Wilkinson or RS Guitarworks but I've noticed a number of guitarists using aluminum saddles and some using a combination of both aluminum and brass.

What's the total differences? For those who use both on one bridge, what's your favorite combination(s)?

[boris bubbanov]

I've used all 3 aluminum saddles, just E-A and D-G in aluminum and B little E in brass, Just E-A in aluminum and the other 2 in brass. I've even done "two saddle" style barrels, three strings to the barrel with one or both barrels in aluminum. I tend to match them to brass.

I don't know how to describe the sonic signature. I want you to think of 2 things, that maybe might give you a hint:

1) Xylophones, the aluminum ones. Think of how those sound; and

2) Harmonicas. What distinction you hear may make you think about harmonicas.

That's the best I can do.

Some people say aluminum decreases mids and increases highs, but IMO it is more complicated than that. I've begun falling away from them; I found 'em fascinating for a while now I've had almost enough. I won't be using them on any more plain strings even if I do use them now and again on wound ones, and no aluminum plates. Didn't like the aluminum half plates I made.

[telex76]

Brass will sound warmer.

[doublee]

I tried an alum E&A Glendale bridge and could discern no sonic benefit, it didnt sound any different than brass to me.

[w3stie]

You need to check out the screw mod thread for ultimate tone. ;)

[DoubleStop66]

Thanks for the insights. I went ahead and ordered an aluminum Wilkinson compensated saddle set to experiment with. My Baja is sort of my 'test guitar' so I'll try an aluminum E/A in place of the brass.

I'll post my thoughts after I install it...my thinking is, if I don't like it, I'm only out $12.

[brookdalebill]

I'm curious about the aluminum E/A saddle I've been seeing
Just gotta go buy one.
I think brass sounds great, much better than steel.
My 2 cents worth.

[DoubleStop66]

Had a few minutes to install the aluminum compensated saddle on the E/A along with two brass for the other strings.

Unplugged I noticed a little more brightness out of the E and A, could only hear a minor difference when plugged in though. I also changed strings when I swapped out the saddles so I'm unsure if the extra snap is just due to new strings. Regardless, it was a very cheap mod and a fun experiment (it was also a good excuse to intonate the guitar a little better) but I can't say there was an earth shattering tone change that's for sure.

[Big Burly]

Brass is warm with a little more sustain. Aluminum is twangier with a little more note separation.

Subtle differences.

[Scantron08]

I had brass on my Tele, and admittedly preferred them, but honestly, I can't say I could tell the difference in a blind-folded hearing test. I may well just be drinking the kool-aid (TM). I mean, I can't for the life of me figure out *why* brass saddles would actually make the guitar string have a different tone. Unlike the examples in Boris's post above, here, the saddle material isn't what's vibrating.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Scantron08

Unlike the examples in Boris's post above, here, the saddle material isn't what's vibrating.

Sure, the saddle and all its hardware is vibrating.

And, the saddle changes the way the string vibrates as well.

[Scantron08]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Sure, the saddle and all its hardware is vibrating.

And, the saddle changes the way the string vibrates as well.

Well, I'm not so sure, but let's assume it is vibrating. Unless your saddle is 25 inches long, thin enough to create a tone by vibration, and strung across the pickup, I think it's probably not affecting it as much as we'd like to believe. Your saddle is screwed down, held in place by the screw, a spring, and the string tension itself. Can a pickup really detect the vibration of the saddle? Then why aren't we picking our saddles rather than our strings?

I don't mean to be argumentative - I think it makes a difference, too - but I can't logically connect enough dots to understand why it really would make such a difference that we could hear it like we can with say bronze v. nickel strings on an acoustic.

[Webfoot]

So steel saddles are the least desireable?

[Lee Harvey]

Originally Posted by Webfoot

So steel saddles are the least desireable?

I hope not.

I use steel saddles and steel strings..

[Webfoot]

Are Amer Std teles aluminum or steel saddles?

[dilver]

You just gotta try and see what works for your guitar. I started using a Rutters saddle set with Aluminum for the low E/A and brass for the rest. I like the way the Aluminum E/A gives me a snappier, twangier tone, especially for clean sounds

[stilesg57]

Originally Posted by Webfoot

Are Amer Std teles aluminum or steel saddles?

The bent Strat-style saddles on the '08+ AmStd Teles are steel; the bridgeplate is brass.

[orangedrop]

Originally Posted by Scantron08

Well, I'm not so sure, but let's assume it is vibrating. Unless your saddle is 25 inches long, thin enough to create a tone by vibration, and strung across the pickup, I think it's probably not affecting it as much as we'd like to believe. Your saddle is screwed down, held in place by the screw, a spring, and the string tension itself. Can a pickup really detect the vibration of the saddle? Then why aren't we picking our saddles rather than our strings?

I don't mean to be argumentative - I think it makes a difference, too - but I can't logically connect enough dots to understand why it really would make such a difference that we could hear it like we can with say bronze v. nickel strings on an acoustic.

The saddle and the bolt hooking it to the bridge play a pretty fair roll in the transmission of vibration.

Changing the resonant quality of any of the major parts like a saddle, or the bridge plate will have measurable and sometimes quite noticeable effect.

I think the deal with the alu. saddle has a bit to do with what slice of the resonating bandwidth it reduces.

Kind of like a little tweak on a really good EQ when mixing a cut.

There are those tweaks that are subtractive, make room for other frequencies
and while you might not notice the tone difference on the track, you may just hear other things better since part of another sound is not stepping on them.

Most importantly, EVERY guitar sounds different, reacts differently to the strings vibration and any other parameter that effects resonance.

Things like density (try a saddle made fron a small length of string bean and let is know if this is audible.

[huckdeuceman]

+1..

[elmicko]

Originally Posted by Scantron08

I don't mean to be argumentative - I think it makes a difference, too - but I can't logically connect enough dots to understand why it really would make such a difference that we could hear it like we can with say bronze v. nickel strings on an acoustic.

I really don't think you're trying to be argumentative, but I do believe you're simplifying the tone process a bit too much. It sounds like your premise is that all of the sound that transfers to the amp is solely from the vibration of the string over the pickup. While that is partly true, there are a bunch of factors that go in to determining just HOW those strings vibrate. Just think of the difference you can hear between plucking a string with your finger vs using a pick. Both are making the string vibrate the same frequency, yet both sound differently. Same as an electric guitar with an ash body vs a mahogany body...etc...etc...etc