Customizing my acoustic

[Ironbird]

I was thinking on customizing my Art & Lutherie acoustic (it's made by Godin),it's a wild cherry dreadnaught with a cutaway,and it's unfinished all around with no poly/nitro.It sounds great,really bassy.so here are my options on customizing:

replace the stock nut with a bone nut,or a "graph tech tusq nut"
replace the bridge pins with Ebony,solid brass,or "graph tech pins"

what would you do in your opinion to make this guitar sound the best?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Graph-Tech-Tusq-Ivory-Acoustic-Guitar-Bridge-Pins?sku=365808
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Graph-Tech-TUSQ-Slotted-Acoustic-Guitar-Nut?sku=360615
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DAndrea-Tone-Pins-Brass-Bridge-Pins?sku=364789

and the real ivory bone nut is unfinished,and would have to be carved.My guitar shop downtown has a few left.

Thanks!

 

[thearabianmage]

You know what? Depending on your budget, I'd say the best thing to do is experiment.

 

[just strum]

I would change the saddle to bone and skip on the nut and pins. Nut and pins are poor investments and the nut isn't worth the time unless you have poor fit nut on the guitar now.

The saddle will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

 

[Ironbird]

Thanks for the input!

the saddle is rosewood I believe,if bone wouldn't be available,what other materials could be used?

 

[just strum]

Thanks for the input!

the saddle is rosewood I believe,if bone wouldn't be available,what other materials could be used?

I hear people saying they liked the tusq saddle, but I tried it and it made the guitar sound to bright. Bone saddles are available all over. I have bought Bob Colosi and he does some very fine work.

Take a look at his page and give him a call.

http://www.guitarsaddles.com/

 

[Kazz]

Thanks for the input!

the saddle is rosewood I believe,if bone wouldn't be available,what other materials could be used?

Are you sure the saddle is rosewood and not the bridge being rosewood with a plastic saddle?

I would think rosewood would be awfully soft for a saddle piece?

 

[Ironbird]

Are you sure the saddle is rosewood and not the bridge being rosewood with a plastic saddle?

I would think rosewood would be awfully soft for a saddle piece?

My bad,yeah the saddle is most likely plastic,the bridge is rosewood.my mistake.I can't order from that website unfortunately,because i live in canada and he won't ship bone out of the US.i'll just settle with the graphite hardwire at the guitar shop downtown.

 

[just strum]

My bad,yeah the saddle is most likely plastic,the bridge is rosewood.my mistake.I can't order from that website unfortunately,because i live in canada and he won't ship bone out of the US.i'll just settle with the graphite hardwire at the guitar shop downtown.

I didn't realize you were up in Canada. There are so many here from Canada, you should all jump in a car (or maybe a mini bus would be more suited for the trip) and come down to the States for a shopping spree.

Maybe during one of my trips to Georgetown I can bring a Fretters Care Package. Of course that will be the time I get searched at the border.

Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.

Oh and now that we've provided you with this priceless information, take a moment and pop in at the Fret Players section and formally introduce yourself. That is assuming you haven't already done that.

 

[tjcurtin1]

Hi Ironbird,

I have an Art & Lutherie cedar top, and researched the same question. According to their website, these guitars come with Tusq saddles stock. I did just recently put tusq bridgepins in, and it seemed to me to add some clarity and brightness, but of course that's subjective since you can't compare - then there's the placebo effect. But it seemed intuitively that something as lively sonically as the tusq (it has a lively 'clink' when you tap it on something hard) would make a difference when compared to the deadness of the plastic endpins.
However, it also seems that intuitively the saddle would make a bigger difference. Just test your saddle before you buy a tusq as you probably already have that (take it out and drop it on a table top and you'll know from the clinking sound).

 

[Ro3b]

My experience with D'Andrea Tone Pins has made me a believer. Every acoustic I own from here on out will have them. That bit of extra mass at the bridge opens a guitar's tone way up.

One caveat, though, the "White Dot" ones that are shaped like normal bridge pins are a bit oversize and may stick up too far. Go for the solid brass ones; they're flat-topped and will do all you need them to do.

 

[markb]

Where nuts and saddles are concerned I'd tend to leave it to a local luthier. One slip of the file and you're out the price of a blank and the wait for another to be delivered. Repair guys usually fit a new nut or saddle for a fixed price, so any mistakes are on their bill not yours. FWIW I like bone for nuts and saddles on acoustics. I've never got on with Tusq/micarta/corian/plastic and, hey, cows are a renewable resource

 

[Ironbird]

So i put the brass pins in ,and I already had a tusq saddle and nut ...

what a difference! niceee sounding! I recommend it as a 10 dollar upgrade for any fretter.