Find the Right Saddle for Your Takamine® Acoustic Guitar
Are you searching for a Takamine steel-string acoustic guitar saddle? This guide provides tips for finding the correct saddle size for your Takamine steel-string acoustic guitar.
Unfortunately, no single saddle size exists, and with Takamine Guitars, there are numerous different types of saddles used along with different sizes among these. This can make finding the proper saddle for your guitar difficult. Although this guide will help, we suggest that you also measure your guitar’s bridge saddle slot for a proper fit. If you are not the guitar’s original owner, someone may have installed a different saddle, adjusted the saddle slot, or even installed a different bridge or neck at some time, thus producing different specs from the factory’s original specs.
Non-Compensated Saddles
Takamine guitars built in 1960s through the 1980s commonly used non-compensated forward line saddles, but this saddle type can be seen on a guitar from any decade. Takamine guitars commonly have a 12 inch radius, but your guitar’s saddle may have a flatter radius, even if it’s the factory saddle. We suggest checking both your fretboard and saddle radius. Please see the following link: Printable Radius Gauges. Length and height will vary.
Split Saddles
Although rare from the 1960s to the 1980s, split saddles become common in the 1990s on Takamine guitars. However, please note that Takamine split saddles will vary in many ways. First, length, height, thickness for the two different saddles can vary based on year and series. Notably, the split saddles for the G Series and Pro Series are different and not interchangeable.
Additionally, although at first glance, both split saddles might appear to be non-compensated, a closer look may reveal subtle compensation done for that specific guitar, and to replicate this may require that you purchase a custom saddle or have a guitar technician make one for you. Additionally, saddle corners will vary. You’ll often see Takamine Pro Series replacement saddles that are sold without any compensation or corner adjustments, and these saddles will need adjustments to your specific guitar.
Both the G and Pro Series will use either split saddles or full length saddles depending on the model. Additionally, different types of split saddles will appear for different models within each series. Take close measurements to ensure that you get the correct type of split saddle for your Takamine G Series or Pro Series guitar.
Height Adjustable Saddle
Height adjustable saddles appeared on a number of Gibson models from the mid-1950s to the 1970s. Although quite rare on Takamine guitars, a few of the “lawsuit” Takamine models from the 1970s, such as some of the F340 models, had height adjustable saddles. If your guitar has one of these and you wish to replace the saddle, you’ll likely need to have a custom saddle made.
Compensated B with Slanted Bass
Some Takamine guitars from the 2000s through the 2020s models have a compensated B with slanted bass saddle, including the G10, G15, and Taka-Mini Series. We suggest that you check your fretboard radius, which is likely 12 inches, against your saddle radius, even if it’s the factory saddle.
G Series Integrated Pickup Saddles
Some of the G Series models have integrated pickups, in which the bottom of the saddle has notches to fit into the pickup. These saddles come either as split or as a single saddle, will have different compensation patterns, and come in either low or high height options. Unlike most acoustic guitar saddles, you cannot lower an integrated pickup saddle by removing material from the bottom as this would negatively affect the fit with the pickup.
What Saddle Size Does Your Takamine Need?
If you are still unsure of which saddle your Takamine acoustic guitar needs, please contact us with the below details.
• Guitar Year, Model, Fretboard Radius
• Current Saddle Length, Height, Thickness
• Bass to Treble Height Difference
• Guitar Saddle Slot Length, Thickness (if different from saddle specs)
• Current Saddle Compensation Pattern (please send a picture if you are not sure what type you have)
We reply to all messages within 48 hours.