How to Remove Guitar Saddle without Restringing

You may want to remove your guitar saddle, either to measure or make adjustments. Yet, you may also not want to completely restring your guitar. The good news is that you can remove your saddle and keep your strings. Below are the steps to accomplish this.

Slack the Guitar Strings

Before doing this, we advise the that you place microfiber cloths on your guitar’s top. Once these are in place, unwind your strings via the tuning machines – about ten turns of the button. You should slack each string so that you can easily pull it up an inch away from the fretboard, yet it still remains wound on the tuning peg.
Loosen acoustic guitar string

 

Place Capo at Tenth Fret

After each string is slack, clamp a capo over all the strings at the tenth fret to keep them in place. 

 

Acoustic guitar capo at tenth fret during restringing

 

Remove Pins and Strings

Because you have enough string slack, you can now remove each bridge pin and string from the bridge, yet the string will remain in place at the nut and wound on the tuning peg. The capo will keep the string from flying loose at the nut. 

 

Access bone guitar saddle without restringing

 

Gather Strings Together

Once you have removed each string, gather them together into a circle and wind together so the ball ends are secure. This will keep the strings manageable and reduce the chance of scratches to your guitar’s body. 

 

Acoustic guitar strings gathered with capo to keep from scratcing body

 

Remove Saddle

You should now be able to access your guitar’s saddle to remove it. If you encounter any difficulties, please see our page on how to remove a tight guitar saddle. Once you’re finished working on your saddle, replace the strings into the bridge, insert the bridge pins, remove the capo, and tighten the strings to pitch.