You’ve likely read much praise about bone saddles and have noticed that almost all high-end guitars come with bone saddles. So, should you upgrade to a bone saddle? Here are three considerations to help you decide.

Tonal Differences

Inexpensive plastic saddles have weak tone, whereas a quality bone saddle will sound better – more volume, better clarity, richer tone. However, Tusq saddles are on par with quality bone saddles, but Tusq produces a brighter, cleaner tone, whereas bone produces a warmer andricher tone. Wondering which saddle material is for you? Check out our article on Tusq Versus Bone Saddles for more information.

Durability

Inexpensive plastic saddles installed at the factory can break easily. Additionally, the strings will slowly gouge slots into saddles of almost any material (except maybe carbon saddles). However with inexpensive plastic saddles, those gouges arrive much more quickly and can lead to lowered action and buzzing. A quality bone saddle will hold up much better, and by following our tips on prolonging guitar saddle life, a quality bone saddle can last for a long time.

Aesthetics

Plastic saddles look like, well, plastic. Bone has a natural look that complements the natural look of wood well. Additionally, bone is available in either bleached or unbleached. New guitar? Go with bleached bone. Vintage guitar? Go with unbleached for a distressed or vintage look. Bone saddles typically come unpolished, which matches to a satin finish well. But if your guitar has a gloss finish and you want a shiny look, bone polishes well.

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