Portland Guitar Co. | Portland Oregon | Contact Jay Dickinson @ (503) 245-3276, jay@portlandguitar.com
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Split Saddle Bridge
Portland Guitar Employs a "Split Saddle Bridge"
This allows the flexibility to adjust the intonation of each string accurately and independently.
As an option, Portland Guitar Co. can employ a system I call The Split Saddle Bridge. The standard solid saddle is replaced by a thick saddle blank that is cut into six separate pieces, one for each string. The separate saddle blocks are placed in a channel so that they can be moved forward and backward until the perfect intonation for each string is found. Furthermore, as the guitar ages, the environment changes, or if a different type of string is used, the intonation for each string can be measured and adjusted to its optimal position. In addition if a standard tradition saddle is desired, one can easily be installed.
Unless the position of the saddle on a steel string guitar is properly adjusted the instrument will tend to play out of tune. When a string is pressed down against the fretboard the string stretched out a little bit. This increases the tension of the string, raising the actual pitch of the note being played beyond the desired pitch. To correct this problem it is typical for a guitar to use a compensated saddle, meaning that the saddle is placed a little farther back from the nut than the scale length would dictate. In addition, the lower thicker strings need to be a little longer than the higher thinner strings. The low E string is usually about 1/8 of an inch longer than the high E string. This is accomplished by mounting the saddle in the bridge at a small angle. Individual strings lengths are fine tuned by filing the top of the saddle to move the break point an appropriate amount. However, once the saddle is compensated the intonation cannot be easily reduced without replacing the whole saddle.
Another view of a Split Saddle Bridge.
A split Saddle Bridge used on a bass guitar.