Acoustic Guitar Bridges

Among our acoustic guitar bridges you'll mostly find replacement Graph Tech TUSQ saddles, a Hosco plastic saddle and complete Hosco wooden bridges in rosewood and ebony. The saddle is a narrow strip in the bridge slot on which the strings rest. It passes their vibration to the bridge and the top, so it affects tone, sustain and tuning accuracy. Most parts are for 6-string steel-string acoustic guitars, and you will also find a tall TUSQ saddle for classical guitar.

How do you choose a saddle for an acoustic guitar?

Start with the old saddle: measure its length, thickness and height. TUSQ saddles come, for example, in 1/8'' or 3/32'' thickness, and the new saddle must sit tightly in the slot with no play. The name also tells you which guitar maker's shape it follows, for example Martin Style or Gibson Style.

• A compensated saddle has the contact point shifted under some strings so the guitar intonates more accurately, even higher up the fretboard.
• A straight saddle has a simple shape and suits guitars where the original was straight too.
• A blank (Blank 1/8'' or a thicker 1/4'' piece, i.e. 6.35 mm, 101.6 mm long) lets you sand the saddle down yourself to the exact size of your guitar.

How is TUSQ different from a plastic saddle?

TUSQ is a synthetic material that Graph Tech makes with the same density throughout the piece. According to the manufacturer, it therefore transfers string vibration more evenly than bone or ivory, which have natural irregularities. The Hosco HSB-ST1 plastic saddle is a simple replacement when the original saddle is broken or too low. If you want to fit a pickup under the saddle, see pickups for acoustic guitars.

When do you need to replace the whole bridge?

You replace the whole bridge when it is cracked, lifting off the top or has a damaged saddle slot. The rosewood Hosco F-2801 has a slot of 70.3 × 2.5 mm and pin holes 11 mm apart, and the Hosco F-2802 is made of ebony. The bridge is glued to the top, so it is better to leave the replacement to a guitar repairer. After changing the saddle or bridge, fit new strings for acoustic guitar. Bridges for electric guitars are in the Guitar Bridges category.