How to File a Nylon Saddle

A nylon saddle on an acoustic guitar can be filed using the right tools.

The saddle on a classical or acoustic guitar is one of the simplest pieces on the entire instrument. The saddle can be found on the guitar's neck. The strings go over the saddle piece and are held in place by a small pins inserted into the bridge, which is another piece on the neck. The saddle can be made of a variety of different materials including nylon, brass, ivory or plastic. Nylon saddles are becoming increasingly popular and are easy to file, if you need to make it smaller.

Things You'll Need

• Needle-nose pliers
• 100-grit sandpaper
• Cloth

Instructions

1. Place your guitar on your lap. The front of the guitar should be facing your stomach and the saddle area should be easy to reach with your hands. Shift the guitar, if necessary.

2. Remove the pins in the side of the saddle that are holding the strings in place. Depending on your guitar, you may need to use needle-nose pliers.

3. Slide the guitar strings out the the saddle. You may need to loosen the strings, if they do not slide out easily.

4. Place the guitar right-side up, and gently pull out the saddle. It should be seated in a slot, but there should not be any glue or other binding material. So you should only need gentle pressure to remove the saddle. Set the guitar aside.

5. File down the saddle, using 100-grit sandpaper. Gently rub the part of the saddle that you want to make smaller with the sandpaper. Continue to sand the area until you have reached your desired thickness or width.

6. Wipe off the saddle with a soft, clean cloth to remove any dust.

7. Place the saddle back in the saddle slot, and replace the strings and pin.

References

• Hill Guitar: Classical Guitar Set-Up; Kenny Hill
• GraphTech: Tusq Nuts and Saddles