How to Make a Saddle for a Nylon String Guitar

Nylon guitars provide a softer volume and a crisp tone.

The fret board on a nylon acoustic guitar is usually flat whereas many guitars have a radius on the neck to make it easier to play. Because a nylon stringed guitar's fret board is flat, the bridge saddle used on the bridge is also flat. Usually, a bridge saddle on a nylon stringed guitar is made of bleached cow bone or plastic. The choice is yours, both materials provide a nice guitar tone although cow bone is considered an upgrade from plastic.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Coping saw
• 600-grit sandpaper
• Fine-tooth file

Instructions

1. Place the blank saddle next to the slot in the wooden bridge and line up the bridge blank with one end of the slot. Mark the other end of the bridge blank with a pencil at the other end of the slot. This helps you determine the correct length of the bridge saddle.

2. Cut the bridge saddle to length at the pencil line with a coping saw.

3. Sand the saw marks off the end the saddle with 600-grit sandpaper.

4. Place the saddle into the slot on the bridge and then create a radius on the front edge of the saddle and the back edge of the saddle by sanding the edges with a fine-tooth file or 600-grit sandpaper. The goal is to create a rounded corner on the front and back edges of the saddle.

5. String the nylon guitar to pitch. The saddle on a nylon guitar is not usually notched for the strings.

Tips & Warnings

• If the strings are too high after you install the new saddle, remove it and sand it down on a piece of 600-grit sandpaper until the strings are to your liking. Place the sandpaper on a flat surface and run the bottom of the saddle across the paper. Take a little off at one time and then test the height. A little sanding can go a long way on a bridge saddle.