Titanium saddles

[slantedpanted]

OK - ive read quite a bit bout titanium saddles - any fist hand users that can elaborate?

From what ive read titanium saddles maintain the warmness from brass saddles and the definition and highs from steel = best of both worlds?

And most of all - is the upgrade worth the $$?

[PhiDeck]

Did what you read involve double-blind testing? Links, please.

No first-hand experience here. However, spending spare cash on lessons - rather than pimping an adequate bass - is recommended by many.

[lowendgenerator]

All this snake oil makes me wish I had a CNC machine. I'd be making saddles out of every goofy metal I could think of. Hell, I'd even make some from bone. How cool would THAT be?

Sorry, I looked up the price on a set of 4 titanium saddles, and threw up a little.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by lowendgenerator

All this snake oil makes me wish I had a CNC machine. I'd be making saddles out of every goofy metal I could think of. Hell, I'd even make some from bone. How cool would THAT be?

No need to be wishing, buy one, problem solved.

Then try to make some saddles out of titanium and find out first hand why they're so expensive. Why anything milled out of titanium is so expensive when it's about 2 to 4€ per kilo as scrap.

BTW, any particular reason You think that making saddles would be impossible on a simple manually operated machine??.

Regards
Sam

[exmaxima1]

Originally Posted by lowendgenerator

Sorry, I looked up the price on a set of 4 titanium saddles, and threw up a little.

I saw $95 for a set at one website!!

A 3/8" x 1' round Grade 2 (easy to machine) bar costs less than $20 at McMaster. I have a lathe and a Bridgeport, so maybe I'll make up a set for my Classic Vibe P-Bass and see how it goes...

[lowendgenerator]

I was just ranting about all of these boutique parts that people rave about. I honestly can't hear the difference between a BADASS bridge, or a cheap Squier. It seems like more marketing gimmick than anything else. The only reason I put BADASS bridges on my Fenders is because the screws don't back themselves out and disappear while I'm gigging. It's happened!

Maybe someone can tell me why a brass nut will give you more zingy open string notes, but brass saddles will give you a "warmer" tone?

I know I'm being a fly in the ointment, I just don't see what everyone else sees.

[testing1two]

Originally Posted by lowendgenerator

I know I'm being a fly in the ointment, I just don't see what everyone else sees.

Actually, you just can't hear what certain people hear and that's ok. Some folks can't taste the difference between regular and decaf. If it doesn't improve your situation then dismiss it and keep on truckin.

In this example there are audible differences between low-mass and high-mass bridges and there are audible differences between Aluminum, Brass, Steel, and Titanium. In regards to the TI saddles, I tried a vintage styled titanium bridge with titanium threaded saddles and there was an noticeable increase in sustain and brightness in terms of note clarity. However, that wasn't what I wanted on the particular P-bass in question so I went back to a stock steel bridge & steel threaded saddles.

So, was there a noticeable difference? Yes. Was it better? Not for me.