Saddle slot

The groove cut into the bridge of an acoustic guitar that holds the saddle in place.

The slot must be flat, the right width, and shallow enough that the saddle still stands proud of the bridge to give the correct break angle over it. A slot that is too deep muffles the saddle, one that is too wide lets the saddle lean forward under string tension, and one that is not flat leaves the saddle rocking and the action inconsistent. Repairers check it whenever they fit a new saddle, because no amount of saddle shaping can compensate for a bad slot.

Example: Fitting a new bone saddle to an acoustic guitar requires the saddle slot to be level and square first.

Saddle slot

See also