Saddle

The part of the bridge the strings pass over, which sets their speaking length and their height at the body end.

On an acoustic it is a separate insert of bone, plastic or a piezo element, sitting in a slot in the bridge and filed to match the fingerboard's radius. On an electric it is usually a set of individual saddles, one per string, each adjustable for intonation, and often individually height-adjustable as well. Because it is the last contact point before the string ends, its material, fit and cut are audible, and a badly cut saddle produces buzz and tuning problems.

Example: a bone saddle fitted tightly into its slot transfers more energy into the top than a loose plastic one, and the guitar sounds louder for it.

Saddle

See also