[vmorrissette]

My friend told me that I could improve the sound of my acoustic by replacing the plastic saddle of my Takamine, and inserting a bone saddle... is that right? Anyway I was wondering if that was possible, how much it might cost, and where I could find such a thing. Thanks.

[dadfad]

A better saddle can make a slight improvement in tone. A good one like bone (best) or micarta (next best probably) isn't very expensive. Cheapest nuts might be a dollar or so, "expensive" ones only five dollars or slightly more, so this isn't some giant investment! The work (or expense if you don't make it yourself) is in the shaping and carving. It's not extremely difficult to do, but does take a little care and a couple of simple tools (like very small files, etc). You may or may not notice a difference. It might already have a fairly decent nut (some plastics, like solid micarta, are decent quality). The cheapest nuts are low quality plastic, often hollow inside. The difference it will make if any depends on the quality of the original nut versus the replacement, and on the guitar itself. On a guitar with a higher degree of resonance it will be more noticeable. The same thing applies to the saddle.

[adds]

Yeah they say it improves thing but how much is true is debateable. Ivory said to be the best nut and saddle material is very expencive but id be suprised if you did a little test where say you recorded 50 songs all the same played on the same guitar only one recording was the one with the ivory nut and saddle. Could anyone pick it out? I dont think so. The question is is the difference worth the price. Certainly not in the case of ivory id say. Bone is only a couple of quid and as dadfad said not really too hard to do yourself. It looks nicer if nothing else and it wont hurt the guitar to do it. But my opinion has always been a crap acoustic is a crap acoustic and a good ones a good one. If its crap theres nothing you can really do to make it good. You can make it more plesent to play with a good set u but the sound is the sound.