ABR-1 bridge with nylon saddles

Gahr

Gahr

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Has anyone ever played a ABR-1-equipped Gibson with nylon saddles? Gibson's came with nylon saddles some years in the 1960s. I believe Eric Clapton's Royal Albert Hall ES335 and his the Fool SG had them, so there's no doubt they don't ruin the tone. But I'm still wondering if anyone who has actually played one can tell me anything about their experience and how they would describe them compared to metal saddles. I have heard reports they tend to be easier on the strings (which sounds reasonable).

My curiosity has been peaked, of course, because I have been looking at mid-1960s-ifying my Derek Trucks SG. It sports mid 1960s patent sticker pickups and I figured I might as well try getting it as close to "original" specs as possible. There is no real point undoing this apart from the fun of it, and if it sounds good, thats a bonus. If it sounds crap, well, things can always be switched back.

For what it is worth, I think Joe Bonamassa plays (or played, I don't know) with nylon saddles on the G, B and high E strings as well.
 
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I was curious as well. Some people say they're duller and wear out easier. There are different opinions on the subject. I would also like to hear opinions from those who have tried them.
 
Chubbles said:
I was curious as well. Some people say they're duller and wear out easier. There are different opinions on the subject. I would also like to hear opinions from those who have tried them.
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Sounds like conjecture on the part of those people to me. Gibson also used to make the nuts out of nylon and nobody ever accused them of being “dull” or “fast wearing” - actually the tone nazis prize nylon nuts and Gibson only stopped using them because they are so difficult to shape.
 
I have both owned and used, but it was so many years ago about all I can tell you is they didn't bother me none at the time (at least I don't remember them bothering me).
 
Nylon is stock on my 1/1965 SG Standard I am putting a Nylon saddle TonePro's on my 2015 SG with a TUSQ nut.
With the stock bridge and nut the 2015 SG will not stay in tune to much slop. Who ever set up the 2015 SG should be fired from Gibson
Now my 2005 ES-335 that I just sold was set up top notch stock. OH GOD the White US made Jimmy Page Fender Telecaster is talking to me now
I never have owned a new Fender Telecaster Just used one's The deal killer is a thin D neck so I would have to change the stock neck to a fat D neck.
 
Gahr said:
Has anyone ever played a ABR-1-equipped Gibson with nylon saddles? Gibson's came with nylon saddles some years in the 1960. I believe Eric Clapton's Royal Albert Hall ES335 and his the Fool SG had them, so there's no doubt they don't ruin the tone. But I'm still wondering if anyone who has actually played one can tell me anything about their experience and how they would describe them compared to metal saddles. I have heard reports they tend to be easier on the strings (which sounds reasonable).

My curiosity has been peaked, of course, because I have been looking at mid-1960s-ifying my Derek Trucks SG. It sports mid 1960s patent sticker pickups and I figured I might as well try getting it as close to "original" specs as possible. There is no real point undoing this apart from the fun of it, and if it sounds good, thats a bonus. If it sounds crap, well, things can always be switched back.

For what it is worth, I think Joe Bonamassa plays (or played, I don't know) with nylon saddles on the G, B and high E strings as well.
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I have played them on vintage guitars, and they are a commonly requested upgrade. I think it's reasonable to assume they are easier on strings. I am not able to detect a difference in tone, but I am not saying it may not have changed somewhat. However, I never break strings at the saddles on any of my Gibson's. When I do break a string, it's almost always the 'G' and it breaks right at the ball end from bending.

My 12 string and the LPC I built for my Mom have roller bridges on them and I like the gentle string angle, but I cannot tell you for a fact that it's better...

Roller Bridge & Top Hats.jpg
 
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Robert Herndon said:
I have played them on vintage guitars, and they are a commonly requested upgrade. I think it's reasonable to assume they are easier on strings. I am not able to detect a difference in tone, but I am not saying it may not have changed somewhat. However, I never break strings at the saddles on any of my Gibson's. When I do break a string, it's almost always the 'G' and it breaks right at the ball end from bending.

My 12 string and the LPC I built for my Mom have roller bridges on them and I like the gentle string angle, but I cannot tell you for a fact that it's better...

View attachment 22743
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The strings we have now are light-years better than what we had even in the '90's. I haven't broken a string in at least a decade, probably longer. And even then probably only because I was lazy and they were old.
 
gball said:
The strings we have now are light-years better than what we had even in the '90's. I haven't broken a string in at least a decade, probably longer. And even then probably only because I was lazy and they were old.
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The other day, I was doing some dramatic bends on the 'G' (on a studio project) and it kept going flat. I swapped strings and found the plain 'G' string had started pulling around the ball and the security wrap was now rolled up tight against the ball. I mailed it to Ernie Ball (just down the road in Coachella) and they mailed be back 100 packs of Hybrid .009's....
 
Robert Herndon said:
The other day, I was doing some dramatic bends on the 'G' (on a studio project) and it kept going flat. I swapped strings and found the plain 'G' string had started pulling around the ball and the security wrap was now rolled up tight against the ball. I mailed it to Ernie Ball (just down the road in Coachella) and they mailed be back 100 packs of Hybrid .009's....
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Sets of 9's, or singles of 9's?
 
Robert Herndon said:
The other day, I was doing some dramatic bends on the 'G' (on a studio project) and it kept going flat. I swapped strings and found the plain 'G' string had started pulling around the ball and the security wrap was now rolled up tight against the ball. I mailed it to Ernie Ball (just down the road in Coachella) and they mailed be back 100 packs of Hybrid .009's....
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Ernie Ball is great company but I gotta admit I don't like their strings. Something about the "feel" of them. I started off many years ago with Dean Markleys, switched to D'Addarios, tried EB's and few other things, settled on GHS Boomers and have stuck with them since. They don't need stretching, you can bend the living sh!t out of them and they always come back to pitch, they wear consistently and predictably, feel great and have a ringing clear tone without any sizzle (the sizzle is what I hated with D'Addarios - and it's still there! I bummed a set from a friend when I was at a jam a couple of years ago and when I put them on they were like bacon frying).
 
gball said:
Ernie Ball is great company but I gotta admit I don't like their strings. Something about the "feel" of them. I started off many years ago with Dean Markleys, switched to D'Addarios, tried EB's and few other things, settled on GHS Boomers and have stuck with them since. They don't need stretching, you can bend the living sh!t out of them and they always come back to pitch, they wear consistently and predictably, feel great and have a ringing clear tone without any sizzle (the sizzle is what I hated with D'Addarios - and it's still there! I bummed a set from a friend when I was at a jam a couple of years ago and when I put them on they were like bacon frying).
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Maybe I will try them????
 
gball said:
Ernie Ball is great company but I gotta admit I don't like their strings. Something about the "feel" of them. I started off many years ago with Dean Markleys, switched to D'Addarios, tried EB's and few other things, settled on GHS Boomers and have stuck with them since. They don't need stretching, you can bend the living sh!t out of them and they always come back to pitch, they wear consistently and predictably, feel great and have a ringing clear tone without any sizzle (the sizzle is what I hated with D'Addarios - and it's still there! I bummed a set from a friend when I was at a jam a couple of years ago and when I put them on they were like bacon frying).
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On the Ernie Ball products, I like some other brands over their regular Slinkys. But EB's M-Steels are really nice, IMO. EB's Paradigms are killer but pretty pricey. Been a D'Addario fan boy for the last 15 years, and I really like their NYXL's.

Recently, I put a set of GHS Boomers on one of my SGs with P90s and reminded myself why I liked the Boomers so much before I decided to try the D'Addarios. On Sp8ctre's "Pass Around" guitar project, that is in my possession right now, I also put some Boomers on that one. Feels great - Sounds great! I might be going back to the Boomers one guitar at a time!
 
syscokid said:
On the Ernie Ball products, I like some other brands over their regular Slinkys. But EB's M-Steels are really nice, IMO. EB's Paradigms are killer but pretty pricey. Been a D'Addario fan boy for the last 15 years, and I really like their NYXL's.

Recently, I put a set of GHS Boomers on one of my SGs with P90s and reminded myself why I liked the Boomers so much before I decided to try the D'Addarios. On Sp8ctre's "Pass Around" guitar project, that is in my possession right now, I also put some Boomers on that one. Feels great - Sounds great! I might be going back to the Boomers one guitar at a time!
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What do you like about paradigms?
 
I'm tellin' ya boys, Boomers are the shizz. I buy 'em by the case and use them on all my guitars. Big, round sound and great string-to-string balance and feel.
 
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