One of the biggest challenges people face when trying to buy replacement saddles for their guitars is how to figure out the right size. In addition, sometimes the factory-installed saddle width may not exactly match the industry standard widths. In this post, we’ll explain how to correctly measure your existing saddles, and how to figure out the replacement size for non-standard saddle widths.

This video shows how to measure properly using a Vernier caliper, whether it is digital or dial.

REMEMBER:

• Because you will be measuring in very small units (millimeters), precision is extremely important.
• To minimize measurement errors, place the saddles against the flat sides of the Vernier caliper  jaws, and close it for a snug fit.
• Do not measure at the blade end of the jaw, because you may not get a flat and snug fit, so your measurement will not be reliable.

Here are two photos of the same saddle being measured correctly and incorrectly. As you see, the readings are very different:

If you don’t have calipers, or you are not feeling confident about measuring the saddles yourself, you can always go to your nearest guitar shop and ask them to measure it for you. It is a free service.

After you have measured your saddles, you can confidently buy your replacements or upgrades.

What  if your factory-installed saddle does not exactly match an industry standard size?

Audible Steel saddles come in 3 standard widths: 10.5mm, 10.8mm, and 11.2mm, with a tolerance of up to 0.12mm. 

This slight variation is not a problem because the difference is microscopic (not visible to the naked eye). What this means is that you can install a 10.5mm saddle or a 10.4mm saddle on a guitar that requires a 10.5mm saddle (for example, a Squier).

In our next blog post, we will explain how to check alignment, a related but different topic.