Deer antler saddle

[Dan in NH]

So I’ve been watching some YouTube videos of a luthier working on various mandolins, and it seems like every chance he gets he replaces the saddle with a deer antler saddle.

Is this a regular thing? Other than this guy it seems that all I ever see is mandolins with rosewood or ebony saddles that match the bridge & fretboard.

Hat would a deer antler saddle do for my mandolin?

[John Kelly]

When I attended Anniesland College Stringed Instruments Course back in 2003 I remember one of the lads bringing in parts of an antler from a Scottish Red Deer to see if he could use it for nuts and saddles. The tutors were always asking us to think about alternatives to the norm and when we cut into the antler it was seen that it was not of a consistent quality because of the way antlers form. There were pockets of possible weakness within its structure. Not sure if your North American deer might be different from our Scottish ones, but worth thinking about the possible inconsistencies in the material.

[Bill McCall]

I’ve heard it would cause it to open up, with the notes leaping from the instrument, effortlessly bounding across the sonic landscape.

Or perhaps nothing

[Bob Clark]

I use Whitetail deer antlers for saddles and nuts regularly. They are usually naturally shed antlers I have found and let dry out for some time. You need to be careful in selecting the tissue you choose to use, but if you select carefully, it is the same as other dense bone. It may have some mottled pigmentation, but that just adds character.

[pops1]

If you use a deer antler from a deer that has died with the antler on there is still a blood flow in the antler and the center will be very porous. If you want to use deer antler use only antlers that are shed. The blood flow shuts off and the antler closes up and forms the bone all the way to the center, then falls off/. Much better quality.

[Tavy]

What kind of saddle? The whole top half of an adjustable bridge? I've seen bone used for that though it's very uncommon.

I assume that *most* types of bone provided they are good and solid with no defects are created reasonably equal. Though I would tend to favour weight bearing bone from a leg or hip and preferably from a big animal as that should be good and dense and strong. So deer leg might be better, and on the plus side, the venison is delicious!

[Bob Clark]

What kind of saddle? The whole top half of an adjustable bridge? I've seen bone used for that though it's very uncommon.

I assume that *most* types of bone provided they are good and solid with no defects are created reasonably equal. Though I would tend to favour weight bearing bone from a leg or hip and preferably from a big animal as that should be good and dense and strong. So deer leg might be better, and on the plus side, the venison is delicious!

[JEStanek]

The music stops when you shine a bright light at that saddle.

Since antlers are bone, they should work as well as other bony saddles. My only concern might be in the twisting of the antler and resultant fragility but, I'm neither an antler, or bone, or bridge saddle expert.

Jamie

[Richard500]

The music stops when you shine a bright light at that saddle.

Jamie

Took me a little too long to get this, but I don’t live in PA. Our CT deer simply give you a blank look and keep browsing.

[Tavy]

Interesting, but that's not an adjustable Gibson-style bridge which is more what I was alluding too, ah here we go... knew I'd seen this before: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-Bridge-Saddle

[pops1]

I have made a bone top to a bridge, didn't think it improved sound, so put the ebony back on.

[707erich]

Interesting, but that's not an adjustable Gibson-style bridge which is more what I was alluding too, ah here we go... knew I'd seen this before: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-Bridge-Saddle

I haven’t used one but here’s a link for you.
https://rosastringworks.com/product-category/saddles/

[rcc56]

I've used stag horn a few times:

1. A full saddle. Sold to a pro who used it on and off on several mandolins. He liked to experiment with saddles.
2. I inlaid a ~ 1/8" deep piece into an ebony saddle, and used it on an oval Gibson for a long time. I liked it pretty well, but finally made a one piece replica ebony bridge for the mandolin. The one-piece bridge yields clearer trebles on that particular mandolin.
3. A one piece replica bridge for a rosewood Martin. On that mandolin, the stag horn bridge works better than the original ebony bridge.

For me, the answer is that on some mandolins they sound good, on others ebony works better.

I've also made a few aluminum saddles, similar to what Gibson briefly used on some mandolins built in 1921. Again, the results seem to depend on whether or not a particular mandolin responds well to it.

[Bob Clark]

Interesting, but that's not an adjustable Gibson-style bridge which is more what I was alluding too, ah here we go... knew I'd seen this before: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-Bridge-Saddle

Yes Tavy, mine is different from the one you are referring to. With mine, you adjust by putting in or removing shims from the slot the saddle sits in. This particular bridge is the one I use when doing initial setups on new instruments, prior to making the mandolin's individual bridge.

I also make non-adjustable bridges by epoxying an antler or bone saddle directly onto the maple base. Some play better with maple, others with bone or antler. No real difference between bone and antler. Note the mottling in this saddle though, that is antler.

I like messing with bridges, and often I make a couple before I settle on the one that stays with an instrument. A bit obsessive, really, but I learn from it.

[meow-n-dolin]

So I’ve been watching some YouTube videos of a luthier working on various mandolins, and it seems like every chance he gets he replaces the saddle with a deer antler saddle.

Is this a regular thing? Other than this guy it seems that all I ever see is mandolins with rosewood or ebony saddles that match the bridge & fretboard.

Hat would a deer antler saddle do for my mandolin?

I purchased a antler saddle a while ago. Being a tiny bit lighter than ebony, it does affect the tone, but only marginally. On my Eastman 915MD the difference was not an improvement. On the other hand, on the 415GT, it was a keeper, though again, the change was subtle.

[McIrish]

I watch a lot of videos from Jerry Rosa. He makes deer antler saddles. Personally, I didn't like the sound from some clips I heard. Compared to ebony, it seemed a little brighter, which is typically not a problem on mandolin. I will stick with a standard ebony bridge. YMMV

[Tavy]

I watch a lot of videos from Jerry Rosa. He makes deer antler saddles. Personally, I didn't like the sound from some clips I heard. Compared to ebony, it seemed a little brighter, which is typically not a problem on mandolin. I will stick with a standard ebony bridge. YMMV

Interesting, and not entirely surprising if it's lighter: years ago I experimented with the Red Henry style ultra-light maple bridges (anyone still using these?) - for me they made things way to harsh and bright, but I could see how they might work on some instruments. Horses for courses I guess.

[CES]

My Kelley A-5 has a giraffe femur bone. Assume Skip got it from the NC Zoo when he lived in those parts, but have never asked. Don’t know if it’s any better than any other bone, but it’s a great sounding mandolin!

[meow-n-dolin]

We have a local artist here who carves some wonderful stuff out of mammoth tusks and bones. Maybe I will have him make me a saddle for my MC. Just for kicks. At least I know it will be "well-aged."

[MikeEdgerton]

Then there is the famous toothbrush bridge that showed up years ago. We never did find out if it glowed in the dark.

[Jeff Mando]

The antler, mammoth, giraffe, etc., conversation strikes me the same way as the exotic, rare, pretty, and (weird) tonewood discussion does. Sure, it's a great conversation starter and cool looking option for a builder, but there is a reason instruments use, spruce, rosewood, ebony, cedar, koa, bone, etc., IMHO

[Skip Kelley]

My Kelley A-5 has a giraffe femur bone. Assume Skip got it from the NC Zoo when he lived in those parts, but have never asked. Don’t know if it’s any better than any other bone, but it’s a great sounding mandolin!

This has been discussed in the past. I bought bone at Culpepper bone and knife supply in western NC. It was labeled as such. It could have been from road kill.

[Skip Kelley]

I had a mandolin in the shop where the owner wanted me to try several different configurations of bridges/saddles to see which sounded best. We both put the ebony back on.

[pops1]

Then there is the famous toothbrush bridge that showed up years ago. We never did find out if it glowed in the dark.

In a time long ago toothbrush handles were great, hard plastic, and worked well for saddles or nuts. That time has long ago passed.

[Jeff Mando]

In a time long ago toothbrush handles were great, hard plastic, and worked well for saddles or nuts. That time has long ago passed.

I guess that would be the "golden age" of toothbrushes!