Expert Luthier Upgrades My Guitar Nut and Saddle—Was It Worth It?

I've always loved Sigma guitars. They’re well-built, sound great, and for the price, they punch way above their weight. My Sigma 00M-15SE-AGED is no exception—it’s an incredible guitar, even straight out of the box. But I wanted to take it a step further, so I asked expert luthier Jacob Wong to upgrade the nut and saddle with buffalo horn.

Would it really make a difference? Let’s find out.

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Why Upgrade the Nut and Saddle?

Sigma guitars already have a solid foundation— solid construction, and great materials for the price. They come with bone nuts and saddles, which are already better than plastic, but at this price point, you can’t expect premium-grade components. That’s where an upgrade can make a real difference.

A high-quality material like buffalo horn improves tone transfer, sustain, and responsiveness even further. Jacob recommended it for its warmer, more organic feel, while still providing the clarity and sustain that a good nut and saddle should.

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First Impressions: The Delivery

Jacob brought the guitar over to my studio, freshly upgraded. Visually, the new nut and saddle had a beautiful and classy look— clean and precise craftsmanship. But of course, the real question was how it sounded.

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Before vs. After: Did It Make a Difference?

I played a few passages with the new nut and saddle and compared them to recordings from before the upgrade. Note that it is after all the exact same guitar but with a new nut and saddle, so naturally the before/after are going to have many similarities. I recommend using good quality speakers or headphones to really hear the nuanced differences!

Here’s what I noticed:

More clarity – Notes felt more defined and less muddy.

Longer sustain – Chords and single notes had a more natural decay.

More 'open' sound – The guitar overall sounded less 'boxy' and the sound seemed to fill the room more effectively

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Was It Worth It?

Absolutely. My Sigma 00M-15SE-AGED was already a great guitar, and this upgrade brought out the best in it. The tone is richer, the sustain is better, and the overall playing experience feels more refined.

That’s the key takeaway: If you start with a great guitar, small upgrades can make a huge impact. Sigma guitars already offer amazing value, and a quality nut and saddle upgrade takes them to another level.

Huge thanks to Jacob Wong for his expert craftsmanship. If you’re thinking about upgrading your guitar, I highly recommend looking into a custom nut and saddle swap—it’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your tone.

~ Neil Chan

You can find Jacob for your guitar upgrade here: https://www.instagram.com/j_cobxx/