The saddle is also made of bone and is designed to be thicker than that of most builders. This is for two reasons:

1) The extra thickness allows for a smoother transition break of the string over the saddle, and
2) There is more material available for fine intonation adjustments.

The mass of the saddle is reduced by cutting out portions of the base of the saddle. This reduces the surface area in contact with the bridge and concentrates the downward force and sound transmission of each string.