Acoustic bass upgrade parts?

[Kiichi]

Hi guys,
I have a AEB10EDVS Ibanez acoustic bass I got about a year ago for my graduation and I really like it. Plays and sounds nice and is a very cool piece in songwriting to me.

Now while bass strings last a long time when you are not gigging with it, I still wanne be prepared when I have to change them.
While changing the strings I would like to replace the plastic bridge pins, saddle and if possible the nut.
Thing is, I do not know where I could get propper replacements.

So does anyone know where (preferably in germany, but uk is cool too) I could get acoustic bass saddles, bridge pins and nuts made of things like bone (saddle and nut) or horn (pins)?

Also I still need saddle and nut for a Ibanez JSA5BK, but that is easier to come by. Still might just bundle it if possible.

Cheers
Kiichi

[Kiichi]

No body? Someone has to know something.

[psy]

I'm toying with the idea of putting brass pins on my acoustic guitar at the moment.  These guys also to bass pins http://www.pinzuk.com/bass_pinz.htm, they might be of interest :)

[Kiichi]

I'm toying with the idea of putting brass pins on my acoustic guitar at the moment.  These guys also to bass pins http://www.pinzuk.com/bass_pinz.htm, they might be of interest :)

Thank you very much, that is the hardest thing down (I recon it will be easier to find a bone bridge for the bass, as they are not compensated. The nut...dunno, probably the hardest thing remaining).

Always wanted to try brass too. Already had plastic of different kinds, bone, horn and ebony.
The way I imagine brass I should go nicely in this bass.

[WezV]

sometimes its easier to make a new saddle or nut than find one that fits, especially as acoustic basses are still rather niche

with a few files and some fine sandpaper its not a massive job to do the saddle, especially if you can just copy the existing one as your starting point.  it may take a couple of goes to get right

the nut is just as easy, but is best done with specialist nut files so price goes up - but you will need these even if if buying a ready slotted nut, it would still need the final tweaks

I can probably send you a couple of big chunks (well, massively oversized nut/saddle blanks, but they are rectangular rather than bone shaped) of bone if you want to have a go.   I was given a massive stock of the stuff ages ago, its mainly seconds due to colour variation or rough edges, but the blanks are large enough that it can all be trimmed down to what is needed.

one warning though, bone stinks when cut and filed ;)