Earvana Nut... kind of a gimmick?
- Thread starter Rex_Rocker
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Arkitkt
Here's to what Ale's ya!
That is probably the biggest misconception about compensated nuts. They do NOT only affect open strings, because after installation of one, you re-intonate the guitar, which affects the notes on all frets. A compensated nut is basically an intonation device on the saddle-end of the string.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
My bridge is intonated. I set it with a strobe tuner. I am using a plain 3rd, but the 3rd string is not what seems to be off. It's the 4th.
I suspect either my nut is cut too high or the nut itself is meh, but I checked the string height at the nut by pressing on the 3rd fret and checking the 1st, and it doesn't seem different than my Gibson, although, it is a tiny bit higher than my Fender.
I suspect either my nut is cut too high or the nut itself is meh, but I checked the string height at the nut by pressing on the 3rd fret and checking the 1st, and it doesn't seem different than my Gibson, although, it is a tiny bit higher than my Fender.
The Earvana nut is supposed to be tuned normally, so by definition it wouldn't affect the open strings. The Buzz Feiten nut is the one with open string offsets.
subanots
New member
You are confused. The earvana nut is compensated. The string slots are moved backward in different increments. The "buzz feiten nut" is the same thing. The only time the earvana nut is going to effect anything is when the string is un-fretted. As soon as you fret a chord with no open strings, or especially capo, It doesn't matter what is going on behind that fret. Or, even just a single note. once you fret a note, the nut compensation does nothing.
No, that's not how it works. The Buzz Feiten nut requires special tuning offsets. The open strings are supposed to be tuned just a little bit differently from open strings on non-Buzz Feiten instruments. The Earvana nut doesn't require tuning offsets; the open strings are tuned to the same notes as other instruments. Like another poster pointed out above, the offsets at the nut require intonation adjustments at the bridge to compensate for it, which is what affects the fretted notes.
subanots
New member
The nut is probably high, did you file the string slots down to the correct depth? Are you having issues with just "cowboy chords" or also bar chords up the neck? Did you recently change to this higher string gauge and lower tuning? It may be your technique. When you down tune, the strings are sloppy and have less tension. Its easy to pull a note sharp when the strings are like banana shoelaces. I guarantee you if you have it setup properly and tuned the way its supposed to be tuned, you wont have this "intonation"" problem. Anytime I have a customer that wants their guitar tuned to C standard or drop C I suggest 12's with a wound G. You should be able to make this work with what you are using.
I want to note that you cant trust any pedal tuners or digital tuners to correctly intonate your guitar. Are you using an analog strobe tuner, or a headstock digital strobe tuner? The headstock style tuner and pedal tuners don't come close to a good analog strobe. They might work for most people who don't notice. People who are hyper focused on intonation will never be happy with it, if they don't get it intonated with the correct equipment. I'm willing to bet that a D chord and A minor chord sound like crap.
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subanots
New member
sigh.... i dont think you understand intonation or what happens when you fret a note.
subanots
New member
Thats not how you check. Tune, set relief, retune, set action, retune, then set string height at the nut with the correct files and feeler gauges.
Arkitkt
Here's to what Ale's ya!
I'm reasonably certain I do understand intonation or what happens when I fret a note, but, by all means, explain it to me.
subanots
New member
I don't think you can be convinced. With your description of how it works, you have shown your lack of understanding.
Arkitkt
Here's to what Ale's ya!
That cop-out is the best you can come up with? Maybe I do misunderstand it. Why don't you want to explain?
subanots
New member
I try not to waste energy trying to convince people that they learned nonsense along the way. People, especially guitarists, will pick up passed down folklore and myths and believe them until the day they die. But since you've been good this year, I will give you a half-assed explanation:
Intonation comes down to the length of the string from the end of the nut to the beginning of the saddle. Tension is important to discuss, but it is basically a length issue.
Once a note is fretted, the intonation is now measured from that fret to the saddle. Nothing matters behind that fret. You could capo the guitar at the 5th fret and cut the neck off at the 4th fret and the intonation wouldn't change (as long as the guitar stays in tune, which it probably wouldn't - ok that was a bad analogy)
Intonation is one of the most frustrating things to explain because it is the most incorectly understood things in the guitar world. The only other thing I hate more is the word "luthier".
Intonation comes down to the length of the string from the end of the nut to the beginning of the saddle. Tension is important to discuss, but it is basically a length issue.
Once a note is fretted, the intonation is now measured from that fret to the saddle. Nothing matters behind that fret. You could capo the guitar at the 5th fret and cut the neck off at the 4th fret and the intonation wouldn't change (as long as the guitar stays in tune, which it probably wouldn't - ok that was a bad analogy)
Intonation is one of the most frustrating things to explain because it is the most incorectly understood things in the guitar world. The only other thing I hate more is the word "luthier".
Arkitkt
Here's to what Ale's ya!
Makes sense. So, what happens with the intonation of a string if I install one of those "gimmicks", which moves the break in the string at the nut closer to the saddle? It shortens the vibrating length of the string and your intonation will be off (Fretted note at the 12th fret will be flat). You would compensate for that by re-intonating the string at the saddle, correct? By doing that, you will slightly change the distance from the saddle to each fret, which means that the installation of the goofy nut changes the vibrating length of the string at every fret.
subanots
New member
Yeah, Im done trying. Intonation is the correct length of the string. Nothing matters before the fretted note. Either you are over-thinking this or you cant't be convinced. It's not gonna stop this crazy world from spinning around. Thank you for reminding me why I don't try to help people understand guitar things in forums.
Arkitkt
Here's to what Ale's ya!
Correct. Intonating means altering the vibrating length of the string until the 12th fret is in the middle. If I shorten the string at the nut by installing one of those nuts, the 12th fret is no longer in the center. So, you move the saddle closer to the fretboard to fix that, which means that every fret is affected.
Arkitkt
Here's to what Ale's ya!
Hard to argue with that. Thanks for your help.
