Nut materials

[Silence Kid]

Re: Nut materials

Your idea that since the nut is behind closed notes that it doesn't affect their sound makes sense in theory, however it's incorrect in practice. Make a nut out of a humbucker spacer, shim it on a business card, and have the strings a cm deep in the slots, then compare that completely dead sound to a perfectly shaped and set micarta nut.

The nut you describe seems like it has different dimensions overall rather than (or as well as) any differences in materials. A mile-high nut, or a nut that has cm deep slots bringing the string down below the fretboard or something (to the point that it basically changes the scale of the guitar) would have other issues.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Nut materials

Assuming the set ups are identical.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Nut materials

Your idea that since the nut is behind closed notes that it doesn't affect their sound makes sense in theory, however it's incorrect in practice. Make a nut out of a humbucker spacer, shim it on a business card, and have the strings a cm deep in the slots, then compare that completely dead sound to a perfectly shaped and set micarta nut.

I don't think we're in the same plane of existence.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Nut materials

Another idea which is possible in theory but impossible once observed.

 

[RorySquier]

Re: Nut materials

"The destroyer of middle pickups."

Solution...brass cover for the middle pickup while providing shielding at the same time.



;>)/

 

[Jacew]

Re: Nut materials

EDIT: Decided to move my post to it's own thread, as it wasn't really about the topic...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Nut materials

If you compare 2 different materials like bone and then brass it's super obvious that it affects the sound of closed notes as well.

To take it to an extreme, I wonder what the fretted notes would sound like with a RUBBER nut?

The open notes would surely sound awful.

But it seems like the fretted notes would also sound different than if the guitar had a bone nut.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Nut materials

^ Yes I agree, there'd be no possible way to dispute the findings if you were to compare brass to Rubber. Aside from that, I'd be interested if there's a mellower material than plastic that still resonates well. Since plastic still has some zing to it.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Nut materials

^ Yes I agree, there'd be no possible way to dispute the findings if you were to compare brass to Rubber. Aside from that, I'd be interested if there's a mellower material than plastic that still resonates well. Since plastic still has some zing to it.

Wood?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Nut materials

Yas was just about to edit maybe wood into my post thanks. I'll try that.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Nut materials

Wood?

The entire violin family of instruments has ebony nuts. I've put ebony nuts on guitars that worked great, and restored some antique guitars which had ebony nuts. It's dense, and easy to work - so what's not to love?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Nut materials

Cool!

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Nut materials

I was going to suggest maple. Would it be hard enough?

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Nut materials

If so, then I think the sound of those six notes merits giving the nut a thought.

Especially since many guitarist use those 6 open notes....almost constantly!!

I can definitely hear the difference in brightness on my Strats with brass nuts. I have another guitar with a graphite nut as well, although the difference from plastic was not as pronounced as brass.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Nut materials

Thought about maple too, or birch. However, oak or common ash would be even harder, and probably more suitable for building a nut.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Nut materials

Not an expert but if I were going to make a wood nut for an electric, I'd try and find a small piece of the hardest wood I could get. Maybe Lignum if you can still get a small block of the real stuff. That said, I'm perfectly fine with mere Graphtech Tusq nut and calling it a day.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Nut materials

No.

I replaced the stock hollow plastic nut on my 335 with flatwounds with micarta and stuck with that. Liked it because it was punchy and articulate but the middyness of it didn't show through with the flatwounds.

I replaced the stock hollow plastic nut on my LP special 2 with roundwounds with Tusq and I liked it but it was too bright for the jazz tone I was going for. Then tried micarta and it was still to bright. Then tried a plastic slab blank and it was perfect for the bassy glassy sound I wanted.

The strat mini started with a solid plastic nut I believe that sounded pretty good but I had cut the slots too low. So I replaced it with micarta. Really resonant but too middy. Tried resin, bone, and graphite, didn't like. Finally tried brass, pretty cool.

Yes I know there's gonna be bias between guitars but I can still tell whether or not they resonate well and still ballpark the eq of it.

OMG!!! There you go again. Making stupid comparisons between apples and oranges.

Have you even considered that the tone you get from the nut is only, I repeat ONLY, evident on open strings. The frets are the prevalent tone equalizer, and for tone only consideration, you should choose a nut that produces the same tonal characteristics as the frets on your guitar.

However, there are other considerations to nut material other than its tone. But I won't go into that now because you won't believe it and would only argue about it anyway (because you are always right).

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Nut materials

Your idea that since the nut is behind closed notes that it doesn't affect their sound makes sense in theory, however it's incorrect in practice. Make a nut out of a humbucker spacer, shim it on a business card, and have the strings a cm deep in the slots, then compare that completely dead sound to a perfectly shaped and set micarta nut.

Past your bedtime?

Or are you already asleep and dreaming?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Nut materials

Your idea that since the nut is behind closed notes that it doesn't affect their sound makes sense in theory, however it's incorrect in practice. Make a nut out of a humbucker spacer, shim it on a business card, and have the strings a cm deep in the slots, then compare that completely dead sound to a perfectly shaped and set micarta nut.

Past your bedtime already?

Or are you already asleep and dreaming?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Nut materials

I don't post unless I'm positive what I've said is true. But if someone else says something which is closer to the right idea or proves my post false all together, I'll either edit my post or delete it. I have a brass nut in one strat and a plastic nut in another. It's ridiculously obvious that the nut affects closed notes as well if you even bother to listen instead of pre fabricate an answer. I don't mind debating, that was the purpose of this thread, to discuss opinions and principles. But when you start insinuating that I'm a moron that you as my superior have to explain to me how to feed myself it gets kind of annoying especially since I'm right in the first place.