Stainless steel/Brass/Titanium nuts and bridges

[joshuas5150]

Hello all,

I've posted a siliar thread in the Bassment, but I want to get opinions on here too.

I've found a way to remake my bridges and nuts in stainless steel/bell brass, or titanium at a reasonable cost.

Would it be worthwhile looking into making this happen, or would it be too much hassle for the benefit over the original oem parts.

Also, is it worth considering a nut made from the same material as the bridge?

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Stainless steel/Brass/Titanium nuts and bridges

Can i have a sample of each please?

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Stainless steel/Brass/Titanium nuts and bridges

Look at the hardness of the material.

If it's harder all other things being equal it should transfer vibration better (less energy lost due to movement). Better vibration transfer should equate to slightly more sustain and brighter sound, worse vibration transfer should equate to slightly less sustain and a warmer sound.

Titanium has a mohs hardness of 6. Stainless steel has a density between 5.5-6.3. Brass is between 3-4.

So my best guess would be that titanium would sound about the same as stainless steel (maybe a little brighter or darker), brass would sound much warmer than either.


If you're talking about replacing the nut the tonal change will depend on what material your nut is currently made of. Bone is variable with regards to hardness but best guess would put it around 5 so replacing it with titanium or SS would probably make things brighter, with brass would make things a little darker.


Edited to fix mistake - it would be hardness, not density that has an effect on vibration transmission.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Stainless steel/Brass/Titanium nuts and bridges

Brass nut? Welcome to 1979. They were all the rage (along with boat anchor guitars due to the same density argument) until shred sticks with Floyds came into vogue.

 

[Vajazzled]

Re: Stainless steel/Brass/Titanium nuts and bridges

Want more complication in your life, Try Corian material for Nuts!

 

[SGDLutherie]

Stainless steel/Brass/Titanium nuts and bridges

A correction; you don't want s bridge to "transfer" vibrations. We need to stop saying this. That would allow the body to absorb the energy from the string. That stops the string from vibration which equals no sustain.

As an example; compare a solid body guitar and a banjo. The solid body has very little acoustic output, but lots of sustain. The energy (vibrations) is not absorbed by the body. A banjo is just the opposite. All the energy from the string is converted to acoustic output. You get a loud sound and zero sustain.

Different bridge materials absorb energy differently. Hard materials give you a brighter tone.

Nuts only effect open strings.

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