What material makes the best guitar nut?

[guitarrob]

I hear of people using real bone or brass over say just some type of plastic.

Is there any sonic difference between the plastic nuts that come on many guitars and some of the higher end replacements you find?

Any Opinions, facts or superstitions?

 

[Jeremiah]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

I've heard it said that the Fender LSR roller nut makes the open strings sound the most similar to fretted strings.

That would best be categorised as "superstition" as I've never actually used one...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

I prefer Bone. Or Tusq. Or "fossilized" walrus ivory or old recycled ivory.

Using ivory from recently poached elephants is illegal and, IMO, immoral - but I do use "fossilized" walrus ivory on my Taylor acoustic guitars.

I'm a good guitar tech and woodworker and I've replaced the nuts on my electric guitars and both the nuts and saddles on my acoustic guitars with my own hand made nuts and compensated saddles, made of either bone or fossilized walrus ivory.

The difference in tone between bone, ivory and plastic might be more evident on acoustic guitars.

On solid body electric guitars that are going to be used with heavy fuzz and distortion the subtle difference between plastic and bone nuts may be completely masked by the distortion and playing style.

 

[lNllClK]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

To me the difference between plastic and the tusq i use now on my acoustic is slightly more sustain and maybe some more upper harmonic type stuff going on. But the sustain was noticably imporoved for me. The nuts were set up similarly also so i imagine it would be the material making the difference...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

To me the difference between plastic and the tusq i use now on my acoustic is slightly more sustain and maybe some more upper harmonic type stuff going on. But the sustain was noticably imporoved for me. The nuts were set up similarly also so i imagine it would be the material making the difference...

That's what I hear too. And a little more complexity to the mids. It's subtle.

 

[formula73]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

Semen.

 

[AniML]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

To me the difference between plastic and the tusq i use now on my acoustic is slightly more sustain and maybe some more upper harmonic type stuff going on. But the sustain was noticably imporoved for me. The nuts were set up similarly also so i imagine it would be the material making the difference...

Tusq IS PLASTIC, but not soft hollow plastic. It is a harder dense plastic

 

[verbotenco]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

I've heard it said that the Fender LSR roller nut makes the open strings sound the most similar to fretted strings.

That would best be categorised as "superstition" as I've never actually used one...

Then people shouldn't use it cause open string sounds 'twangier' and more 'resonant' than fretted note.

Bone, brass, plastic, graphite, doesn't really matter in electric. It's the pickup that defines the tone.

 

[lidesnowi]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

Nuts of Swedish Unbleached moose bone and Slip stone 'extra hard delrin "saddles are my absolute favorites!

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

I've got no problem with pretty much any nut material...as long as the slots are cut well, and the height and fit are right, that is. When I'm doing a build or a nut replacement, I use Tusq XL. It's a hard and "clanky" material, similar in feel to bone, but it is easier to shape, and it's self lubricating.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

Bone, cut from the femurs of children.

 

[Dr.K]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

Bone, brass, plastic, graphite, doesn't really matter in electric. It's the pickup that defines the tone.

That's not entirely true. The nut and the bridge will cause the strings to resonate differently, giving the pickup a different frequency to read.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

FWIW, the "tone" of the nut only matters when playing open strings. That's not very often for me.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

FWIW, the "tone" of the nut only matters when playing open strings. That's not very often for me.

I don't believe that's true. If it were true, the tuning heads and tailpiece would have no impact on tone either...but they do.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

No they don't.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

No they don't.

You're wrong about that my friend.

The same guitar with Klusons will sound quite different with Grovers.

The same guitar with a 60's style zinc stop tailpiece will sound different than with a 50's style lightweight aluminum stop tailpiece.

I've been playing and collecting guitars since 1964.

I've not only played those zillion dollar '55 & 56 gold tops and '58 & '59 sunburst Les Pauls, '55 L5's, '58 & '60 ES-335's and 1960 ES-355 guitars, '51 & '54 & '56 Telecasters, '54, '57, '58 and '63 Stratocasters...I've owned them. :cool2:

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

OK...

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

Bacon. But it has to be peppered.

 

[loversmoon]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

i have heard tortoise shell. I havent heard this myself but some swear by it.

 

[tonello]

Re: What material makes the best guitar nut?

I prefer a zero fret when available, other wise TUSQ is the best.