Lets talk about my nuts...

[pure.fusion]

Actually, the post is probably more about bone.

I was looking at the plastic nut on the guitars I've been looking to buy where the strings actually sink into and sit right down into the nut.

I remember looking at a video from Dan Erlewine talking about how the strings should sit on top of the nut for the best sustain and that a bone nut will sustain more than a plastic one.

Is this correct? Surely this would be the simplest and smart thing you could do for more sustain if you were to buy a new guitar?

Cheers,
FM

 

[Farview]

I could be incorrect, but I would think that the nut would only affect the sustain when you play open strings. As soon as you fret something, the nut is out of play. In fact, if you capo everything, you don't even need a nut.

I'm not sure that the nut is the thing that you need to worry about the most when buying a guitar. It's just one of 1000 details that make a guitar feel good to you or not. If you are buying a quality instrument, the nut that is used is part of the over-all design of the guitar and was probably not an after thought.

 

[pure.fusion]

I could be incorrect, but I would think that the nut would only affect the sustain when you play open strings. As soon as you fret something, the nut is out of play. In fact, if you capo everything, you don't even need a nut.

I'm not sure that the nut is the thing that you need to worry about the most when buying a guitar. It's just one of 1000 details that make a guitar feel good to you or not. If you are buying a quality instrument, the nut that is used is part of the over-all design of the guitar and was probably not an after thought.

Ahh, crap. Good point.

Ignore me.

FM

 

[muttley600]

It is correct that a nut is only important for open strings. Once you fret it is out of the equation.

There are some benefits in having a bone nut over other options but by far the most important thing is to have it cut correctly. The benefits focus on tuning stability and intonation rather than tone.

In an ideal situation you want the wound strings cut so that half the string diametre is sunk into the nut. On the plain strings you want them sunk a little lower but not much more. The slot should be cut a gnats cock wider than the string and should be smooth and guide the string to the tuner. The string should make contact with the nut across it entire width. The slots should be cut as low as is possible. That would normally be to the same hight as the frets in front of it.

 

[pure.fusion]

It is correct that a nut is only important for open strings. Once you fret it is out of the equation.

There are some benefits in having a bone nut over other options but by far the most important thing is to have it cut correctly. The benefits focus on tuning stability and intonation rather than tone.

In an ideal situation you want the wound strings cut so that half the string diametre is sunk into the nut. On the plain strings you want them sunk a little lower but not much more. The slot should be cut a gnats cock wider than the string and should be smooth and guide the string to the tuner. The string should make contact with the nut across it entire width. The slots should be cut as low as is possible. That would normally be to the same hight as the frets in front of it.

I imagine this becomes quite impertant when non locking trems are used? Strings slipping or not slipping throught eh nut?

I've been absolutely blessed with amyIbanez Jem that you can absolutely abuse and will not go out if tune - and I'm very picky about not being in tune.

The idea of a non locking strat or PRS with a trem ust makes me shudder. I suspect that one would have to be visiting the tech semi-regularly or becoming intimate with their hardware to maintain it.

FM

 

[muttley600]

I imagine this becomes quite impertant when non locking trems are used? Strings slipping or not slipping throught eh nut?

I've been absolutely blessed with amyIbanez Jem that you can absolutely abuse and will not go out if tune - and I'm very picky about not being in tune.

The idea of a non locking strat or PRS with a trem ust makes me shudder. I suspect that one would have to be visiting the tech semi-regularly or becoming intimate with their hardware to maintain it.

FM

Not really. If a nut is cut and polished correctly it is every bit as effective as a locking nut.

 

[slowmotion]

Not really. If a nut is cut and polished correctly it is every bit as effective as a locking nut.

I'd say to an extent that's true with vintage trems and "normal" use, but I'm a heavy floyd user and the locking nut is a boon. I'm talking strings flopping off the fretboard back to pitch type use.

This pic also makes me crack up (it's not my pic, and not me)!! but try doing that with a standard nut... mental

 

[slowmotion]

Oh and yes, get a new bone nut to replace the plastic one and cut it like Muttley said (or get it cut like Muttley said). Or brass, or whatever floats your boat.

 

[muttley600]

I'd say to an extent that's true with vintage trems and "normal" use, but I'm a heavy floyd user and the locking nut is a boon. I'm talking strings flopping off the fretboard back to pitch type use.

This pic also makes me crack up (it's not my pic, and not me)!! but try doing that with a standard nut... mental

With that sort of dive bombing you aren't really talking the same thing. What you are doing is slacking the strings right off and then tensioning them back up. The nut becomes a capo not a nut.

What am I looking for in that pic by the way??

 

[slowmotion]

With that sort of dive bombing you aren't really talking the same thing. What you are doing is slacking the strings right off and then tensioning them back up. The nut becomes a capo not a nut.

Haha quite true. It's also not very musical but it's fun.

What am I looking for in that pic by the way??

Check out the headstock (or lack thereof). Apparently it snapped before the show but the dude wanted to play it anyway, the strings held in tune even with nothing behind the nut.

 

[muttley600]

Haha quite true. It's also not very musical but it's fun.


Check out the headstock (or lack thereof). Apparently it snapped before the show but the dude wanted to play it anyway, the strings held in tune even with nothing behind the nut.

Right, I see what you mean. I didn't look that close.

 

[ggunn]

Oh and yes, get a new bone nut to replace the plastic one and cut it like Muttley said (or get it cut like Muttley said). Or brass, or whatever floats your boat.

Brass is the worst nut material there is if you have a tremelo bridge. The coefficient of metal on metal sliding friction is extremely high.

 

[slowmotion]

Good point. Yngwie makes it work but he makes everything work haha.