Replacement nut: which material to choose?

[Mr songwriter]

I want to replace the nut on my G&L tribute (strat type guitar) I had an Earvana nut fitted which may have slightly improved the intonation, but borked the sustain, and I'm trying to choose between having a nut made out of Tusq, bone or graphite. What are the pros and cons of each of these materials?

 

[ggunn]

I want to replace the nut on my G&L tribute (strat type guitar) I had an Earvana nut fitted which may have slightly improved the intonation, but borked the sustain, and I'm trying to choose between having a nut made out of Tusq, bone or graphite. What are the pros and cons of each of these materials?

Whammy or hardtail?

What is Tusq? Synthetic ivory? I'm straining my brain trying to figure out how the nut material could affect the sustain of anything but open strings...

 

[AlfredB]

go with delrin (r) ... slippier than snot! ... makes for a stable tuning

cheers
alfred

 

[Mr songwriter]

Whammy or hardtail?

What is Tusq? Synthetic ivory? I'm straining my brain trying to figure out how the nut material could affect the sustain of anything but open strings...

It's got a whammy bar, but I've blocked it off (I never used it) and yes, Tusq is AFAIK synthetic ivory. I play quite a lot of open chords, so even if it would only affect the open strings (not sure myself either) it would be worth it.

Alfred: Cheers, I will look into Delrin.

 

[Light]

Bone, bone, bone, bone, bone.

Nothing else lasts as long, nothing else works as good, nothing else sounds as good (not that it really matters much, as it only really effects the sound of the open strings, and only minorly).

Tusq is plastic. They can call it "sythetic ivory" all they want, but it looks like plastic and it wears like plastic. Besides, bone is better than REAL ivory, so why would I want to go with FAKE ivory.

Graphite is fine, if you use a trem a lot, but it will wear out really fast.

Bone, bone, bone, bone, bone.


Oh, and ask if they have unbleached bone. It is harder, so it sounds and wears better, and it has this cool streaky light brown stuff going through it that looks really cool. I don't really even stock bleached bone anymore.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Mr songwriter]

Graphite is fine, if you use a trem a lot, but it will wear out really fast.

Thanks for the advice. I've just been reading about the Graphtech trem-nuts: "As strings move across a TREM-NUT, they shear open microscopic “capsules” loaded with millions of “ball bearing” type lubricants" and that was what occured to me - that it would probably wear out a lot quicker than other materials. I spoke to the guy on the phone before and he seemed to be trying to push me towards having a graphite nut installed, maybe because it's easier for him to work with ??? or maybe that's the only thing he's got in stock at the moment, but I think I'm going to ask him to use bone instead, though I have heard that the quality of bone can be a bit inconsistent.

 

[apl]

This product is patented!

 

[Light]

...though I have heard that the quality of bone can be a bit inconsistent.

Well, not if you buy from a good supplier. I buy from a woman who imports it directly from China, and she works very closely with her suppliers to get really great stuff.

Also, unbleached is much more consistant. The bleaching process is very harsh, and different sections of the bone will respond differently to it. I really do think there is a noticable improvement with an unbleached bone. That doesn't mean I think you will HEAR a noticable difference, but I sure notice a difference in workability.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Mr songwriter]

This product is patented!

So is this one:

http://colitz.com/site/4233942/4233942.htm

If you're implying that the fact that something is patented isn't necessarily a sign that it's good, well I already knew that

Light: I will try and and get him to use some unbleached bone then. Cheers.

 

[Clive Hugh]

I have had Graphlon on my Strat for about 8 years and I am still perfectly happy with it and if my other strat ever needed a new nut it would be graphlon too.

 

[ggunn]

I have had Graphlon on my Strat for about 8 years and I am still perfectly happy with it and if my other strat ever needed a new nut it would be graphlon too.

Graphlon: Graphite and Teflon?

 

[Clive Hugh]

Well, not if you buy from a good supplier. I buy from a woman who imports it directly from China, and she works very closely with her suppliers to get really great stuff.




Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

Yike!!!!!! bone from China, well I suppose they have to get rid of their political prisoners somehow.

 

[Clive Hugh]

Graphlon: Graphite and Teflon?

Yep, thats the stuff, mine came from stewmac.com I have never had a problem with their service and am just looking at a new neck for the same strat from them.

 

[Sirnothingness]

I'd just go with bone.

 

[Light]

Yike!!!!!! bone from China, well I suppose they have to get rid of their political prisoners somehow.

It's cow bone.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Armistice]

I have an early 80s model Burns Bison which has a brass nut and bridge - never seen that on anything else. Sustains for days on the open strings.

 

[Niimo]

i've always been partial to graphite myself

 

[Clive Hugh]

It's cow bone.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

I know but "the devil made me do it"!

 

[apl]

I have an early 80s model Burns Bison which has a brass nut and bridge - never seen that on anything else. Sustains for days on the open strings.

My Alvarez acoustic has a brass nut and bridge, and ash top, sides, and back.

 

[ggunn]

I have an early 80s model Burns Bison which has a brass nut and bridge - never seen that on anything else. Sustains for days on the open strings.

Brass is fine if you don't have a tremelo, or if it locks, but strings do not slide over brass well at all.