ChrisGM Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I’ve been considering my upcoming nut job and I’m wondering if any of you have experimented with alternatives other than the usual Tusq, bone, regular style nuts on your Gibsons? Has anyone made their own nut from solid brass, or other material, any reasons why they can or cannot be used? My other thought was…. Why, if the strings should run freely without binding in the slots, are the tolerances so important and especially, that the strings run from the slots at right/left angles, should the slots be cut kinda at that angle instead of straight? The other thing I’ve seen is a lot of contention over the strings sitting half way in the slot as opposed to the top being flush with the nut slot. You see PRS guitars that have huge slots and the strings are well beneath half way, or even flush? I know, I know, newb dumb questions, why why why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Well with PRS its less of an issue with binding as the tuners are almost straight in line with their strings Gibson are more likely to bind as the angle from the nut and the headstock itself are way more extreme so its more important to get those details correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dog Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I've used just the Graph Tech nut...I wouldn't try anything else... I think the Tusq nut and saddles are the best there is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesh Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I've used just the Graph Tech nut...I wouldn't try anything else... I think the Tusq nut and saddles are the best there is.... Same here, with a bit of extra lubricant where needed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Lateral movement of the string in a slot which is too wide will cause wear so the string cuts it's way down into the nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I watched a SUPER NUT EXPERT at a Gibson Trailer/ Open house thing. He said that since Gibsons are at kind of an extreme angle, you should file straight on for the fret side of the nut, and then like halfway on the nut, you should angle the back half of the slot in the direction of the tuners spindle. So your groove should ideally have half of the string above the top of the nut, and the groove should start out straight, and then angle towards the tuner. Made sense to me, so my luthier has made two nuts for me, and he made them like that with no complaint, and my guitars stay in tune and I never break a string at the nut, so I like it. Plus I use that nut lube. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I watched a SUPER NUT EXPERT at a Gibson Trailer/ Open house thing. He said that since Gibsons are at kind of an extreme angle, you should file straight on for the fret side of the nut, and then like halfway on the nut, you should angle the back half of the slot in the direction of the tuners spindle. So your groove should ideally have half of the string above the top of the nut, and the groove should start out straight, and then angle towards the tuner. Made sense to me, so my luthier has made two nuts for me, and he made them like that with no complaint, and my guitars stay in tune and I never break a string at the nut, so I like it. Plus I use that nut lube. Cheers. I have a good diagram here that shows that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I've used just the Graph Tech nut...I wouldn't try anything else... I think the Tusq nut and saddles are the best there is.... Yes. There may be others as good but there is nothing better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zentar Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Tusq and bone are very similar tonally. Bone has a higher price and is classier but Tusq does the job just as well. You pay more for Camel bone nuts than Tusq but some players like to say they have camel bone nuts. To each his own. Which do you prefer? Rosewood fretboard oe Ebony fretboard or maple? Your choice. In theory a metal nut reflects sound but a Tusq nut or bone nut will absorb sound. It depends on what you want. The new zero fret metal nuts use soft metals like brass or nickel coating. I doubt you can hear a difference between a bone nut and a zero fret nut. The bridge may reveal more tone differences with different materials than the nut. I can't think of any electric guitars that use wood bridges but Im sure some do. I am working on an old arch top that I am going to install a wooden bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEADKNOCKER Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I have a Black Tusq nut in my 1994 Les Paul Studio M-III & it's slick & smooth when tuning.. Have a bone nut in my 2006 Blueshawk & it was a great improvement over the plastic one it replaced when the G string area snapped off.. If I had to do it over again the Blueshawk would have also gotten a Graph-Tech Tusq Nut.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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