steverok Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I need a new nut for a custom J-45 macassar from 2004 or so. The guitar tech that looked at it thought it was a Graph Tech nut. I recall hearing of the material Tusq but of course I am as confused as the rest of you. Any insight as to what it is and where I could get one would be mucho appreciado. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 It's most likely Tusq. If you want to replace it with the same material, you should be able to order one through any Gibson dealer. Here's the website for Graph Tech. You can also order one from them. http://graphtech.com/downloadstusq.php You might want to just change it out for a bone nut. Any good luthier should be able to set you up or you can order one from Bob Colosi. Here's his website. http://www.guitarsaddles.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I'm not sure if this is blashemy or not but I just had the bone nut on my J-45 replaced witha new Tusq nut. I didn't do it because I'm against bone, but I took my J-45 in for my guitar guy to look at. I wanted his opinion on the action, etc. I also knew that he didn't particularly like Gibsons or Martins. He played some blues riffs and told me right away that he really liked it! Long story short, he told me that whoever installed the bone nut had cut the treble E slot too deep and that it wasn't shaped correctly in relation to the plane of the fretboard. He didn't have any bone material but had some Tusq nuts and found one that was almost nuts on right out of the package. He custom fitted the new one, shaped it, installed for $30. I also had some nanoweb 80/20 bronze 12-53's put on as I've never tried them and he suggested it. I LOVE the sound of my J-45 even more than I did before. Anyway, the price tag on the Tusq package said, $10.95, so I'm sure it's less costlly than having a bone nut installed. Maybe my ears just aren't good enough to discern the difference. My experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steverok Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share Posted March 2, 2008 Are you sure it was bone before? I didn't think they came that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Are you sure it was bone before? I didn't think they came that way. Depending on the model, some are bone and some are Tusq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Are you sure it was bone before? I didn't think they came that way. Steve' date=' the guy who I purchased it from had a bone nut and saddle installed before I got it. [/size'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Also, IMHO, there's certanly nothing wrong with Tusq. That's why Gibson uses it whenever they don't use bone. I think you'd be hard pressed to hear any tonal difference at all. I think the bone would last longer, but then again, depending on the quality of bone, it might not. I think it's more of a cosmetic thing than anything. It's nice to have the nut and saddle material match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Mike wrote:It's nice to have the nut and saddle material match. Dang it, Mike, you had to go and bring that up! Now mine don't match. I started looking at it as soon as you wrote that. I'm spray painting my nut bone white!!! Crap!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Mike wrote:It's nice to have the nut and saddle material match.Dang it' date=' Mike, you had to go and bring that up! Now mine don't match. I started looking at it as soon as you wrote that. I'm spray painting my nut bone white!!! Crap!!!![/size'] Try using "White Out Correction Fluid". It's easier to use than paint. Ooops, just remembered, do they even still make that anymore since typewriters have become a thing of the past? Guess I'm showing my age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Thanks a million, Mike, you're a life saver. I have a bottle of Bic "White-Out" sitting right on my desk. Woa!! That smells good!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarstrummer Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Thanks a million' date=' Mike, you're a life saver. I have a bottle of Bic "White-Out" sitting right on my desk. Woa!! That smells good!!![/quote'] Just make sure that you don't get any on your nose hairs or else eveyone will know what you've been doing. Don't ask me how I know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Just make sure that you don't get any on your nose hairs or else eveyone will know what you've been doing. Don't ask me how I know that. Thanks for the heads up' date=' Mike. As a matter of fact, I was letting my nose hair grow real long so I can braid them and when I sneeze they'll crack like a whip![/color'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesLawrence Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 I also had some nanoweb 80/20 bronze 12-53's put on as I've never tried them and he suggested it. I LOVE the sound of my J-45 even more than I did before... Maybe my ears just aren't good enough to discern the difference. My experience. How do you distinguish between the contribution of the new nut and the new strings to the new sound??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 How do you distinguish between the contribution of the new nut and the new strings to the new sound??? Good question. I'm not really sure. I'll have to wait until I put some D'Addario P/B back on it I guess. Right now I'm enjoying the sound so much I don't really care what's causing it! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.