chilievans Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I've been having vibration issues coming from my bass which seems to be due too the cut in the nut Anyway I've finally decided to get a new one fitted but which is the best type of nut to have? Bone, brass plastic etc Does it really make that much differance anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I does make a difference - obviously it's easiest to hear on an open string. I like tusq nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilievans Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1127669' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:28 PM']I does make a difference - obviously it's easiest to hear on an open string. I like tusq nuts.[/quote] Bone then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Whatever..... as soon as you fret a note the nut makes no difference. Even on an open string it's a pretty minute difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='chilievans' post='1127673' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:31 PM']Bone then[/quote] Nope tusq. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' post='1127681' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:37 PM']Whatever..... as soon as you fret a note the nut makes no difference. Even on an open string it's a pretty minute difference.[/quote] Have you researched this or is this just your opinion. I've done some basic testing with plastic, tusq and brass nuts and have experienced the tonal difference for myself and that difference is still audible fretted although to a lesser extent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1127688' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:46 PM']Have you researched this or is this just your opinion. I've done some basic testing with plastic, tusq and brass nuts and have experienced the tonal difference for myself and that difference is still audible fretted although to a lesser extent.[/quote] I've used Tusq,brass,bone,phenolic and cheap plastic nuts and honestly cannot hear the slightest bit of difference once a note is fretted,and very little difference in an open string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1127688' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:46 PM']Have you researched this or is this just your opinion. I've done some basic testing with plastic, tusq and brass nuts and have experienced the tonal difference for myself and that difference is still audible fretted although to a lesser extent.[/quote] Really? I find that amazing. Personally, I think it's all bollocks and the nut should be made of a material similar to the frets. Brass is probably best. I find it hard to understand why most basses don't have zero frets. it makes perfect sense, Patrice Vigier has the right idea. He also believes through necks are a bit stupid. He's right I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' post='1127694' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:52 PM']I've used Tusq,brass,bone,phenolic and cheap plastic nuts and honestly cannot hear the slightest bit of difference once a note is fretted,and very little difference in an open string.[/quote] Have you tried all those different nuts in one bass in one sitting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1127696' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:53 PM']Really? I find that amazing. Personally, I think it's all bollocks and the nut should be made of a material similar to the frets. Brass is probably best. I find it hard to understand why most basses don't have zero frets. it makes perfect sense, Patrice Vigier has the right idea. He also believes through necks are a bit stupid. He's right I think.[/quote] The brass one made the biggest difference. It was more toppy and clangy a bit like fresh stainless strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='silddx' post='1127696' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:53 PM']Really? I find that amazing. Personally, I think it's all bollocks and the nut should be made of a material similar to the frets. Brass is probably best. I find it hard to understand why most basses don't have zero frets. it makes perfect sense, Patrice Vigier has the right idea. He also believes through necks are a bit stupid. He's right I think.[/quote] Through neck as in neck through body or? I'd say Graphite or brass (something slick and tough for me so i can use my de-tune) probably brass, looks good and is solid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1127697' date='Feb 14 2011, 09:55 PM']Have you tried all those different nuts in one bass in one sitting?[/quote] No-only tried two of them on one bass,but I couldn't hear any difference at all. Once you fret a note, you're stopping the strings vibration at the nut,so it becomes pretty irrelvent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' post='1127715' date='Feb 14 2011, 10:04 PM']No-only tried two of them on one bass,but I couldn't hear any difference at all. Once you fret a note, you're stopping the strings vibration at the nut,so it becomes pretty irrelvent.[/quote] But you're not illuminating the major points of contact for the string by fretting a note. It's easy to forget the nuts importance - I'd like to see someone hold an untethered string in tune just by pressing it on a fret with a finger tip. The fret is only a third point of contact that allows you to select and increase the vibrations on the "playing" side. The string doesn't become limp above the fretted note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I'm not going to say I notice the difference of the nut construction on the sound of an instrument as my ears think mp3 is a good enough format compared to flac But I always thought the two main issues with the nut were that when tuning and bending notes or otherwise causing the string to stretch in any way the material had to be such that it would not cause any effect on the string (i.e. snag it in anyway) and allow the string to flex cleanly, secondly I assume that the nut has an effect in terms of sustain. Ofcourse on top of the material we have technology along the lines of the Jaydee nut with rollers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 get a bone-on! (sorry, couldnt resist that one and no-one else had said it yet) also, that is my pref, if thats any help on my bass, that is.....oh dear i wish i hadnt started this now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Only ever had plastic ones. One day I will buy something that's not just cheap tat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think for me its aesthetics rather than tone (cannot honestly say i have ever compared identical basses bar from their nut, how many people have??), and on that front i prefer brass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Stay traditional, buy bone or reconstituted bone, just make sure you buy it blank and not pre-cut, then get a qualified tech to cut the slots to match the optimal spacing of your bass and the correct heigth. Actually whoever said that once fretted the nut makes no difference is incorrect. Even when fretted a string continues to vibrate and deliver viabrations on to the neck, and the best media to translate the contact point between strings and the wood at the nut point is believed to be infact a bone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1127737' date='Feb 14 2011, 10:16 PM']But you're not illuminating the major points of contact for the string by fretting a note. It's easy to forget the nuts importance - I'd like to see someone hold an untethered string in tune just by pressing it on a fret with a finger tip. The fret is only a third point of contact that allows you to select and increase the vibrations on the "playing" side. The string doesn't become limp above the fretted note.[/quote] he's right you know. hence a string sittin in a slot thats too deep results in buzz behind the fret. i use wood myself. ebony cocobolo ziricote, anything thats hard enough and looks right on the particular instrument. bone on occasion. any weird suggestions for nut material anyone? stone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Another vote for bone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuee Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Fascinating discussion. No disrespect guys, but I'd love to hear someone who actually [i]knows[/i] how it works explain the physics. While we're getting down to it, though, presumably the tuning posts (specifically their sound transmission properties) are as important as the bridge, but I cannot recall any discussion or marketing gumph ever mentioning them with respect to sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I've found this from Premier Guitar Website One of the smallest parts of a guitar is also the most discussed one - the nut. The nut is the area where the strings hit the guitar first, which makes it very important. Nuts are made of a variety of materials and they all can influence your tone – for better or worse – so I think this important part of your guitar deserves a little discussion. [size=3][b]Indirectly, the nut also influences the overall tone of a guitar because the nut transfers the vibrations of the strings to the neck, so the material and density are crucial.[/b][/size] Nut materials are an oft-discussed topic, and everything from forensic physics to esoteric urban legends can be found on the internet to explain the differences. Here are my two cents, mostly based on the “try and listen” method of research. Plastic Plastic nuts are the most common – even some higher-priced guitars have cheap plastic nuts. Plastic nuts are not very durable, and before too long, the strings will saw through the nut slots. Besides this, low-quality plastic nuts will kill your tone, especially your sustain. It is always a good idea to replace a plastic nut if you get a guitar that has one. Plus, the standard “rhinestone white” color of plastic nuts isn’t the sexiest look, and gives you just one more reason to replace it. "High-Tech" Plastic High-tech plastics are materials like TUSQ, Corian or Micarta. These are industrial materials with even, high density. They imitate natural bone in structure and color. The advantage of these materials is that they are artificial, offering the evenness of density without natural irregularities found in bone. These materials are used by a lot of companies, and I would recommend trying them. I can’t hear any differences when compared to a bone nut; I have a Micarta nut on my ’69 Fender “Pink Paisley” Tele, and I’m totally satisfied with it. Some luthiers claim that these materials are actually better than any bone nut – Martin has used Corian for some time. If it’s good enough for an expensive Martin guitar, it’s definitely worth checking out. Graphite Black in color, graphite is also very popular, especially for guitars with a tremolo. The biggest advantage to graphite is that it is “self lubricating” for low friction. A good graphite nut helps with tuning stability in combination with a tremolo. Cheap graphite nuts, however, tend to kill your sustain, so take care to get the good stuff. Brass/Metal Brass and metal were very popular during the eighties, and some companies still use brass today. It is the most durable, and will probably last forever, but it is heavy. Brass gives a very unique tone that you will have to try out to see if it is for you. The open strings can get very loud and shrill, but some heavy metal guys are into it because it helps the tone stay clear and defined when using heavy overdrive. Bone [b]Bone remains the “king of nuts,” and is the historically correct material for vintage guitars.[/b] Nothing is as sexy as a polished bone nut on a one-piece maple neck! [u]The tone is very balanced and the open strings are never too loud or shrill, and it will last a long time.[/u] It is important to use unbleached bone, because it naturally self-lubricates, which helps you stay in tune when using a tremolo. Plus, cosmetically, unbleached bone can be polished to a higher shine than bleached bone. I prefer unbleached camel bone. It is comparable to ivory in tone and appearance, and has a very even density. Fossil Ivory Ivory is said to be the premium material for guitar nuts, providing the best tone. However, the material is questionable from an ecological point of view, and buying ivory is risking that an elephant or walrus is being killed for it. The only acceptable way to get ivory is what is referred to as fossil ivory. Fossil ivory comes from animals that died naturally millions of years ago and has been found throughout the planet. To my ears, it sounds warmer, mellower and more defined than bone. The difference is very subtle, but still audible. Another bonus is the range of colors, from creamy white to yellowish to dark brown. When polished, it can be breathtaking. Fossil ivory is not cheap, so you’ll have to decide whether it is worth it for you. Ivory While real ivory offers a superb tone and appearance, I highly recommend not buying this stuff. It is forbidden in most parts of the world, but like most illicit substances, it is available through underground sources. As a matter of completeness I include ivory in this list, but I urge you not to buy or use it. Keep in mind, endangered animals will have to die for your tone. As you can see, there is a wide range of nut materials to choose from, and there is one out there for you. Personally, nothing beats the tone and charm of an unbleached camel bone nut for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleblob Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Very interesting read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Nickel? Afterall, it's what the frets (most anyway) are made from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 [quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1127917' date='Feb 14 2011, 11:50 PM']Here are my two cents, mostly based on the “try and listen” method of research.[/quote] That aint research He kind of blew it admitting he cant hear the difference between bone and good plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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