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anyone tried an aluminium nut ?


daz
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I had to replace the stock plastic nut on my old Westfield P bass, due to its having slots far too wide for a normal string because I adjusted it to try the Rotosound Tru Bass plastic coated strings (after seeing Jah wobble and having a chat with Nige 'Mr Rotosound' Clutterbuck, one day) So after some consideration I thought instead of going straight for the bone nut option, that I was planning. That I would like to try something different first. Such as a metal nut, maybe copper, brass or ally. The Ally nut has been cut to size and is on the bass now, awaiting me finding a dremmel to borrow off someone to cut the slots (anyone in Chester have a Dremmel to lend for a day ?) So my Q is, has anyone else ever tried a metal nut, and if so what was the outcome ?

Edited by daz
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Well cut nut over badly cut nut makes more difference that a metal nut vs another suitable material, like bone or hard plastics. Plenty of bad material nuts about though. Phosphor bronze is about the ultimate because its hard, and self lubricating. Ali is probably a bit soft and makes your fingers go black if you touch it much, although that depends on the alloy.

Edited by Mr. Foxen
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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1348398475' post='1813073']
.... I can't see how it could make a difference once you are fretting a note. What matters with a nut is that it is cut well.
[/quote]

Agree fully on this one. Metal nut might make the open strings sound similar to fretted (if they did not before).

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Brass for me , on my 73 Precision.

I bought the bass in 1978 and my Dad made it for me a couple of years later out of a yale lock he got off a building site bog door. He used my old strings as makeshift 'files' to fine finish the slots to the correct width (a procedure I've copied with other nuts since). Took him hours.

No more Dr Dad , I'm sad to say. But it's my most precious musical item. You can burn the bass for all I care so long as I get the nut.

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Brass nuts were "de rigeur" in the '80's, so I've had loads - I think they do add a tad of sustain as well as looking a bit classier than plastic

The only aluminium one I've had is on my '75 Travis Bean - no sign of wear from nearly 40 years of use.

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My s/h P came with a brass nut on it. To my best recollection, I've never played another P, so I can't compare tonal attributes. But no-one's ever remarked on my P sounding different to any other P, so who knows?

As for aluminium nuts - my Danelectro U2 (guitar) has one and it doesn't seem to have worn any quicker or 'stick' anymore than the nuts on any of my other guitars.

I wonder - were nuts ever made out of - er - [i]nut[/i]? Or were they always bone until someone invented plastic?

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[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1348413725' post='1813300']
I think the best idea would be to have the nut made from the same material as the frets so that it all sounds the same...

[/quote]

Go one stage further and choose an instrument with a 'false' fret. Should play and sound the same.

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The nut on one of my GBs is nickel (same as frets) - although that was done for cosmetic reasons above anything else. Does it make a difference? I'm not sure. A well cut nut as stated above is the most important... although the bass with the nickel nut does seem to sustain for a lifetime.

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Thanks for the interest. Well I borrowed a Dremmel of my bro, so Ill let you know how it goes tomorrow. Plenty mention brass nuts. I don't have any brass at the mo' so I will try some copper, as I have plenty of that in I/8 thick slabs. Could be interesting, as copper is softer than Aluminium and brass, but still harder than bone.

Edited by daz
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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1348398321' post='1813067']
Phosphor bronze is about the ultimate because its hard, and self lubricating. Ali is probably a bit soft and makes your fingers go black if you touch it much, although that depends on the alloy.
[/quote]

Phosphor Bronze will make your sweat turn green though. :o

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The bass in my avatar orinigally had a plastic nut, which snapped right in half. Its got a zero fret, so I wasnt expecting any difference in tone, but with the brass nut it really does make a difference. It may be to do with the added mass, rather than the hardness of the surface, I have no idea why, but with these fingers playing this particular bass, it was enough to notice. :)

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[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1348426052' post='1813499']
Phosphor Bronze will make your sweat turn green though. :o
[/quote] As long as it doesn't make my blood turn green like a Vulcan, I don't mind a bit of green sweat. It might even start a trend.

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FWIW my sweat makes brass/copper and "gold" hardware turn green. Phosphor Bronze strings turn black when exposed to my perspiration...
Zero frets are the way to go, although they're not [i]exactly[/i] the same as they're often hardened to offset the increased wear that they experience. This is caused by the fact that the strings are always pressed against it, whatever note you're fretting.

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[quote name='simwells' timestamp='1348430743' post='1813595']
Never tried an ally one but the early T-40s had Zinc nuts if I remember right and mine's still going strong 32 years on. As for sound differences it's very hard to say without comparing the exact same bass with the different nut materials.
[/quote]
I seem to remember that the bridges were made of Zamak (a zinc alloy) so I'd guess the nuts were the same. Gibson uses the same material for their tailpieces and bridges.

[size=1]I might have just plumbed new depths in bass related nerdyness. [/size]

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