The seller wasn’t sure, but I assumed that it would be graphite. Looking at it up close, it almost looks like it could be ebony.

What does it look like to you?


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/th_IMG_0838.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/IMG_0838.jpg)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/th_IMG_0824.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/IMG_0824.jpg)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/th_IMG_0804.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/IMG_0804.jpg)

Its definatly not graphite. Thats all I know.

If it burns it's ebony.

looks like a poorly made and installed Rosewood nut that unfortunately 'compliments' a poorly slotted fingerboard

R

wow, those slots look pretty bad, but yeah, it looks like rosewood, you can tell by comparing with the fretboard!

+1 for wood. You can tell as graphite doesn't look woody. looks like you need a little more action there.

That's wood and completely ineffective. The grooves dig all the way into the fingerboard! Why even have a nut if you're going to slot it all the way down to the fingerboard? I guess it just keeps the strings in place. Weird.

It's a '71 fretless P-bass neck:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/th_IMG_0803-1.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/IMG_0803-1.jpg)

I agree that the slots are too low and sloppy, but I wouldn't say that it's "completely ineffective." The action is very low and it actually plays pretty well as long as you don't dig in too much.

The grooves (or slots) in the fingerboard above the nut are supposed to be there (or at least I've seen them on other early '70s fretless headstocks), but it looks like they are also deeper than they should be (at least the on the E string).

I will eventually replace the nut, but it works okay for now. I'm using flats, so I'm not that worried about further damaging the fretboard. I was just wondering about the nut material. It seems that the general consensus is rosewood. I appreciate the comments so far.

the slots are sloppy, but not too low. I set up my fretless basses with the nut almost touching the fingerboard by about the thickness of some bond20 paper. You want your open strings to buzz just like the rest of the fingerboard ...but that's just me!

Here's a pic from ebay showing a 1970 fretless neck with the grooves/slots in the rosewood above the nut (just for comparison):

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2531/70fretlesspbnk3wl4.jpg

Yup, my Fender was like that too, till I put a fretted neck on.

Hhmmm...Any chance it could be water buffalo horn?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21v6NSTzbHL._SS500_.jpg

It seems to be a more common choice for nut material than rosewood.

None whatsoever.

Are everyone's eyes here that much better than mine? How could you possibly make an id on the material from a 160x120 picture? And why is there no chance whatsoever that it is water buffalo horn?

Click on them. They're thumbnail links to the actual images.

And why is there no chance whatsoever that it is water buffalo horn?

Is it the color? the grain?

More info would be helpful (I'm trying to learn).

Hhmmm...Any chance it could be water buffalo horn?

It seems to be a more common choice for nut material than rosewood.

water buffalo is more common than Rosewood? and what, exactly, do you base this statement on? something you learned from the experts at eBay?

not a slam towards you in any way, but a request for resource info that backs this assertion

all the best,

R

Watter buffalo horn? Sounds like my Friday night.

water buffalo is more common than Rosewood? and what, exactly, do you base this statement on? something you learned from the experts at eBay?

not a slam towards you in any way, but a request for resource info that backs this assertion

Not more common than rosewood in general, just as a nut material.

I based the statement on the fact that Allparts and several other guitar/bass parts stores (and yes, ebay too) sell water buffalo nut blanks, but do not sell rosewood nut blanks. In fact, I could not find a site anywhere that sells rosewood bass nuts.

http://www.allparts.com/store/nuts-saddles-bone-nuts-bn-0291-000,Product.asp

That nut has been replaced. It's not original. I'd guess it's wood of some sort. Looks a lot like the fingerboard, but who knows what it is. If the previous owner took it to a builder chances are the builder had a lot more rosewood laying around than water buffalo horn and it was replaced long before Allparts ever existed.

fyi - most of my nut blanks come from a big block of material, not the skinny (and high $$$) pre-cut things sold to the guy who's only going to do a home hack job

I can say that I've never seen a water buffalo nut ... but I've seen many a wooden and cow bone nut

all the best,

R

Allparts also has horn saddles, bridge pins, and knobs made from water buffalo horn.

This is the pic of the water buffallo horn saddle from their website:

http://www.allparts.com/store/images/fullsize/BS_0292-000.jpg


Here's the nut in question:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/fresnorich/fretless%20bass/IMG_0804-1.jpg

Nope the water buffalo is too green, its rosewood or ebony, can't tell properly.

Guys, it's rosewood. Can we move on?