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09-08-2008, 03:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Columbus, OH | | | Does the nut make a big difference in tone?
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If I changed my plastic nut to something like brass or nickel, would the change be noticable, or would the trouble outweigh the slight difference? |
09-08-2008, 03:11 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | | Some say yes, some say no.
Pass the popcorn, plizz......
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"...awesome as a monkey wearing a tuxedo made of bacon, riding on a unicorn!'"
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09-08-2008, 03:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV. | | IMO it will sound brighter. More popcorn please.  |
09-08-2008, 03:25 PM
|  | Get down low and stay there | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: 8 miles high | | | Brass Nut
I have a brass nut on one of my P's and it made the bass much brighter when used with my Badass II bridge. It's also held up well using RotoSound RS66. Been on there over 20 years now.
I have popcorn now, please pass the butter and salt.
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09-08-2008, 03:27 PM
| | | | i've been wondering about this also. I have a takamine acoustic bass which i put some of the rotosound plastic covered strings on by reccomendation of my local guitar shop, but did this whilst talking to my girlfriend, and didn't notice that the E string was slightly too wide for the nut and snapped the end off. So for the past 8 months i've been using a nut tha i made out of wood, and fairly soft wood at that. I've been meaning to get a new nut, but never got around to it. how much do you this that would be affecting my sound?
Thanks
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09-08-2008, 03:45 PM
| | Registered User
Bass Technician, Club Bass - Toronto | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Canada | | | If, and I emphasize IF the nut makes any difference to the tone, it will only be on open strings. Once the string is fretted anywhere, the nut no longer figures into the equation. Except that it may ever so slightly change the mass of the instrument as a whole and will theoretically then affect the resonant frequency, but you would need some pretty serious analysis equipment to detect the difference. Your ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it.
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09-08-2008, 04:15 PM
|  | WJWJr Moderator | | Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Turnaround  If, and I emphasize IF the nut makes any difference to the tone, it will only be on open strings. Once the string is fretted anywhere, the nut no longer figures into the equation. Except that it may ever so slightly change the mass of the instrument as a whole and will theoretically then affect the resonant frequency, but you would need some pretty serious analysis equipment to detect the difference. Your ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it. | Hey, great to see ya!
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09-08-2008, 04:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Turnaround If, and I emphasize IF the nut makes any difference to the tone, it will only be on open strings. Once the string is fretted anywhere, the nut no longer figures into the equation. Except that it may ever so slightly change the mass of the instrument as a whole and will theoretically then affect the resonant frequency, but you would need some pretty serious analysis equipment to detect the difference. Your ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it. | You, sir, get extra butter on your popcorn! 
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"...awesome as a monkey wearing a tuxedo made of bacon, riding on a unicorn!'"
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09-08-2008, 04:25 PM
|  | I never worry. I'm fretless!
DPA Endorses Audix Microphones | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA | | | The harder you squeeze your nut, the greater the impact on tone... Usually detremental
Oh... we are talking about the nut on the neck...
Gimee some of that popcorn...
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-- Geoff
Bassist for Deer Park Avenue - Lakland Owner's Group #142 - Worship Bassist #95
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09-08-2008, 04:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bassman314 The harder you squeeze your nut, the greater the impact on tone... Usually detremental
Gimee some of that popcorn... | I thought squeezing raised the pitch of the "instrument".
Pass it back when you're done.
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"...awesome as a monkey wearing a tuxedo made of bacon, riding on a unicorn!'"
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09-08-2008, 04:30 PM
| | WJWJr Moderator | | Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Connecticut | | | By the way, Turnaround, to those not in the know, is one of the true assets to S&R. We're lucky to have him around!
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Most ballgames are lost, not won.
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09-08-2008, 04:31 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York | | | I think what you should shoot for is a sameness of tone on an open string as a fretted note. Whatever substance will get you there. |
09-08-2008, 04:33 PM
| | I never worry. I'm fretless!
DPA Endorses Audix Microphones | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilgrim I thought squeezing raised the pitch of the "instrument".
Pass it back when you're done. | I'm certain it would do both, really... I'm fairly certain it's a debate I'd like to leave academic 
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-- Geoff
Bassist for Deer Park Avenue - Lakland Owner's Group #142 - Worship Bassist #95
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09-08-2008, 05:38 PM
|  | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: GHS Strings | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: 818 ~ 805 ~ L.A. | | | I prefer a brass nut... |
09-08-2008, 05:46 PM
|  | BassMonkey | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Huntsville AL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JFace If I changed my plastic nut to something like brass or nickel, would the change be noticable, or would the trouble outweigh the slight difference? |
If you play open strings exclusively, then yes.
On second thought, no.  |
09-09-2008, 11:42 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt R. If you play open strings exclusively, then yes.
On second thought, no. | Thank heavens we got THAT settled! 
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"...awesome as a monkey wearing a tuxedo made of bacon, riding on a unicorn!'"
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09-09-2008, 11:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: St. Louis, MO | | Having a brass nut insures me I won't bust a nut at an inopportune time... Seriously, you don't want to deal with that at a performance. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. 
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09-09-2008, 11:56 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: PA | | | The nut only makes a difference for the open strings. Other than that it has no effect on the tone.
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09-09-2008, 12:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mississippi | | I like nuts made out of popcorn and butter. Now pass me some brass. Wait... Im confused |
09-09-2008, 12:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | | You like your brass buttered?
Well then, what about Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass? Did they like nuts?
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