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adjustable brass nut.

flameworker

flameworker

Guest
Jun 15, 2014
1,842
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Landenberg, Pennsylvania
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one day....
#1
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What's the deal with this?? Are you supposed to carve the string grooves or what? Seems like it would rattle and buzz, if not might be cool.


I was thinking about using a similar method, Basically use thick brass screws and then carve a string slot.
 
#4
Well, you've got your string slots but they don't all appear to be wide enough to accommodate the larger gauge strings. Smacks something of the original Warwick adjust-a-nut. IIRC, that came with interchangeable pre-cut nut saddles in 3 different sizes.

Riis
 
#6
flameworker said:
Huh. Seems....."wrong" but I would love to raise my @a string a tad higher than the others. So now I have to replace the whole nut. Maybe is a good idea, I like warwick s plan better tho.
Click to expand...

I missed this earlier. Remove the nut in one piece (...which means carefully!) and glue a thin strip of hardwood veneer to the underside. Trim to size and re-glue into position. You'll have to file each of the string slots to spec but the basic foundation will be intact (proper spacing, etc). Beer can aluminum works well and can also be worked with an xacto knife. Neither mod will be obvious.

Riis
 
#10
So your strings just sit in the slots on the screws? I guess I see how it works and how it could be nice to have individually adjustable action, but it seems to fly in the face of all of the conventional wisdom of properly seating the string in a slot that fits. Although it would limit your adjustability to half turns instead of quarter turns, I would think a modified Phillips screw where the vertical slot of the + is the proper width for the string in question, and the horizontal would fit a slotted screwdriver would be a better design. The adjustability issue could be mitigated by using a screw with finer threads.

Does that make sense? Did I miss my calling for R&D?
 
#11
MikeCanada said:
So your strings just sit in the slots on the screws? I guess I see how it works and how it could be nice to have individually adjustable action, but it seems to fly in the face of all of the conventional wisdom of properly seating the string in a slot that fits. Although it would limit your adjustability to half turns instead of quarter turns, I would think a modified Phillips screw where the vertical slot of the + is the proper width for the string in question, and the horizontal would fit a slotted screwdriver would be a better design. The adjustability issue could be mitigated by using a screw with finer threads.

Does that make sense? Did I miss my calling for R&D?
Click to expand...


right? that is what i meant by, "seems wrong"
 
#14
1. String spacing could be accommodated by having different options available for different models of basses. Plenty of replacement nuts are pre-cut just a little on the high side which takes some of the work off the repair guy.
2. This shouldn't be any more of a problem that any other nut-bolt relationship. Some are pretty horrible and do wobble, but it is a simple enough fix to have everything snug.
3. Again, different models. This might not be viable for particularly thin nuts, but the instrument could also be modified. Chances are if you are putting one of these in you are not trying to maintain original specifications.

I would assume that buzzing would not be a big issue, because the downward pressure of the string should hold the screw in place and not allow it to buzz. Buzzes happen when something is loose, and I don't see how that's possible with a string on top.

Having never played an instrument with one of these attached or worked on one, this is all speculation. I'm happy with what is on my instruments now, but it would be interesting to have a chance to mess around with one for an afternoon to develop a more educated opinion.
 
#16
MikeCanada said:
So your strings just sit in the slots on the screws? I guess I see how it works and how it could be nice to have individually adjustable action, but it seems to fly in the face of all of the conventional wisdom of properly seating the string in a slot that fits. Although it would limit your adjustability to half turns instead of quarter turns, I would think a modified Phillips screw where the vertical slot of the + is the proper width for the string in question, and the horizontal would fit a slotted screwdriver would be a better design. The adjustability issue could be mitigated by using a screw with finer threads.

Does that make sense? Did I miss my calling for R&D?
Click to expand...

Since there is only one string height that is right for each string, why have an adjustable nut at all? It's not one of those things that needs to be adjusted to accommodate different playing styles. The only value I can see is to compensate for significant wear on the first fret or excessive wear on the nut. A decent nut will not wear down significantly for a very long time, and it's no big deal to file the nut a bit lower when the frets are dressed.

Maybe it's useful for those who want to replace the nut, but don't have proper files. Otherwise I just don't see the point.
 
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#18
Zooberwerx said:
Re-stated for emphasis. Alembic has been using them for years and those durn things have a fixed radius as do the Warwick Adjust-a-Nut II's. Then again, it may be a cost-saving measure.

Riis
Click to expand...
I suspect it is more of a marketing thing. If the buying public's view is that it makes a better nut, then it's a wise move to incorporate the idea as a feature - regardless of its actual usefulness.
 
#19
I could see it being useful in the case of alternate tunings/wildly different string gauges or switching between the two on the same bass. In the idea I suggested with a modified screw, you could just switch out the screw for a different gauge. It gives DIY guys a way to make completely reversible nut adjustments, which I could also see the advantage of. Once you get it set to wherever you want it though, chances are you shouldn't need to touch it again unless you sell the bass to someone who wants a different setup, or if the screw wears down. In that case, a quarter/half turn might be useful, 20-100 years down the road.

It definitely is a marketing thing, and in that sense does a great job of feeding into that "my bass is customized/customizable and yours isn't" mentality. It's also something they can put on a bass and say is different/better/innovative when compared to traditional materials and nut design. I could see it being faster and easier (therefore cheaper) to train someone in the factory to turn a screwdriver instead of file a nut, so in that sense it could be a cost cutting mechanism at the factory level as well.

This does kind of smell of a way to fix something that isn't broken or innovate in an area that really doesn't need it, but if it sells basses or replacement parts, it has done its job. I am still happy with what's on my basses now and have no intention of changing them, but I think it is an interesting concept.
 

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