Aluminum nut

[rdhbass]

Any body ever used or experimented with a bass nut made of aluminum. I have a whole lot of it at the right thickness and I also have the tools to make one. I guess it would work like a brass nut and be similiar in tone, what do ya'll think.

 

[Hambone]

Any body ever used or experimented with a bass nut made of aluminum. I have a whole lot of it at the right thickness and I also have the tools to make one. I guess it would work like a brass nut and be similiar in tone, what do ya'll think.

I make them all the time for my customs and almost prefer them to brass. I don't notice a tonal difference and they are much easier to shape and polish. I would stay away from the lower numbered alloy aluminums like the 3000 and 4000 series. They are a little soft. I use mainly 5000 and 6000 - 5052 and 6061 both with T6 hardness's. The harder the aluminum the longer wearing it is though that isn't too much of a problem.

To support your use of aluminum to naysayers, as an anchor for a string, use the argument that Trevor Wilkinson prefers aluminum for his high end bass bridges because of the tonal response. Although I was doing before I knew he was, it was nice to know I wasn't an idiot for trying.

 

[rdhbass]

Well i've got some low grade stuff probably but it couldn't be worse than the plastic that is already on there, i may use it anyway. I don't have access to aircraft grade aluminum at the moment, just the home depot lengths 1/8" in thickness, later.