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Nut materials test

L

LilloEsquilo

Inactive
Nov 8, 2009
440
10
#1
Recently I purchased a bass that is my "perfect" bass, in that it's perfect for me. I was satisfied with everything but the nut, which is your cheap plastic POS nut that so many basses get these days. So I've heard opinions on the best nut material, and know that people get extremely passionate about their nuts. Hummm well you know what I mean. But everyone has a different opinion on the "best" nut, and many even make the argument that it even depends on the individual pieces of the bass itself such as pickups, etc.

I tried reading all the online opinions, to get an idea, and I eneded up with more questions than answers that way. I came to the conclusion that the only way to know is to try them all and see. So that's what I did, and I wanted to share the results of that, it being of course what I heard and my opinion of hwat I heard.

The materials I tested on the bass were graphite, black Tusq (with the Teflon), brass, and bone. With each of these nuts, they were pre-slotted, and I filed them as needed for my strings and bass.

Graphite was kind of blah to be honest. I mean honestly, the tone was acceptable, though I felt maybe a better material could improve it. But it's a cheap material and it's going to wear probably the most of any of these nuts with time, and tuning pings are going to happen too as a result, despite the graphite. It was a bit more "pingy" than any of the other materials. I checked the slots and filed them and it was not bad, it was just the worst of the lot in terms of pings. Tone also as well as sustain.

Next I tried the Tusq. I noticed right away, it was far better in terms of tuning pings, sustain, and a slightly brighter and louder tone (the loudest of all the materials I tested, to my ears).
Not much more than the graphite, but for sure an improvement.

Third was the brass nut. This was great in that I had NO tuning pings to speak of, it just was completely smooth. Sustain was good, and the tone was a bit brighter. It was different though in ways I didn't much like as I prefer the kind of harsh P-bass duncan pickup tone and this seemed to mellow that in a way I didn't really care for.

Finally bone. Tuning pings were about the same as Tusq - very good, not an issue. But right away, I was blown away by the tone difference. It was very obvious and noticed from the first note I played. It was clearly the best tone of any of them and the sustain was up there with the best as well. Now, I know the reason why top end basses and guitars use bone nuts, and it's not just because that's what is expected, I actually heard it.

Who knows how they will wear. Brass is a soft material, and graphite is bound to be lousy as far as wear too. I don't have enough experience to comment yet on Tusq, but I've read online comments that they wear quickly. So it would seem that bone is a winner there.

Working with the materials as far as filing, graphite is easy, brass isn't much fun, and bone is pretty tough. I didn't have to file the Tusq, but I've read enough posts that say it's easy to work with that I'll take that as true. But brass and bone will give you the greatest workouts with the file.

So overall clearly bone is the winner based on the tone. It's a huge improvement over any of the other materials I tried. And that's really what I was looking for. I also think it will last a long time. I would rate the materials based on tone/wear potential/ease of working with as follows:

1. Bone
2. Tusq
3. Brass
4. Graphite

I hope this information helps some of you who are wondering about these materials as nuts. Again please bear in mind that it's my experiences and opinions I wish it was strictly scientific and "just the facts ma'am" I've tried to give that because I have no incentive to push one over the other and came in with an open mind, but bone just blew me away with the tone.

Finally I'd like to wrap up by saying now I know why luthiers use "Tite bond" wood glue. I had been using Elmer's and this stuff just blows it away. Just an FYI and again an opinion but that's what I'll roll with from now on.
 
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#4
Sartori said:
I don't assign a whole lot of importance to it, personally. I think the nut material one of my basses is bakelite. The others I have no idea what it is.
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I didn't either, until I heard the difference for myself.

That's why it was kind of a surprise to me the difference with bone was that obvious.

I mean you CAN use just about anything, you'll still get a bass tone. It only matters if you care about the details. Lots of basses out there go out of the factory every day with cheap plastic nuts, and many of these get gigged, but my point is there is a difference in the material and a difference you can hear. You won't be able to take a bass blindfolded and play it and know oh that's a bone nut on that thing just on its own but if you play identical basses one with plastic and one with bone, you will know.
 
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#5
This is great info. I have a Squier VM 70's P-bass that's been my go to bass for about 6 months now. I'm not unhappy with the stock plastic nut, because the bass sounds amazing, but I would like a different nut for better open string notes. A buddy of mine has been trying to talk me into letting him install a bone nut but I don't want to have to deal with the inconsistencies of an organic material...Been looking into Black or White Tusq. But I will take what you say about bone and file it because if I lay out the dough to get this done, I only want to do it once. Thanks )-(
 
#7
LilloEsquilo said:
I didn't either, until I heard the difference for myself.

That's why it was kind of a surprise to me the difference with bone was that obvious.

I mean you CAN use just about anything, you'll still get a bass tone. It only matters if you care about the details. Lots of basses out there go out of the factory every day with cheap plastic nuts, and many of these get gigged, but my point is there is a difference in the material and a difference you can hear. You won't be able to take a bass blindfolded and play it and know oh that's a bone nut on that thing just on its own but if you play identical basses one with plastic and one with bone, you will know.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. How clear is the difference when overdriven, though?
 
#8
When I played guitar in the late '70s, my Ibanez Artist had a bone nut and tons of tone.
It got tipped off the stand by a cable (drummer!) and the nut shattered into dust.
The next year, they started shipping with half bone, half brass nuts.
Coincidence?

The same guitar has worn a brass nut since then, and it sounds good enough.
I've owned instruments with all the other choices since then, too, and tend to live with whatever comes stock with a little work, but this post gives me reasons to consider more carefully.

Thanks, LilloEsquilo.
 
#12
KeithAlanK said:
When I played guitar in the late '70s, my Ibanez Artist had a bone nut and tons of tone.
It got tipped off the stand by a cable (drummer!) and the nut shattered into dust.
The next year, they started shipping with half bone, half brass nuts.
Coincidence?

The same guitar has worn a brass nut since then, and it sounds good enough.
I've owned instruments with all the other choices since then, too, and tend to live with whatever comes stock with a little work, but this post gives me reasons to consider more carefully.

Thanks, LilloEsquilo.
Click to expand...

Glad I could help. I was hoping it would help some people make sense of all the info overload.

I really think any of the choices available is better than a stock plastic nut. The nut, and finishing the nut (slotting) seems to be where they are cutting corners on manufacturing these days with non-high end basses. I think if a person is going to pay 5, 10 or 20k for a bass and it's not a vintage 62 Fender, it had better not come with plastic and a poor cut at that, or you better have a talk with the maker.
 
#14
Meatrus said:
You know the tone will only be affected on open notes and possibly the first fret....right? The nut is taken out of the equation after.
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I'm not sure that's entirely true. The open notes are certainly MOST affected, clearly, and I think you're right about that, I just wouldn't go so far as to say it makes no difference after that. From what I heard, it does, though of course yes the open notes are for sure the biggest difference. I'm sure it's slight on fretted notes, but I did notice an overall better tone. It was most obvious on the open notes, but it was better on all notes. That's just what I heard. I could be wrong or delusional and it wouldn't be the first time, and that's why I tried to say this is my experience and that it's not "scientific" or perfect by any means. But that's what I came up with.
 
#16
LilloEsquilo said:
I didn't either, until I heard the difference for myself.

That's why it was kind of a surprise to me the difference with bone was that obvious.

I mean you CAN use just about anything, you'll still get a bass tone. It only matters if you care about the details. Lots of basses out there go out of the factory every day with cheap plastic nuts, and many of these get gigged, but my point is there is a difference in the material and a difference you can hear. You won't be able to take a bass blindfolded and play it and know oh that's a bone nut on that thing just on its own but if you play identical basses one with plastic and one with bone, you will know.
Click to expand...

I have 2 Peavey Foundation S basses, 1 with the bone nut & BAII, the other is all stock with a graphlon nut. The tone between the 2 is completely different.

I agree with OP and would highly recomend a bone nut. If you have a problem with not enough sustain go with a bone nut & heavy mass bridge. IMO



When polished the bone look like marble
P9150168.jpg

P9150169.jpg


P9150171.jpg

P9150172.jpg
 
#17
LilloEsquilo said:
I'm not sure that's entirely true. The open notes are certainly MOST affected, clearly, and I think you're right about that, I just wouldn't go so far as to say it makes no difference after that. From what I heard, it does, though of course yes the open notes are for sure the biggest difference. I'm sure it's slight on fretted notes, but I did notice an overall better tone. It was most obvious on the open notes, but it was better on all notes. That's just what I heard. I could be wrong or delusional and it wouldn't be the first time, and that's why I tried to say this is my experience and that it's not "scientific" or perfect by any means. But that's what I came up with.
Click to expand...

Sorry, wasnt meaning to sound a smart arse (though looking back, thats exactly what it looks like :)). Though I do think the fretted tone difference could possibly be in your head (which happens a lot to the best of us). As the nut isnt in contact with the vibrating part of the string when a fretted note is played, the fret is instead. May not be a good way of explaining it, but you probably get what I mean
 
#18
Meatrus said:
Sorry, wasnt meaning to sound a smart arse (though looking back, thats exactly what it looks like :)). Though I do think the fretted tone difference could possibly be in your head (which happens a lot to the best of us). As the nut isnt in contact with the vibrating part of the string when a fretted note is played, the fret is instead. May not be a good way of explaining it, but you probably get what I mean
Click to expand...

I do, and no offense was taken I didn't take it that way at all!
 
#19
I've used plastic, tusq, brass and bone. Several of each. The one I have on all my basses now is the Fender American Standard replacement bass nut. Plastic. The open string tone matches the fretted notes perfectly, especially with a rosewood fretboard and nickel silver frets. When I had a maple/maple neck and a maple/ebony neck I found that brass nuts matched up best, tonewise. So the best nut choice may depend on other factors like neck woods and fret material. Bottom line for me is this. The difference in nut materials only matters when I am playing by myself in a very, very quiet room with too much time on my hands. ;)
 
#20
JB696 said:
I've used plastic, tusq, brass and bone. Several of each. The one I have on all my basses now is the Fender American Standard replacement bass nut. Plastic. The open string tone matches the fretted notes perfectly, especially with a rosewood fretboard and nickel silver frets. When I had a maple/maple neck and a maple/ebony neck I found that brass nuts matched up best, tonewise. So the best nut choice may depend on other factors like neck woods and fret material. Bottom line for me is this. The difference in nut materials only matters when I am playing by myself in a very, very quiet room with too much time on my hands. ;)
Click to expand...

True, I think the factors you mention do matter. I had thought about that as well, but my basses are all maple/rosewood necks and nickle silver frets, so I just wanted to compare the nut materials to each other, on the same bass. But I should have mentioned that is what I have, with an alder body, and Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounder (Basslines) pickups, one P and one J for those who want to know these things.

So I'm sure that has an effect, my results are based on my bass and what I heard, and I clearly heard bone making a difference in the tone. I think the nut was the weakest link in the chain of parts, and that's why I wanted to test this stuff and replace it.

Interesting to me is Fender makes a Roger Waters Precision that is much like what I have with the alder body and pickups (but no J) and they use a brass nut on that. It has the maple neck, so maybe that's what they found as well that brass matches a maple neck better, where with rosewood like I have, I found bone to be superior. Good points there!
 

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