Why Don't MIA Fenders Come With Bone Nuts?

[Iridescentone]

No, more like a larger quantity of raw material.

If someone is starting with a larger-than-needed chunk of bone when bone nut blanks are readily available, I'd have to ask....."why"?

 

[bobyoung53]

Yeah. But other people say the same about Viagra.

Hah ha ha ha ha!

 

[esa372]

About two years ago, I was seeking advice on TB for a nut replacement on an MIA fretless Jazz bass; the original nut was bone. When I asked if graphite or bone was preferred, I got the reply "Bone, by a mile."

So, I bought some blanks, and shaped a few myself. It wasn't difficult, and the material was not hard to work with (probably because I invested in the proper tools to do the job), and the nut I installed (the first one I cut) is still doing fine.

Here is the thread, if anyone is interested.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

About two years ago, I was seeking advice on TB for a nut replacement on an MIA fretless Jazz bass; the original nut was bone. When I asked if graphite or bone was preferred, I got the reply "Bone, by a mile."

So, I bought some blanks, and shaped a few myself. It wasn't difficult, and the material was not hard to work with (probably because I invested in the proper tools to do the job), and the nut I installed (the first one I cut) is still doing fine.

Here is the thread, if anyone is interested.

I just read that thread and noticed that nobody really explained why bone is better.

 

[Steve23]

I never got on with the adjustable brass ones when I was playing Warwicks. Always preferred graphite nuts. Does that sound rude?

There have been a few times when I wish that I had graphite nuts . . .

 

[Tommyc]

They do but they're now called G&L.

 

[hushnel]

"If someone is starting with a larger-than-needed chunk of bone when bone nut blanks are readily available, I'd have to ask....."why"?"


Why not, it's kind of like why would you build your own bass when you can buy one. Bone isn't that hard to process, I screw the bone to a piece of wood run it through the table saw to get the flat edge, un-attach it from the wood, put the now flat side against the fence and slab it out, a couple of passes I've got plenty of nuts or saddles.

I have a Swiss Army Knife I put these slabs on. I carried this knife since 1978

I'm a bit strange though, I make a lot of stuff it's cheaper and easier to just buy.

 

[esa372]

I just read that thread and noticed that nobody really explained why bone is better.

Yep, the only explanation was:

graphite-type material has a place on guitars with trem systems, where the tradeoff between softness and the self-lubricating properties is worth it, but on bass i don't see it.

 

[JimmyM]

If someone is starting with a larger-than-needed chunk of bone when bone nut blanks are readily available, I'd have to ask....."why"?

Cheaper to cut it yourself.

 

[Thummel]

Ok, I'll ask then.
What's the best bone for metal?

 

[hushnel]

Titanium, I got a rod of it in my right femur it seems to resonate well "o)

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The only reason for a bone nut would be for a vintage reissue or Custom Shop bass where the customer requests it. Otherwise, a synthetic material makes much more sense. I have had basses with brass nuts, but they were really expensive basses like Alembics and Ken Smiths, they sounded great, but I don't how much of it was the nut.

 

[Korladis]

Seems like a reasonable expectation
Doesn't it?

Not really.

 

[Korladis]

Bone is overrated. It's harder to work with, synthetic materials are just as good if not better, and there's just no need for it.

BTW, anyone who asks for an ivory nut in a world where the elephant population has been reduced by a third really needs to re-examine his priorities.

Totally agreed.

There are other materials we have now that work better than bone, and don't stink as much when they're worked.

Personally I'd prefer a graphite nut over anything else.

 

[JimmyM]

The only reason for a bone nut would be for a vintage reissue or Custom Shop bass where the customer requests it. Otherwise, a synthetic material makes much more sense. I have had basses with brass nuts, but they were really expensive basses like Alembics and Ken Smiths, they sounded great, but I don't how much of it was the nut.

Well the open notes were about the nut...unless they had zero frets. Personally, brass does nothing for me. I'm fine with anything as long as it's not mushy.

 

[JimmyM]

Totally agreed.

There are other materials we have now that work better than bone, and don't stink as much when they're worked.

Personally I'd prefer a graphite nut over anything else.

I have a graphite nut on my bass with the whammy bar. Will stay in tune even when I ride that whammy bar a good one, but after 20 years, 7 or 8 of which I used it as my main bass, it seems like the slots have worn down ever so slightly. I guess that's not bad for 20 years but it does mean I may need to replace it in the NF.

 

[fhm555]

My dream MIA Fender bass would have a neck made of Polar Bear femur and would have zero-fret with a graphtech string spacer.

On one of my flights to Okinawa, we landed in a smallish airport in Alaska and deplaned for about a half hour before loading back up and moving on. This was a place with the stairway rolled up to the aircraft and walk down and across the ramp. Once inside we were greeted by a mounted grizzly standing upright that must have been ten or twelve feet tall. They had cut out part of the ceiling to accomodate this thing. I believe it's thigh bone would have been large enough to work for your dream bass neck.

 

[Korladis]

I see nothing wrong with using the bone of a dead cow.

You don't. I don't. Some people do. A friend of mine who's a guitarist has chosen not to buy guitars he otherwise liked and wanted for finding out the nut was bone (he is vegan). Are players like him a huge part of the market? No. But the company that made the guitar with a bone nut lost a sale to a company that made one with a nut of different material.

I was gonna say! I've found brass nuts make the difference even more pronounced. Surprisingly, I've found that pickups do more to make open notes more homogenous than anything. Always hated open notes on any bass I've played...I switch to Geezers on my Fenders, and all of a sudden, the notes are more homogenous. Consequently, I use open notes a LOT more now than I ever have.

I'm kinda the opposite. I actually like the way open notes sound better than the way fretted ones do. Dunno why. Just always have.

Never owned a bass with a brass nut, though. My main basses have bakelite nuts.

Neither do I. My point was a business consideration that some potential customers probably do.

Exactly. Dude I mentioned at the start of my post isn't the only one I know with those preferences.

Also , the decal now sports a "corona, ca" instead if made in usa. Not a fan of that but whatever.

I don't see why that's a problem. Corona, CA is in the USA. My Mesa/Boogie says "Petaluma, CA" on the back rather than "made in usa."

I agree with Rob, it's not a clean job on that nut.

The Zero Fret seems like it would be a good idea, their must be some disadvantage or it would be in wider use. Maybe the headstock angle would need to be more than the slab most builders use on electrics.

Maybe it gets worn down faster than the other frets or something? I don't know.

Every luthier who I know says that bone is a lot harder to shape into a nut and harder and less forgiving to slot. Indie luthiers don't buy premade nuts that easily fit into a standard nut rout. They shape them themselves to whatever bass they're working on. And synthetics are a lot easier to do that with than bone, and files cut a lot easier through synthetics than bone as well.

And Re: ivory, read one of the posts before mine where the dude talks about using ivory nuts in some of the acoustic guitars he's made nuts for. Turns out he's using already-existing ivory pieces to make them, but he didn't say that it in his initial post.

I've heard that bone stinks really bad when it's worked. That alone I would imagine might make some luthiers prefer working with other materials, especially if those other materials were just as good for the job (and arguably better, as bone, since it is grown rather than made, I would think could be incredibly inconsistent; what if the cow involved had osteoporosis?)

I have a graphite nut on my bass with the whammy bar. Will stay in tune even when I ride that whammy bar a good one, but after 20 years, 7 or 8 of which I used it as my main bass, it seems like the slots have worn down ever so slightly. I guess that's not bad for 20 years but it does mean I may need to replace it in the NF.

Eh, I've swapped nuts out just for setups with drastically different string gauges. I don't regard them as quite as replaceble parts as strings... but not far off. They don't cost that much more.

 

[Korladis]

View attachment 941490 Its kinda hard to tell from the pics, but anyway. Heres the bone nut that comes as standard issue for 2017.

Is that a fretless? For fretless I'd prefer a wooden nut.

Heh heh. Wood. Nut.

 

[walterw]

I've heard that bone stinks really bad when it's worked. That alone I would imagine might make some luthiers prefer working with other materials, especially if those other materials were just as good for the job (and arguably better, as bone, since it is grown rather than made, I would think could be incredibly inconsistent; what if the cow involved had osteoporosis?)

nah, bone is not that hard to work with. in fact, it sands and files better than most synthetics, many of which warp or even melt under belt-sander friction heat. it polishes better than all of them, giving a much prettier final result. yes the smell is less than awesome (kinda like being at the dentist when they're drilling) but good vacuum dust collection renders this a non-issue.

as for inconsistencies, the first step when selecting a bone blank is looking at it backed by a strong light, you can see any voids or soft spots.

i like the unbleached stuff, it seems a little harder and less porous.

And Re: ivory, read one of the posts before mine where the dude talks about using ivory nuts in some of the acoustic guitars he's made nuts for. Turns out he's using already-existing ivory pieces to make them, but he didn't say that it in his initial post.

i've made a few acoustic guitar ivory nuts and saddles with blanks provided to me by the customer, supposedly from legit sources. while just fine, the stuff was slightly softer than bone, to where i wouldn't choose it over bone for the same job.

between that and the "ick" factor of the source, i'm gonna pass on ever using it again.