Zero Fret string position/holder material

[chinjazz]

@Beej / @RichterScale - the extension of the fretboard approach has assembly advantages if needing to glue on headstock veneers/caps - if designed ahead to have the cap end meet the edge of the edge, although it could be argued that @RichterScale's current work would actually add stability. Probably negligible

@rudy4444 - I'm currently on the fence for bone nut on this next bass, and leaning toward Richlite.

@rojo412 - Richlite is favorable from a consistent color stand point. Fretboard (light or dark) is the main driver and why I don't like white/bone on dark board - then dying a white bone nut…

Richlite's $18.00 partial sheet at .25" thick 12"x12" will certainly be way enough to at minimum test with. I need to double tap/click on that with Keely over there for custom fretboard sizes for basses as well (another story).

Richlight is probably harder to file down than bone nuts, but the color is more universal to fit my design quirks/sensibilities

@dwizum - I actually have a shoebox of fretboard cutoffs and such for this and repairs here and there.

Thanks again everyone, I appreciate all the great input here, even @Flying B . Your coconut pic

I'll post back my progress -
Cheers!
Adam

 

[Bruce Johnson]

@Beej / @RichterScale - the extension of the fretboard approach has assembly advantages if needing to glue on headstock veneers/caps - if designed ahead to have the cap end meet the edge of the edge, although it could be argued that @RichterScale's current work would actually add stability. Probably negligible

@rudy4444 - I'm currently on the fence for bone nut on this next bass, and leaning toward Richlite.

@rojo412 - Richlite is favorable from a consistent color stand point. Fretboard (light or dark) is the main driver and why I don't like white/bone on dark board - then dying a white bone nut…

Richlite's $18.00 partial sheet at .25" thick 12"x12" will certainly be way enough to at minimum test with. I need to double tap/click on that with Keely over there for custom fretboard sizes for basses as well (another story).

Richlight is probably harder to file down than bone nuts, but the color is more universal to fit my design quirks/sensibilities

@dwizum - I actually have a shoebox of fretboard cutoffs and such for this and repairs here and there.

Thanks again everyone, I appreciate all the great input here, even @Flying B . Your coconut pic

I'll post back my progress -
Cheers!
Adam

One more note: You can buy black Garolite in various sizes of bar stock at McMaster. That'll save you some cutting. Garolite is basically the same material as Richlite.

 

[chinjazz]

One more note: You can buy black Garolite in various sizes of bar stock at McMaster. That'll save you some cutting. Garolite is basically the same material as Richlite.

Oooooo….. Nice!!! Perfect timing!

I was going to place a McMaster order today - pausing and looking now.

 

[rudy4444]

Oooooo….. Nice!!! Perfect timing!

I was going to place a McMaster order today - pausing and looking now.

I use Garolite opaque black in various thicknesses and like it a lot. Do be aware that you can end up with slightly visible lines from how it was layered depending on exactly how you cut and polish it.

Your choice of material is going to be influenced by contrast of the nut material with the fretboard. For my own use I've always preferred the nut to contrast with the board as it makes a nice "demarcation point" between the fret / fingerboard and the headstock.

 

[chinjazz]

I use Garolite opaque black in various thicknesses and like it a lot. Do be aware that you can end up with slightly visible lines from how it was layered depending on exactly how you cut and polish it.

Your choice of material is going to be influenced by contrast of the nut material with the fretboard. For my own use I've always preferred the nut to contrast with the board as it makes a nice "demarcation point" between the fret / fingerboard and the headstock.

I hear what you're saying about slightly visible lines. Which I need to look into actually. With a different material I got from LMII (Rocklike) to experiment if I'd like it for a binding (because I couldn't find any Ebony anywhere), I couldn't get rid of small horizontal ridges.

At the moment I'm kind of a blendy guy and not favoring that contrast, but we're all different and that's the beauty of it all.

Thanks Rudy

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Another option for making up nuts/string spacers is to cast them from epoxy. Make up a Master from whatever material is easiest (wood, plastic, I like aluminum), and make a silicone rubber mold from it. Then cast the part from epoxy, tinted whatever color you like. Epoxy is a nice material for parts like this. It's pretty strong and wear resistant, can be filed, shaped, and polished up to a gloss. If you have been following along over on the pickups thread, we regularly cast instrument parts from epoxy. I usually use West Systems 105/206.

 

[chinjazz]

That's a good idea as well. I haven't been following the pickup thread intently, and probably should
My 5 string basses are basically dialed in string spacing wise, and would be a great idea there for time saving.
My cousin who lives nearby is constantly doing silicone rubber molding for his hobbies.

The more I think about this next build I'm inclined to also make my own bridge this time.
I keep getting inspired by seeing these super threads by @dwizum: Winter Build Off 2022: Silver Hammer. Time to stop sounding like a broken record, and go for it right?