How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

[The Chase]

I want to put a Graph Tech nut instead of my bone nut (or whatever the stock Jackson nut is). Also, I want to change my tune-o-matic bridge to a roller-matic or wrap around bridge. Any ideas how it's gonna change the sound? What about brass bridges?
Does a roller-matic bridge really help? Would I loose sustain because of the rollers?
Thanks for any advise

[Newc]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

You will alose approximately 0.0000009 milliseconds of sustain.

When you find a use for a sustained note or chord that lasts longer than two measures when only struck once, be sure and let me know, cuz I've never heard of such a thing.

Newc

[The Chase]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

Hahaha! Thanks, Newc. What about the tone? Nut-bridge materials? Anyone?

[Newc]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

You might notice a very slight "dulling" of your tone, but if you've got pickups with poor highs, it'll turn darker.

I think you can put in a 1 Meg volume pot to counter it.

Newc

[MetalMedal II]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

Anyone have any experience with a brass nut? I was thinking of trying it on my current project that has a pointy Chandler neck with Sperzels on a TOM body. I was wondering if anyone can comment on the tone of brass compared to graphite and the like, and if anyone ever encountered tuning probs with the brass?

[Guest]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

Brass, being a metal, is typically more bright than say bone, or graphite. Staying in tune is more attributed to how well the nut is cut in the slots and if you use any lubricant, such as liquid graphite.
I've owned some guitars with brass nuts that stayed in tune well and others that did not. The success level of staying in tune seems to lay more in the setup. Things like spring tension, plate travel, type of saddles, ie; graph tech and the like are factors in addition to the nut.

Brass bridges are brighter as a whole also. You can have control over how much brass is being used there by swapping a brass block, or trading out the saddles.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

Bone nuts make a huge difference in sound...to my ears they have add a bit of sustain and resonance, and even acoustic volume to a guitar with a plastic or graphite nut. Another reason that I like them is that you can have them made to fit your guitar exactly for not a lot of money. Try it out.

[MetalMedal II]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

Thanks for the input! It'll be a while before this thing can be strung up, but I'll keep a brass nut in mind.

[sully]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

just don't use graphite saddles, those are total tone suckers. graphite nuts aren't too bad, that's what i use, and i haven't noticed anything detrimental about them.

sully

[MetalMedal II]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

[ QUOTE ]
just don't use graphite saddles, those are total tone suckers.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the tip. I always wondered about those string-savers graphite saddles advertised in Stew-Mac.

[warhead]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

I am not an expert on anything. But I don`t understand all the talking about the nuts and tone. If you fret the string, I can`t see what does it matter if your nut is brass or bone or....

[The Chase]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

Haha, that's true! It works for the open strings only! I believe that Jackson USA have bone nuts. Am I right? Any specific recommendations for a tune-o-matic bridge which keeps you in tune?

[sully]

Re: How do bridge and nut materials affect TONE?

any tom will do ya just fine; i don't have tuning issues with TOM bridges. i use plain ol' gotohs, and they work just fine.

sully