I am not making any more bone nuts.

[zeegler]

I've had it. I can't stand the stink any more. Just thinking about the smell makes me nauseous. Does anyone else make nuts, and if so, what do you use? Graphtech, Tusq, ??? There has to be something out there that's as good or better than bone, but doesn't reek so bad.

[MountainDog]

I recently bought one of the premade Tusq nuts (see link at bottom) for my SL2HT. The original plastic nut had the A string groove too low so it buzzed on the 1st fret. The guitar arrived with extra relief to 'solve' the buzz problem. The Tusq was a pretty close match to the size I needed.

The Tusq material does feel different, doesn't feel like plastic, and I dropped it accidently on tile and it makes a sound that's more like ivory/bone than plastic. I sanded the nut a little to match the original's width and thickness, then installed with super glue. The next day, I filed the grooves deeper to get my desired string height. Was fairly easy to file and I didn't notice any funny smell. Acoustically the guitar sounded much better after the Tusq nut.

I also bought a Graphtech premade nut at the same time, but elected to install the Tusq when I had both in my hand.

Before I swapped the nut, I was actually thinking of selling the guitar. With the Tusq nut (and now the proper relief) the guitar's a keeper. Not bad for $11.84 investment on the nut!

Maybe you could get one of these to check it out. They make for Gibson/Fender/acoustic, etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TUSQ-Nut-Slotted-Fits-Les-Paul-and-Most-Gibson-Electric_W0QQitemZ280098478549QQcategoryZ101976QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

[dtt001]

Anyone tried to make one using Brass ? Just curious as I have a current project I am working on. Would appreciate any instruction/links. Thanks.

[straycat]

Brass is very easy to work with but if you cut too deep you are screwed.Witha bone or tusq nut you can fill and do over.

[missionguitars1]

I recently bought one of the premade Tusq nuts (see link at bottom) for my SL2HT. The Tusq was a pretty close match to the size I needed.

About how much "fiddling around" did you have to do - was it too high/wide/etc? Looks like you started with a Gisbon one (from the link)? Thanks for any info you can pass on to us!

[GuerillaPete]

Got a Greco Sykes model from '82 or '84 with a brass nut. Very nice. Never had to work on brass nuts but yes, can be tricky.

[MountainDog]

About how much "fiddling around" did you have to do - was it too high/wide/etc? Looks like you started with a Gisbon one (from the link)? Thanks for any info you can pass on to us!

I had measured the stock SL2HT nut and noticed the specs on that Gibson Tusq were very very close. It was maybe .010" to .020" thicker (ie front to back), and was about 0.020" to 0.030" wider (ie side to side) and the top of the two ends were more square than the stock nut, so I rounded them to match the stock radius. Sanding time, maybe 3 to 5 minutes. It was slightly taller (bottom of nut to bottom of groove), but I left that alone as I knew I would file the grooves deeper. I think I filed maybe 0.030 to 0.040" to get my desired string heights above the 1st fret.

I scored the clear coat all around the stock nut with an exacto blade, lightly tapped the nut with a small hammer on a flat blade screwdriver, popped right off. I scraped off some minor remanants of glue, did a couple dry fits, then used super glue to attach the Tusq nut (glue on the back edge of fingerboard as well as the nut cut), centered it side-to-side, and held it for a few minutes, then lightly tightened the D & G strings to give a little 'clamp pressure' and let it sit overnight before I filed it.

By the way, the stock nut has the groove starting out straight, but then the slot angles heavily to the right on the G, B, E strings. I had a couple tuning problems I think due to the strings binding in those angled slots. The Tusq nut has straight grooves and that's how I kept them. No tuning issues now, I think the strings slide better on the Tusq material.

[Rich#6]

You shouldn't be breathing that crap in anyway. It is just as bad for you as breathing in shell dust for inlays. That shit could kill you.

[missionguitars1]

I had measured the stock SL2HT nut and noticed the specs on that Gibson Tusq were very very close. It was maybe .010" to .020" thicker (ie front to back), and was about 0.020" to 0.030" wider (ie side to side) and the top of the two ends were more square than the stock nut, so I rounded them to match the stock radius. Sanding time, maybe 3 to 5 minutes. It was slightly taller (bottom of nut to bottom of groove), but I left that alone as I knew I would file the grooves deeper. I think I filed maybe 0.030 to 0.040" to get my desired string heights above the 1st fret.

I've always scratched my head wondering if one was substitutable for the other, and it looks like they is with minimal work. Thanks a million!

[Bengal65]

I've been using Graphtech nuts for a long time now. I usually use the straight cut blanks and shape them. I use all the good stuff from StewMac and the Dan Erlewine nut making technique. The sound great. I would imagine the Tusq nuts to be a good replacement for bone also.

[MountainDog]

Here's my Tusq nut installed, along with the original next to it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/MountainDog/Tusqnut.jpg

[bsteff666]

Stew Mac has a few options here:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/String_nuts.html

I've heard good things about the SlipStone. I bought a blank, but I've never done anything with it. It didn't seem to be as soft as I expected.

[missionguitars1]

Here's my Tusq nut installed, along with the original next to it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...og/Tusqnut.jpg

Very clean job, thanks for posting that!

[TommyD]

I am not making any more bone nuts.

> Trust me,the same smell you deal with working with bone,is the same smell I deal with when working with ivory. Burnt hair. It really makes a superior nut though,I think.

I haven't worked on the Tusq,but that SlipStone is bad news. It's Delrin,which I imagine would just kill your tone. Add to that the fact that unless something new has been released recently,there isn't a single glue on this planet that will stick to Delrin,I'd be looking elsewhere. Tommy D.

[zeegler]

I'm leaning towards the Graphtec stuff myself.