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Topic: Metal or bone nut? |
Dennis Saydak
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 9:59 am |
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Guys, I'm working on building a Gibson EH150 replica and I need to make a nut for it. I'm not good at metal working and have few metal working tools. I can however make a bone nut for it quite easily. The originals had a steel nut I believe. Does the nut material make any difference to an electric steel guitar?
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Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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Bill A. Moore
From:
Silver City, New Mexico, USA
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Jeff Highland
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 11:14 am
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The Zeroglide is not suitable for a lap steel guitar.It is too low.
Bone will be fine IMHO |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 11:21 am
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Most (if not all) of the Gibsons and Kalamazoos I have seen used a brass nut. On the Gibsons, they were plated. I have made several from aluminum bar stock I purchased at McMaster Carr. Here's one:
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Dennis Saydak
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 11:33 am
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Thanks for the info everyone. So, I don't have to worry about a negative effect if I use bone. Here's a picture of the shape of the original nut. It's quite the chunk of metal. I'd be hand filing for days to get the right shape if I tried using metal.
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Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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Gabriel Edell
From:
Hamilton, Ontario
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 12:07 pm
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I'd think it wouldn't be too hard to fashion a metal nut with a Dremel or a bench grinder. If you don't have one already, a Dremel is well worth the investment.
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GFI S-10 P U, Moyo Volume, Fender Steel King, Fender 5F4 Super-Amp |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 3:20 pm
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| I used the disk on my cheapo WEN belt-disk sander. I made a jig out of hardwood to hold the pre-cut length of aluminum bar stock. Adjust the table to the correct angle, and commence sanding. Work slowly and check your work often. Wear gloves, as the workpiece heats up quickly. Keep a cup of water handy to cool the workpiece periodically as you progress. Voila! I polished mine out with 400-600-1200 Tri-M-Ite paper and mineral spirits. Takes a couple-three hours before it's ready to cut slots, once you get the hang of it. |
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 3:26 pm
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FWIW.. I prefer a metal nut because it gives the open strings a similar tone to those played with the bar.. I have a few with bone nut, and they're fine.. but given the choice I like metal.
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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Dennis Saydak
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 4:10 pm
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Thanks again guys. I do have a vari speed Dermel tool and a bench grinder. Grinding metal is dirty work but I just may have to do it. I was concerned about losing tone when using bone with an electric lap steel. I'll temporarily mock up a nut out of maple with an ebony cap - similar to a Dobro.
I have a friend with a milling machine who can make me a proper nut out of a stainless steel bolt. Problem is his shop is out at the lake and isn't heated. Given that winter is just starting it will be a while before he gets back into his shop.
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Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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Steven Paris
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 4:29 pm
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| Jack Hanson wrote: |
| Most (if not all) of the Gibsons and Kalamazoos I have seen used a brass nut. On the Gibsons, they were plated. I have made several from aluminum bar stock I purchased at McMaster Carr. |
What's the SOUND difference between the brass and the aluminum?
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Emmons & Peavey |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 5:26 pm
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| Steven Paris wrote: |
What's the SOUND difference between the brass and the aluminum? |
If there is a difference, my ears fail to detect it. Both materials sound fine to me. |
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Robert W Wilson
From:
Palisade, Western Colorado
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Posted 4 Nov 2019 7:33 pm
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| Would brass be more slippery? My new aluminum nut seems to hang on to the strings when tuning around. Perhaps my slots are too tight. As long as the slot depth keeps the strings level, is there any reason to not give the strings some side clearance at the nut? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 5 Nov 2019 9:16 am
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Slop in the nut slots can lead to string buzz. 
Erv |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 5 Nov 2019 9:17 am
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Sorry, duplication. 
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 6 Nov 2019 8:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Robert W Wilson
From:
Palisade, Western Colorado
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Posted 5 Nov 2019 4:51 pm
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Thanks Erv, I expected as such. So ideally, stick with one string gauge set and fit the nut to those sizes with about .001-.002” clearance. I guess I’m going to need more lap steel guitars!
I wish there was a forum section just for fabrication of guitars and parts. |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 5 Nov 2019 11:01 pm
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There is (or at least used to be) a Steel builders forum loaded with that kind of info, just google away!
Found the link: http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/ |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 6 Nov 2019 3:15 pm
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Bone is not as consistent as something newer like the nuts made by TUSQ. The material of bone being a natural material tends to have live and dead spots. Before TUSQ came out, I would tap-test bone nut blanks to find one I liked the tone of rather than just pick the first of the lot.
TUSQ makes material that is density-consistent.
Replacing the bridge pins on my Martin with TUSQ pins really added another dimension to the tone.
But on the metal side, I would try TITANIUM if making from scratch. Unless you like the sound of aluminum.
Titanium zero nut on a Les Paul.
| Steven Paris wrote: |
What's the SOUND difference between the brass and the aluminum? |
Having experimented with materials specially when Alembic hit the pavement with brass nuts, bridges, knobs, I would venture to say that brass has a thick but dull sound while aluminum has a thinner but bright sound.
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ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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