The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    hello everybody

    it's time to replace the stock nut of my es335. (seems to be plastic)
    Which one you think is better.. bone or Tusq ?

  2.  

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  3. #2

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    Both are fine. Tusq is consistant, bone could be flawed.

    Unbleached bone has that cool yellowed quality and a translucent quality when bleached and polished too

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-img_0559-640x478-jpg
    I swapped out a tusq for bone as the tusq I bought was pre-slotted and the string spacing was too cramped (should've checked that). Nice look to the bone when its polished!

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc10718-640x480-jpg
    Black tusq to bone.

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-img_0698-640x478-jpg
    Or if you're game, cut a Victorian cutlery handle into a nut!

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-img_0704-640x478-jpg
    There's that yellow tinge. Nice!

    Is there a difference in tone?

    I'm really not qualified to answer that one. I'm for the asthetic.

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzbow

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-img_0698-640x478-jpg
    Or if you're game, cut a Victorian cutlery handle into a nut!

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-img_0704-640x478-jpg
    There's that yellow tinge. Nice!

    Is there a difference in tone?

    I'm really not qualified to answer that one. I'm for the asthetic.
    Hahaha ! Love this !

    Next step would be the bone(s) this cutlery cut in the past:
    Easter 1953, lamb with Howard and Auntie Bertha
    Christmas 1961, turkey with the Thompsons and Auntie Bertha
    ...
    Last edited by xuoham; 05-03-2015 at 06:38 AM.

  5. #4

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    buzz feiten tuning system---bone

  6. #5

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    As jazzbow said: either is fine. I prefer Tusq because it cuts evenly/easily and doesn't chip. Also I have a guitar with a Bigsby and it works really well for that. I've not had binding issues with Tusq with or without a Bigsby. I'm always having to use graphite on the bone nuts. That being said, if a guitar had a nicely cut bone nut already, I would leave it be (as is the case with most of mine).

  7. #6

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    I agree with jazzbow. Tusq is consistent where bone is all over the map. Do a test...take a Tusq blank, and a bone blank then drop them on the kitchen counter listening to the tone produced by each. Some bone is not very dense and just kind of goes thud. I use both, but always test first.

  8. #7
    i finally tried both nuts !
    i bought a tasq one...and i have construct a bone one !

    Tasg sounds perfect,,bright and clear.

    Bone sounds warmer to me....more...pure tone.

    So...i gone stay with the bone one,
    At the first picture you can see my handmade bone nut. How does it look ? Any advice is acceptable
    At the second picture,,,the old one is the factory nut...and the new one is the Tasq

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-20150505_072646-jpgNew Nut for Gibson ES-335?-20150504_182001-jpg
    Last edited by jkstigma; 05-05-2015 at 03:45 AM.

  9. #8

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    nice.good work I also prefer bone!

  10. #9

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    Assuming it is fitted properly and the action is correct etc., does the nut material actually matter if you are not playing open strings? Don't the fretting fingers make the nut redundant on the fretted strings?

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Badge
    Assuming it is fitted properly and the action is correct etc., does the nut material actually matter if you are not playing open strings? Don't the fretting fingers make the nut redundant on the fretted strings?
    Good point, that's what I thought, but bone nuts do look nice, I liked brass, but it adds weight.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by jkstigma
    i finally tried both nuts !
    i bought a tasq one...and i have construct a bone one !

    Tasg sounds perfect,,bright and clear.

    Bone sounds warmer to me....more...pure tone.

    So...i gone stay with the bone one,
    At the first picture you can see my handmade bone nut. How does it look ? Any advice is acceptable
    At the second picture,,,the old one is the factory nut...and the new one is the Tasq

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-20150505_072646-jpgNew Nut for Gibson ES-335?-20150504_182001-jpg
    Good work there mate. On the bone one you might want to shape the back like the original.

    Have you set the nut action?

    Try this link for more information. Much better than any advice here

    Nut Action



    Remember, measure twice, cut once. Files can take a lot of material off quickly!
    Last edited by jazzbow; 05-05-2015 at 09:00 AM.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzbow
    Remember, measure twice, cut once. Files can take a lot of material off quickly!
    Yes, words of wisdom !

    Stewmac is so helpful ...

    ... and masking tape + superglue + baking soda if you went too far deep.

  14. #13

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    something new from:
    ZerO Glide Nuts | stewmac.com

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by kris
    something new from:
    ZerO Glide Nuts | stewmac.com
    These are a good idea but when you dress frets it's a given the nut comes off, so how do you lower the zero fret that comes with the nut to the same level as the others? I guess you could file off that zero fret in a jig or vice. Conventional nuts now seem easier to work on.

    If you have 0.06" nut action clearance over the 1st fret but excessive wear on yer frets where you have plain string bends, the dressing could take another 0.06" of fret metal to level the fretted fingerboard. Now you re-install the Zero Glide nut and you have doubled the 1st fret nut action to 0.12" and first position chords would be stiffer and could possibly sound slightly out of tune.

    I'm not disrespecting the ingenuity of the product, it is a good idea and takes the whole setting the nut action thing out of the equasion, but on a purposely made zero fretted guitar all the frets will be dressed at the same time but this product seems fiddly to file and to correctly set the nut action.

    All my opinion.

    Sorry!

    When playing or fixing a guitar for the first time I always check the nut action first. It is amazing just how many new factory fresh guitars have poor nut action. Without proper nut action a guitar will always feel stiff and it will be difficult to achieve a reasonable playing action.

    When setting up a guitar PTChris would always say;

    Nut action, Nut action, Nut action. Then worry about the other stuff.
    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc11148-640x480-jpgNew Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc11149-640x480-jpg
    Gap under strings when measuring nut action (notice thumb pressing string @ 3rd fret)
    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc11168-640x480-jpg
    Jazzbow whistles a merry tune while scarfing off loads of nut material
    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc11169-640x480-jpgNew Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc11170-640x480-jpg
    Didn't have feeler gague thin enough for the nut action measurements, these are the measurements without the pressing thumb.

    I see loads of aspiring teenagers with poorly set up guitars bought from stores and on-line with this sort of poor QC (and experimentation with screwdrivers resulting in cheese wire action).

  16. #15

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    I save old strings and use them as files (like flossing teeth). Almost impossible to overdo.

  17. #16

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    Jazzbow, your workbench and tools look very tidy .

    Do you do guitar tech activities a lot, or is it just for you and friends, if i may ask ?

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by xuoham
    Jazzbow, your workbench and tools look very tidy .

    Do you do guitar tech activities a lot, or is it just for you and friends, if i may ask ?
    Morning Xuoham.

    I used to tech for Fenix UK back in the day. I tried to get a business off the ground in Scotland but the overheads proved too much.

    My tech-ing nowadays is word of mouth, ebay specials and the occaisional thread here. Unfortunatly there's no money in it :-/

    My last job was to resurrect an Ibanez electro-accoustic that was languishing in a military camp (the bone cutlery handle picture above).

    I plan to do a few threads here sometime in the future.

  19. #18
    what nut height do you like,,,, ?????
    gibson says...
    "underside of the string to the top of the fret. Low E and A should measure 2/64", D and G =1.5/64" and B and high E = 1/64". If string height at nut is correct, recheck string height at 12th fret with strings open. Measurement for low and high E's should be the same as measurement taken at the 15th."

    But this is extreme too high for me ! not just high.,..extreme high

    no i have set my nut height about at...
    0.8/64' for the high e ,
    1.5 /64 for the low E.
    Last edited by jkstigma; 05-07-2015 at 12:21 AM.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by jkstigma
    what nut height do you like,,,, ?????
    gibson says...
    "underside of the string to the top of the fret. Low E and A should measure 2/64", D and G =1.5/64" and B and high E = 1/64". If string height at nut is correct, recheck string height at 12th fret with strings open. Measurement for low and high E's should be the same as measurement taken at the 15th."

    But this is extreme too high for me ! not just high.,..extreme high

    no i have set my nut height about at...
    0.8/64' for the high e ,
    1.5 /64 for the low E.
    The Gibson measurements are Imperial; 2/64" means two sixty forths of an inch which is roughly equal to 0.8mm metric.

    Are your measurements Imperial?

    The Gibson tech measurements equates to...

    Low E and A should measure 2/64" < 0.8mm >

    D and G =1.5/64" < 0.6mm >

    B and high E = 1/64" < 0.4mm >

    New Nut for Gibson ES-335?-sdc10742-640x480-jpg
    I have used gauges for nut action in the past to see if I can get better accuracy but in the end the whole 'Gauge on, measure, gauge off, file, gauge on, measure....etc'. got tiresome very quickly.

    The link to Gryphon strings about nut action on my previous reply is the best process by far.

    The Gibson tech instructions are just that, tech instructions for the average action. If you play an acoustic with open tuninig then a little more clearance over the first fret is advisable, on the opposite side of the spectrum; fat strings, amplified, soft pick attack and chord melody then you can reduce the clearance. My Jazz Tele nut and string action is not for an aggresive string attack as you'll get string buzz and rattle.

    When an open string is struck or plucked it resembles a wave in the direction of the attack that quickly dissipates. That's where nut action measurements are important otherwise fret rattle occurs. Fret buzz is from fretted notes, neck relief and poor fret dressing.

    Preparing a musical instrument to perform at its best for a particular musician and musical style is a balancing act, the Gibson tech measurements are a starting point which you have discovered doesn't suit you and you have formulated your own measurements.

    Well done JKStigma, welcome to the world of guitar teching!

  21. #20
    thank you my friend !