Experience with brass (or steel) nuts?

[cromulent]

I've used an LSR nut for decades on my main guitar and find the whole shaping/replacing process frustrating for more typical nuts. I'm having issues with the TUSQ nut I'm using now and am wondering if brass (or possibly even steel?) would be worth trying. Any strong opinions?

 

[Lbpesq]

I have several guitars with brass nuts, mostly Alembic or Alembic influenced. They do seem to make open strings sound a little more like fretted strings, but it’s subtle and probably not noticeable in a band context. They do look cool and appropriate on a “hippie sandwich” instrument. Not sure why you don’t like your nuts. I have guitars with brass, black and white Tusq, unknown plastic, and bone nuts. Never had any consistent issues with any of them.

Bill, tgo

 

[Spud]

Folks have always said that I must have those, so I get what you are talking about.

 

[cromulent]

Folks have always said that I must have those, so I get what you are talking about.

I'm talking about these

not these

 

[DuckBaloo]

Never been a fan.

Brass nuts were popular for a while in the 1970s, because people felt they improved sustain (but they also went out of their way to buy heavier guitars for the same reason). Something about the brass nut always felt a bit muted to me, it's a relatively soft metal, so if anything I feel it dampens vibrations, not sustains them. But to each their own, I stick with bone (rhyme not inteded but acknowledged none the less)..

 

[Logrinn]

I recently got a Gatsby from Gordon Smith https://www.gordonsmithguitars.com/shop/guitars/gatsby/

Fun fact about them is that you can order a guitar from them with basically any options and mods - except the nut. Their ”thing” is the brass nut that they supply on all their guitars.

Options - Gordon Smith Guitars

Whilst we produce stock ranges in stock colours and finishes, the heart of our business is the custom shop, creating high-quality, one-of-a-kind guitars as unique as their owners. To that end, we endeavour to provide as much variety as possible across every part of your custom instrument. This...

www.gordonsmithguitars.com

 

[TBurst Std]

An option I have on a few guitars is a zero fret. I love it. The nut basically just becomes a directional string device. The zero fret defines the intonation point at the headstock. Side benefit, if you believe nut affects tone on open strings, it becomes a mute point as even open strings are technically fretted LOL

 

[VanHeGen]

An option I have on a few guitars is a zero fret. I love it. The nut basically just becomes a directional string device. The zero fret defines the intonation point at the headstock. Side benefit, if you believe nut affects tone on open strings, it becomes a mute point as even open strings are technically fretted LOL

I have never played a guitar with a zero fret, and they don’t seem to be mentioned very often. What are the pros and cons of a zero fret?

 

[teleme01]

cons = they will over time groove as any fret will, solvable with stainless replacement
pros = sure can hear the tone difference, whether you like it or not is upto your ears ... and if you dont like it its easy to change back

 

[cromulent]

these look like an interesting option (h/t to stratman for suggesting these a while back)

ZerO Glide Bone Nuts - StewMac

Fretted Instrument Replacement Nut System by ZerO Glide

www.stewmac.com

 

[Spud]

I have experience with nuts of steel, not brass however.

 

[electric__steve]

Side benefit, if you believe nut affects tone on open strings, it becomes a mute point as even open strings are technically fretted LOL

Not quite. If you want to match the "fretted" sound fully you need to velcro a hotdog next to the nut.

 

[Logrinn]

cons = they will over time groove as any fret will, solvable with stainless replacement
pros = sure can hear the tone difference, whether you like it or not is upto your ears ... and if you dont like it its easy to change back

More pros = you don’t need to worry about having a perfectly cut nut.
More pros = there’s less friction when using a trem so less risk of getting tuning problems because of whammy use.

 

[VanHeGen]

More pros = you don’t need to worry about having a perfectly cut nut.
More pros = there’s less friction when using a trem so less risk of getting tuning problems because of whammy use.

The 2nd one is interesting, as a guitar with a trem and locking tuners - but without a locking nut - could potentially take some heavy abuse, maybe even dive bombs?

 

[TBurst Std]

I have a BMG which has a zero fret, locking tuners and a floating 2 point trem. extreme trem use will NOT knock it out of tune.

 

[TBurst Std]

as a side note, while I love it and was a main stage used guitar, it’s really not that stage friendly. 2 items. The vol pot is back, not fed of the tone pot. The 3 slider switches for off on1/ on2 is not intuitive. Someday I’ll get a new guard and wire it so it works more efficiently.

 

[jackastro]

I have a telecaster with a brass nut and brass bridge saddles. It's not super bright, but it definitely "rings".