White TUSQ vs Black TUSQ XL..

[Klark]

I have a bunch of necks with the White TUSQ nut.  All of them sound excellent, and with a tiny bit little Stew Mac Guitar Grease in the slots, they all stay in tune very well.

Because I'm lazy and don't feel like adding in the grease whenever I change strings, I recently ordered a neck that has a Black TUSQ XL Earvana nut.  It's horrible at staying in tune!!!  And only a tiny bit better when I add grease in the slots.

Has anyone discovered the White is actually better at staying in tune than the Black?  Or maybe am I just dealing with the fact that the nut is almost double in width on some strings so it's binding more?

 

[simple]

The Black TUSQ XL material is a bit more difficult to cut the slot cleanly since it is impregnated with lubricants. It tends to want to slip out of the way of the cutter instead of being cut.  (Graph Tech has since release a White TUSQ XL impregnated the same way that we do not stock...at least not yet). We have made adjustments for cutting the Black XL material but there are still factors outside Warmoth such as brand and gage of string you use and in fact, that manufacturer's accepted variances for their string tolerances. So you may need a bit more filing in the slot if you find the string slot to be a bit too snug and causing a binding/tuning issue.

That said, I have used both and really like both on my guitars. I have not noticed a tone or tuning problem with either one.

 

[Cagey]

I've not used the white TUSQ nuts at all, but none of the black ones give me any trouble. Quite the opposite - these are some of the most stable guitars I've ever had for tuning.

 

[lafromla1]

Has anyone tried a little silicone lubricant on a q-tip and dabbing the slots prior to stringing?  Only a little would be necessary, there would be no mess and the slot would be as slick as glass.

 

[dNA]

I got black tusq on my main guitar like 3 or 4 years ago and it made a huge difference. I think if you're gettting strings binding, it must be because the slots just aren't large enough.