Earvana Compensating Nuts

[Zachary]

What do you guys think about the earvana compensating nuts? I am interested in getting a les paul style one.. Though I'd have to file out the notches because they are fitted for 10s, and I use 11s, and I've never done this, does anyone know any good tutorials, because I don't want to have to pay to get it done.

[soapbarstrat]

Since you posted this in the tutorial section, you now have to demonstrate how to install an earvanna nut. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

EDIT: ok, the thread was moved

Edited September 12, 2004 by soapbarstrat

[Zachary]

Oh crap! I guess I'll have to get working on that.. I'll post pictures too I guess... That is if I get a earvana nut, I'm also considering bone.

[javacody]

I'm new here, but I've built a USA Custom Guitars S type guitar with an Earvana Gibson OEM 1 3/4" nut. It uses the same nut cut as an LSR nut. I've also used a regular Earvana nut on a MIM Standard Strat I had. It had a significant impact for the better.

Also, the Earvana site has a great installation tutorial in pdf form (donated by a customer).

[Zachary]

Cool, thanks for the advice, and suggestions..

[VanKirk]

Heya Java. I recognize the name from the USACG Forum.

Welcome!

Doh! Hijacked thread

[Zachary]

so you'd recommend the earvana? I play metal mostly..

[iskim86]

there's another compensating system out there, it's calld something like......inut. instead of replacing the whole nut, you stick a piece of metal right after the nut. supposed to shorten the scale a bit on each string differently so it intonates correctly.

[javacody]

I've read about the e-nut, it's from a www.monteallums.com, he sells great copper strat pickguard shields too.

The thing I don't care for too much about his system and the Feiten system are that you have to tune differently. With the Earvana nut, I use standard tuning.

I'm sure all three systems are effective to varying degrees, but I'd rather do a little more work up front replacing a nut rather than doing more work the rest of my life taking extra time to tune. I'm lazy that way. LOL

[tirapop]

So, what's the advantage of a compensating nut?

Does the bridge not get the intonation correct?

Does the compensating nut only work with certain string gages?

I've read that zero frets are supposed to have perfect intonation. Are they any better or worse than a compensating nut?

[LukeR]

Hi

Even with a zero fret, you will never actually get perfect intonation. Alot of this (assuming the guitar is set up correctly) is due to the pressure placed on the strings when you fret a note. (When you fret a note, the string is ever so slighly 'streched', hghtening the pitch [albeit a miniscul amount]). this makes the guitar sound slightly 'out of tune'.

Therfore, even with a zero fret, you can never perfect intonation.

Luke

[iskim86]

So, what's the advantage of a compensating nut?

Does the bridge not get the intonation correct?

Does the compensating nut only work with certain string gages?

I've read that zero frets are supposed to have perfect intonation. Are they any better or worse than a compensating nut?

advantage is that you will be in tune anywhere on the fretboard. with conventional nuts, your G string will be stringly sharper at the 2nd or 3rd fret, and so will the high b string. compensated nuts fix that problem.

the bridge gets the intonation correct, but no matter how accurate it is, the first few frets will be a little sharp/out of tune.

i think compensated nuts can work with any gauges as long as it is in the conventional order (for example 10-13-17-26-36-46. if it's 13-13-17-17-46-46, I don't think it'll work)