!!METAL MATT!! Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) Well this is the first time ive thought about it but what would an aluminum string nut sound like on my low f tuned 8string guitar Ive never really done any thing like that before nore have I played a guitar with an aluminum string nut. I know that some Silvertone Danelectro's have em but other than that I know nothing. some one willing to fill me in? !!METAL MATT!! Edited November 2, 2006 by !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) I doubt this will be much help, but considering its density, it should be somewhere between a bone nut and a brass nut, both of which can be found on modern guitars. As for which it'd resemble more, I couldn't tell you. What exactly draws you to the idea of using aluminum? Edited November 3, 2006 by thegarehanman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 i use aluminum nuts on the lap steels that i make and have made them for raising the strings on acoustics to be used for dobro type playing. i honestly can't hear any tonal difference in them and any other material that i've used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
!!METAL MATT!! Posted November 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) I doubt this will be much help, but considering its density, it should be somewhere between a bone nut and a brass nut, both of which can be found on modern guitars. As for which it'd be resemble more, I couldn't tell you. What exactly draws you to the idea of using aluminum? well that really does kinda help man thanks. you kind brought the whole idea down to earth for me I think i'll give it a try What exactly draws you to the idea of using aluminum? Well I was asked if I wanted the Nut to be Hardwood OR aluminum and the words aluminum nut sent me for a spin and I just had to know more about it !!METAL MATT!! Edited November 2, 2006 by !!METAL MATT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 You'll probably want some kind of lube in the nut slots (teflon/graphite/moly gel type) to help keep the strings from binding in the slots. I think of aluminum as having a tone that's a cross between steel and hardwood. It sounds fine for nuts. Super easy to work with. Super easy to get (often free), if you're not picky about what type of aluminum. I have wondered if the Dano nuts were some harder type of aluminum, for the sake of being more durable, but after working on many of them, it really seems like just run of the mill, standard aluminum, although I think the Dano nuts are cast pieces, rather than the shape/slots being filed/machined into a blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 made one for my V long time ago, and I replaced it with a Graphite one thinking that it will improve the sound and I really didn't find any difference. The only thing I don't like is that it won't retain the polish look for a long time, other than that, I see no bad points to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 I guess thousands of Dano users are in for a rude awakening, although, they must be in a coma, 'cause they just keep using aluminum. (I think even Erlewine keeps an aluminum nut on his favorite guitar [50's Dano]). I'll be trying Nylatron as a nut material pretty soon. (Got the idea from the Kinman pickups site) The nut seems to be the biggest 'Achilles’ heel' of the guitar, no matter what material you use (and I would include locking nuts, because they suck when you want to fine-tune an idividual string's height) Lots of pro players are raving about certain nut-lube products. Even saying it turns a brass nut into a frictionless , trouble-free nut. Is their opinion on this inspired by an edorsement check, or actual use ? (I'm not sure ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Both brass and ali are pretty nasty for nuts. There was a school of thought (back in the late 1970s) that said a brass nut would 'even out the sound between the open and fretted strings" but this was all heresay and a lot of very nice old guitars suddenly had brass nuts. Since most people claiming this were also playing through valve amps and often with distortion pedals it was all a bit academic. Downside, brass looks horrible, hard to work and is, surprisingly, quite soft so the wound strings mark the inside of the slots and cause tuning problems as the string winding ump over the marks they make. It also tarnishes and I would never use it. Aluminium is even worse. Easy to work but softer even than brass and not recommended at all. Wood is going to last no time on an eight string either. The only time I would consider wood as a nut material is on a fretless where the depth is minimal and it is really only being used to stop the strings moving from side to side. Go graphite corian or bone. hope that helps. MH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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