Suitable nut making material?

crowden · April 25th, 2008, 07:39 AM

Does anyone know if bakelite is a suitable nut material? I know this may sound like a stupid question but, last night I was working with a bone nut blank and couldn't help but notice that the 2 materials cut and sand very similarly. They are both fairly hard and brittle.

I know it all depends on how well sound travels through it and maybe there are other qualities that I am overlooking but it does seem to have a leg up on the plastic used in most guitar nuts.

Has anyone here ever used bakelite or heard of it being used for this purpose?

KevinB · April 25th, 2008, 10:10 AM

Rickenbacker uses bakelite (and also delrin) for their nuts and I don't see too much criticism of their tone!

mellecaster · April 25th, 2008, 10:59 AM

I have no experience with it...but why not give it a shot, and let us know how it turns out ?...I'd be interested.

crowden · April 25th, 2008, 12:17 PM

All righty then... Sounds good. I'm going to be finishing up my mods on my Affinity Special Tele here pretty soon so I'll give it a shot on that. Bone just wouldn't look right with the BSB body w/black pickguard and I have a ton of bakelite.

I'll post some pic's when I'm done and let you know how it turns out.

PJ · April 27th, 2008, 06:53 PM

Looks to me, like GuitarPartsResource has a good selection of nuts, slotted, unslotted, Bone, Tusq, blanks. I was looking for a nut today, and noticed they have one of the more complete offerings at reasonable $.

April 25th, 2008, 07:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
crowden Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Age: 58 Posts: 170	Suitable nut making material? Does anyone know if bakelite is a suitable nut material? I know this may sound like a stupid question but, last night I was working with a bone nut blank and couldn't help but notice that the 2 materials cut and sand very similarly. They are both fairly hard and brittle. I know it all depends on how well sound travels through it and maybe there are other qualities that I am overlooking but it does seem to have a leg up on the plastic used in most guitar nuts. Has anyone here ever used bakelite or heard of it being used for this purpose?

April 25th, 2008, 10:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
mellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,776 17 Photos	I have no experience with it...but why not give it a shot, and let us know how it turns out ?...I'd be interested. __________________ I have never owned an Ipod or Blackberry..and doubt that I ever will......

April 27th, 2008, 06:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
PJ Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,082 4 Photos	Looks to me, like GuitarPartsResource has a good selection of nuts, slotted, unslotted, Bone, Tusq, blanks. I was looking for a nut today, and noticed they have one of the more complete offerings at reasonable $. __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

April 25th, 2008, 10:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
KevinB Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 705 4 Photos	Rickenbacker uses bakelite (and also delrin) for their nuts and I don't see too much criticism of their tone!

April 25th, 2008, 12:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
crowden Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Age: 58 Posts: 170	All righty then... Sounds good. I'm going to be finishing up my mods on my Affinity Special Tele here pretty soon so I'll give it a shot on that. Bone just wouldn't look right with the BSB body w/black pickguard and I have a ton of bakelite. I'll post some pic's when I'm done and let you know how it turns out.