I found a Fender Yngwie Malmsteen brass nut on reverb and bought a couple of them to try out. Has anyone out there ever used a guitar with a brass nut and what did you like or dis-like about it. Thanks.
Brass Nuts
- Thread starter TN Tele
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I made a brass nut for my first parts Fender in 1980 and used it till maybe '85.
Open strings sounded different from fretted notes, but otherwise it was just a nut.
Open strings sounded different from fretted notes, but otherwise it was just a nut.
Martinp
Tele-Afflicted
They were all the rage in the 70's, all kinds of snake oil was attributed to them, from better fundamentals to increased sustain. They do offer benefits to trem users, as they are more lubricious, and allow the string to return to pitch
I like them, simply because they make the open strings sound more like fretted notes, and they last longer. All the other stuff that is claimed about them is nonsense, IME/IMO.
That said, I don't like their color/look. I prefer the silver colored metal nut blanks that Warmoth sell. They are made out of the same metal as many fret stocks. They sound pretty much the same as brass, but look way better to me.
That said, I don't like their color/look. I prefer the silver colored metal nut blanks that Warmoth sell. They are made out of the same metal as many fret stocks. They sound pretty much the same as brass, but look way better to me.
My recent custom Tele is an all brass monster!
https://www.tdpri.com/threads/meet-greenie.1051674/
The brass nut makes the open strings sound more controlled and more like fretted strings do.
It looks cool.
https://www.tdpri.com/threads/meet-greenie.1051674/
The brass nut makes the open strings sound more controlled and more like fretted strings do.
It looks cool.
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There was one on the first tele I got, an 83..... never noticed much difference to a regular nut....
shines up nicely, though...
shines up nicely, though...
dougstrum
Poster Extraordinaire
My daughter has an archtop that I built; she broke the original corian nut. I made a replacement out of brass, no real discernable difference in tone, but bet it will never break!
bgmacaw
Doctor of Teleocity
I've used compensated brass nuts from AxeMasters on EBay for 3 partscaster builds and to replace the cheap plastic nut in my Epiphone SG Special. It's better than the plastic nuts, as you might expect. I kind of like it for slide playing since I use a brass or copper slide and there's a less noticeable difference between the slide and open strings.
CCK1
Friend of Leo's
I had a brass nut on my 1972 Stratocaster back in the 70's when everyone else was doing it. Noticed no difference at all. I replaced it with a bone nut about 20 years ago, noticed no difference at all.
Seasicksailor
Friend of Leo's
I have one on a Tele. No reliable differences to report. Having said that... The feel is different whether that's real or in my head.
I had brass nuts in the 70s...we all did.
Don't remember much about the tone being different, but they don't break like plastic. Not sure what I was doing that made that such a big deal, but I did break quite a few plastic ones.
Don't remember much about the tone being different, but they don't break like plastic. Not sure what I was doing that made that such a big deal, but I did break quite a few plastic ones.
Geo
Poster Extraordinaire
Yes, hot item in the mid to late '70s and not just the nut, but also saddles, bridge plate,
control plate and knobs.
control plate and knobs.
RobRiggs
Friend of Leo's
I have two YJM Strats. I’ve replaced the brass nuts with Graphtek nuts. The Graphtek give me much better tuning stability. I do use the sheeot out of the trem though.
kohoutec
Tele-Meister
I have one on my Gordon Smith (they use brass nuts exclusively).
Can't say I really notice a massive difference from any of my other guitars with 'normal' nuts, if anything it's just a nice quirk of GS guitars
Can't say I really notice a massive difference from any of my other guitars with 'normal' nuts, if anything it's just a nice quirk of GS guitars
The 70s called and they want their nuts back.
JL_LI
Poster Extraordinaire
My wife tells me I have them sometimes... Sorry. I meant brass balz.
Many, many years ago I had a Peavey T-60 with some kind of metal nut.
That guitar had so many problems, I don't think you could really narrow down any particular issue to the nut.
Tee hee
But also +1 that opens sound a little more like a fretted not but still not exactly the same. Nobody can explain why zero frets aren't more common.
I have 1 guitar and 1 bass with brass nut. Not sure there's a ton of difference, it's subtle but you can A-B with a synthetic nut and tell a difference, unplugged and stick your head by the nut and strum opens. It's there. Not huge but it is there. I can tell less difference compared to a bone nut. They last, they don't crack. They look kinda cool. I wouldn't tell you not to use it.
But also +1 that opens sound a little more like a fretted not but still not exactly the same. Nobody can explain why zero frets aren't more common.
I have 1 guitar and 1 bass with brass nut. Not sure there's a ton of difference, it's subtle but you can A-B with a synthetic nut and tell a difference, unplugged and stick your head by the nut and strum opens. It's there. Not huge but it is there. I can tell less difference compared to a bone nut. They last, they don't crack. They look kinda cool. I wouldn't tell you not to use it.
Alcohen
Tele-Holic
17 posts to get to the obvious pun. The board has been hit with an unexpected wave of maturity.
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