Fender Synthetic Bone... nuts?
- Thread starter Tootone
- Start date
Crawldaddy
Tele-Holic
Most likely some kind of TUSQ or Corian derivative. It's not unheard of to use synthetic bone. Mimics the tonal character of bone, without having to deal with inconsistent density.
LutherBurger
Poster Extraordinaire
Melamine.
Uncle Bob in Urban Cowboy had a plastic nut.
...but still plastic
Whatever it is, it's pretty darn hard.
I recently worked on the nut on my Taylor which is listed as "Micarta", and then I did my MIM.
The nut on the Tele was very very hard to file down compared to the Micarta nut. In terms of working on them I'm not sure which one I think was better. The Micarta files much more smoothly and it feels easier to control, but the material comes off much faster. You'd have to be really ham-handed to over file the fender synthetic nut.
I don't think there is anything wrong with these synthetic nuts. Mine came out super awesome, and the tuning stability is fantastic since I worked it over.
I recently worked on the nut on my Taylor which is listed as "Micarta", and then I did my MIM.
The nut on the Tele was very very hard to file down compared to the Micarta nut. In terms of working on them I'm not sure which one I think was better. The Micarta files much more smoothly and it feels easier to control, but the material comes off much faster. You'd have to be really ham-handed to over file the fender synthetic nut.
I don't think there is anything wrong with these synthetic nuts. Mine came out super awesome, and the tuning stability is fantastic since I worked it over.
My parts drawer is stocked with Fender original bone nuts that have little casting marks in the bottom.
Huh.
Must be vintage if Fender now calls the plastic "synthetic bone".
Like those vintage OV original vintage pickups they now call pure vintage.
So the original vintage are genuine vintage parts since the don't make them any more.
Huh.
Must be vintage if Fender now calls the plastic "synthetic bone".
Like those vintage OV original vintage pickups they now call pure vintage.
So the original vintage are genuine vintage parts since the don't make them any more.
The Cyclovac is bone dust in a matrix of high density resin.
You don't get voids, like you easily can with real, solid bone.
Takes longer to work. If you have a busted Cyclovac nut, try removing material real fast - stinks pretty much like bone, I think.
You don't get voids, like you easily can with real, solid bone.
Takes longer to work. If you have a busted Cyclovac nut, try removing material real fast - stinks pretty much like bone, I think.
qblue
Tele-Afflicted
They put a synthetic nut on the George Harrison Rosewood Tele, so it must be good, for about $2500, along with a chambered body. It must be made in Mexico(?).
But they put a bone nut on the latest American Professional Tele for $1500.
I'll take the latter.
But they put a bone nut on the latest American Professional Tele for $1500.
I'll take the latter.
TMB1956
TDPRI Member
Fender has been using high quality "synthetic nuts" on a majority
of their American/Mexican guitars since their 1985 "reboot" (after CBS).
Even before that, they had been using some version of synthetic nut since
Leo left. High quality Synthetic nuts sound good, almost never wear
out, and they don't tend to chip and/or crack over time.
of their American/Mexican guitars since their 1985 "reboot" (after CBS).
Even before that, they had been using some version of synthetic nut since
Leo left. High quality Synthetic nuts sound good, almost never wear
out, and they don't tend to chip and/or crack over time.
Correct. Synthetic human bone. From Fender's Bone Tissue Engineering Department:
"The two major components of bone are hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2], and collagen fibers. Hydroxyapatite, which is one of the most stable forms of calcium phosphate, makes up about 60 to 65 percent of the bone.[5] The rest of the bone is composed of materials including chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate and lipid.[5] Increased research and knowledge regarding the organization, structure of properties of collagen and hydroxyapatite have led to many developments in collagen-based scaffolds in bone tissue engineering. The structure of hydroxyapatite is very similar to that of the original bone, and collagen can act as molecular cables and further improve..."
They proceed to go on and on discussing the improvements in tone and tuning stability over bovine bone
Last edited:
Let's say I amputated an appendage of my body. Would I be able to fashion a bone nut out of it?
old wrench
Friend of Leo's
loopfinding
Friend of Leo's
.
Not to hijack but is corian any good for a nut or bridge I have quite a bit of it if someone wants some.
0SubSeanik0
Tele-Meister
Great question. I suppose it depends on the appendage dimensions. Remember, measure twice, cut once!
Failed attempts may provide additional opportunities for matching inlays.
Regarding Fender, listen to Boris on this one.
But generally, 'plastic' is not necessarily a bad thing. There are so many kinds of plastic. Gibson used 6/6 Nylon nuts and saddles very effectively. I thought 'eeew', but then I played...
But generally, 'plastic' is not necessarily a bad thing. There are so many kinds of plastic. Gibson used 6/6 Nylon nuts and saddles very effectively. I thought 'eeew', but then I played...
Boreas
Poster Extraordinaire
My recent Squier CV Esquire was real bone, but it was cut with a chainsaw. After I contoured it, and polished the slots, it was fine.
