Wooden Nuts?

TapeHissandSparkle

ok. so the title of this topic made me lol a bit... I could've really gone into dad joke territory here. but you have been spared ?

ANYWAY...

So I've just been reading and looking at pics on the internets and i came across this: http://liutaiomottola.com/construction/NeckCarve.htm

it's a pretty nifty website from a luthier that knows quite a bit it seems... but that's not what interested me... what did interest me was the neck he's busy working on on this page, it's got a wooden nut on it.

it looks like a rosewood of some kind (it obviously needs to be insanely hard to not let the action drop) anyone know the benefits of having a wooden nut? or better yet... has anyone played on a guitar with a wooden nut?

AlanRatcliffe

Looks like a Black Tusq nut to me.

TapeHissandSparkle

I am thinking that you are right Alan, looks a bit grainy but that might easily be some sawdust from the bench.

ah... i really like the idea of wooden nuts though.

Attila

I speak under correction but I think Mervin Davis uses wooden Nuts on his nylon stringed Smooth Talkers and Trouble Makers as an option

VellaJ

I'm aware of guitars such as the Ibanez AK-95 that use a wooden bridge to give a warmer, rather than brighter sound. Would this be the same thinking behind a wooden nut?

Highway-Chile

Apparently I must have a pair because I am still with my wife!

Sorry, I could NOT resist.

TapeHissandSparkle

Highway Chile wrote: Apparently I must have a pair because I am still with my wife!

Sorry, I could NOT resist.

HA! I knew someone would do it... it took quite a bit of self-restraint on my part not to.

The only way I can see a wooden nut being viable is if it gets replaced when it wears down, as it inevitably will do so faster than other materials. I might have to test this out. I'm sure a wood like Ironwood could perhaps work. But I think Attila is in the right area, it's probably more for nylon strings.

Bob-Dubery

I had an English teacher at school who we called "old wooden nuts".

HTH

chris77

Also sounds a bit like one of us boertjies trying to describe Cluedo. 'It are a game to see Who Done Its....'