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Who sells nylon 6/6 nut blank replacements for old 50s les pauls?

riscado

riscado

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Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
1,460
Hi guys,

sorry if this is not the proper forum for this questions.

I need a nylon 6/6 nut blank replacement for my 59 single cut junior, and I'm having a hard time finding it.

Anyone one know someone who sells these?

All the best
 
C

Classic

New member
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
1,624
riscado said:
Hi guys,

sorry if this is not the proper forum for this questions.

I need a nylon 6/6 nut blank replacement for my 59 single cut junior, and I'm having a hard time finding it.

Anyone one know someone who sells these?

All the best
Click to expand...

Tom Bartlett sells 6/6
 
sws1

sws1

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Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,848
I have a real, spare 50s nut which I will likely never use. Bought it from "Vintage Correct Parts". I'm assuming the Jrs had same nut are Standards.

Clearly more expensive than a blank, but it's original. PM me if you want more info/pics.
 
TM1

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,357
sws1 said:
I have a real, spare 50s nut which I will likely never use. Bought it from "Vintage Correct Parts". I'm assuming the Jrs had same nut are Standards.

Clearly more expensive than a blank, but it's original. PM me if you want more info/pics.
Click to expand...

Almost every guitar Gibson made back then had the Nylon nut. But I think the nuts came already pre-molded in the shape and notches for strings. I think Gibson just glued them in. I've had a couple originals and it looks to me like it came already made.
 
R

Richard Russell

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Joined
Aug 10, 2001
Messages
334
TM1 said:
Almost every guitar Gibson made back then had the Nylon nut. But I think the nuts came already pre-molded in the shape and notches for strings. I think Gibson just glued them in. I've had a couple originals and it looks to me like it came already made.
Click to expand...

I need one too thanks
 
JJ Blair

JJ Blair

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Jan 9, 2011
Messages
3,462
TM1 said:
Almost every guitar Gibson made back then had the Nylon nut. But I think the nuts came already pre-molded in the shape and notches for strings. I think Gibson just glued them in. I've had a couple originals and it looks to me like it came already made.
Click to expand...

They were pre-notched, but the size was so big that I can only assume they were cut down way past the notches. I have several of them, and the notches don't correspond to the placement on any of my Gibsons, or look like the notch shapes either.
 
Cream Fan

Cream Fan

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May 1, 2003
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2,695
JJ Blair said:
They were pre-notched, but the size was so big that I can only assume they were cut down way past the notches. I have several of them, and the notches don't correspond to the placement on any of my Gibsons, or look like the notch shapes either.
Click to expand...

I had one of those on my R9 pre-Makeover. They don't sound bad, but I don't think they're NOS. From what I've heard they're Asian reproductions, BUT are injection molded as were the originals. The slots on these repros do not match up, but the nuts are tall enough to file down and re-slot. Gibson would never have accepted these. The entire point of molding them with the slots were so workers could glue them in and string up the guitars with a minimum of effort.

Also, from what I've learned the 50s nuts were Nylon 4/6. Nylon 4 was the hardener used for the injection molding and made for a very hard compound, but also brittle. That's why you see some old nuts that have actually cracked and broken. For some reason I've never been able to learn, the EPA banned Nylon 4, so now we have 6/6, which cannot be injection molded in the same way and is softer. It still sounds better and more vintage correct than bone, and the lubricity is second to none, except for perhaps graphite/teflon composites.

Tom Bartlett's blanks seem to be the easiest to work and can actually be polished, whereas the Mojotone blanks are softer. They must get them from different suppiiers and have slightly different formulations. They actually look different, with one being more translucent than the other.
 
Aloha_Ark

Aloha_Ark

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Apr 2, 2020
Messages
154
Mojotone appears to be out of stock on the 6/6 nuts. Bartlett is still shipping these at $10 USD per nut blank.

Has anyone tried Nylabone?

81u40qxLP2L._AC_UL320_.jpg
 
Last edited:
D

Drayve85

Active member
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
196
Aloha_Ark said:
Mojotone appears to be out of stock on the 6/6 nuts. Bartlett is still shipping these at $10 USD per nut blank.

Has anyone tried Nylabone?

View attachment 11835
Click to expand...

I actually just bought one of them the other day. Can’t say as to the workability yet, but cutting in half with a hand saw was quite a bi$&h!!! I’ve tried filing on it a little bit, and that is crazy hard too. I will let ya know when I actually make a nut out of it. I think it’s the real deal though! From my loose measurements so far I think you can get at least four blanks out of one, possibly even six if you cut it right. There might even be enough leftover for a few nylon saddles. It seems to be just as hard as the current Gibson nuts. Can’t speak for vintage though.....yet!:dude:
 
Aloha_Ark

Aloha_Ark

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Drayve85 said:
I actually just bought one of them the other day. Can’t say as to the workability yet, but cutting in half with a hand saw was quite a bi$&h!!!
Click to expand...

Keep us posted. I wish I had a CNC machine with a diamond blade. Programming it to back off (to prevent overheating) would be an issue. Maybe a Katana sword would slice the nylon bone to the correct thickness. Stewmac has a carbide blade that is mounted to a drill press. That might work, or not?

stewmac-miter-blade-for-binding.jpg
 
Dave P

Dave P

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Oct 13, 2001
Messages
980
The molded nuts came in different sizes, I think I have 3 different widths of NOS ones. (not for sale, don't ask) I've seen those nuts on other guitars like Kay and Harmony.

JJ Blair said:
They were pre-notched, but the size was so big that I can only assume they were cut down way past the notches. I have several of them, and the notches don't correspond to the placement on any of my Gibsons, or look like the notch shapes either.
Click to expand...
 
K

korus

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Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
636
I thougjt these were the common knowledge in these parts. I guess I was mistaken.

https://www.ebay.com/usr/rkenco
Precision CNC machined nylon string nut sized to fit vintage Gibson® Les Paul® model guitars. Made from high quality Nylacast Nylon 6 to match the original injection molded nut. Slightly oversized to accommodate fitting (required) to the individual guitar. String spacing is a replica of the unique string layout from the molded nylon OEM nut used in the 50's and 60's. The slots are precisely cut for a 12" radius fretboard and 17 degree headstock. Nylon is difficult and time consuming to cut and shape especially when starting from an oversized rectangular blank, these nuts will provide accurate string slots and save time.

The Vintage 50 model is intended for use on vintage guitars where the original 50's OEM string layout is desired. The string slots are sized for an 11-52 set.

These are new revised parts that have slightly more clearance in the string slots.

Vintage 50 Tall Model:
String Spread: 1 29/64" similar to the 50's molded nylon nuts
Fits 1 11/16" nut width necks
Size: 1.707" W x .188" D approx.
Slotted for .011-.052'" gauge strings

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slotted-ny...aul-Guitars-original-50s-spacing/323818104088
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slotted-ny...storic-Reissue-Les-Paul-Guitars-/323835865562

I use the ones with Historic spacing of slots. I now have all Gibson type necks (back angked headstock) with these. No affiliation, just extremely satisfied customer.

You actually really only sand off the bottom of the nut to achieve optimal height/action. Sand paper comes with it.

Case closed.
 
Last edited:
EpiLP1985

EpiLP1985

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Joined
Aug 11, 2017
Messages
113
korus said:
I thougjt these were the common knowledge in these parts. I guess I was mistaken.

https://www.ebay.com/usr/rkenco
Precision CNC machined nylon string nut sized to fit vintage Gibson® Les Paul® model guitars. Made from high quality Nylacast Nylon 6 to match the original injection molded nut. Slightly oversized to accommodate fitting (required) to the individual guitar. String spacing is a replica of the unique string layout from the molded nylon OEM nut used in the 50's and 60's. The slots are precisely cut for a 12" radius fretboard and 17 degree headstock. Nylon is difficult and time consuming to cut and shape especially when starting from an oversized rectangular blank, these nuts will provide accurate string slots and save time.

The Vintage 50 model is intended for use on vintage guitars where the original 50's OEM string layout is desired. The string slots are sized for an 11-52 set.

These are new revised parts that have slightly more clearance in the string slots.

Vintage 50 Tall Model:
String Spread: 1 29/64" similar to the 50's molded nylon nuts
Fits 1 11/16" nut width necks
Size: 1.707" W x .188" D approx.
Slotted for .011-.052'" gauge strings

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slotted-ny...aul-Guitars-original-50s-spacing/323818104088
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slotted-ny...storic-Reissue-Les-Paul-Guitars-/323835865562

I use the ones with Historic spacing of slots. I now have all Gibson type necks (back angked headstock) with these. No affiliation, just extremely satisfied customer.

You actually really only sand off the bottom of the nut to achieve optimal height/action. Sand paper comes with it.

Case closed.
Click to expand...

Do you find they require a fair amount of sanding?
 
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