1958teaburst
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did the bursts have them????
bone nut 50s???
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Tonefiend
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They were micarta if I am not mistsaken.
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Big Al
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Some kind of hard plastic. Did they use Micarta then?
Dan Erlewine
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Hard plastic, not Micarta
From the very earl 50s (probably the biginning) Les Pauls had that almost Delrin-looking hard plastic. That was somewhat transluscent, greyish-white, sort of looked like China. It was very good. It may have been a form of Delrin, now that I have several types of Delrin in hand. Only difference is, and a BIG one, Delrin is very hard to work, the Gibson stuff wasn't.
I used my last blank of the old stuff on a '54 Goldtop this year (just to be nice).
After the stuff in question is when they went to a form of Micarta. It was Canvas-Phenolic (that's what I call it anyway). More yellowey-white, and you could see the cloth in it (like a bad fiberglas job). Never liked that stuff.
LET'S find the old stuff!
dan
From the very earl 50s (probably the biginning) Les Pauls had that almost Delrin-looking hard plastic. That was somewhat transluscent, greyish-white, sort of looked like China. It was very good. It may have been a form of Delrin, now that I have several types of Delrin in hand. Only difference is, and a BIG one, Delrin is very hard to work, the Gibson stuff wasn't.
I used my last blank of the old stuff on a '54 Goldtop this year (just to be nice).
After the stuff in question is when they went to a form of Micarta. It was Canvas-Phenolic (that's what I call it anyway). More yellowey-white, and you could see the cloth in it (like a bad fiberglas job). Never liked that stuff.
LET'S find the old stuff!
dan
Big Al
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Dan, I thought that old translucent stuff was a Nylon. I thought that was what was on my Jrs. Delrin is really hard stuff. It was available in the 70's. Is it still used in injection molding?
Scott Lentz
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Delrin is a fairly new plastic and resists gluing or lacquer adhering
to it. The stuff in question may have been a early form of linen Micarta or as said linen Plenolic. I have a friend of mine in the Aerospace biz checking it out. I wish someone could put there finger on it absolute. Then the hard part where it may be found and is it safe to work??
to it. The stuff in question may have been a early form of linen Micarta or as said linen Plenolic. I have a friend of mine in the Aerospace biz checking it out. I wish someone could put there finger on it absolute. Then the hard part where it may be found and is it safe to work??
Dan Erlewine
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Re: Hard plastic, not Micarta
Dan Erlewine said:
Scott Lentz
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Dan the stuff I have is linen something. When you look close you see the cloth fiber almost a cross hatch like Ivory. I am sure this was used as a insulator type material 40 years ago. But its true name is up for grabs!
NewOldCokeDave
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In my cap research I have found that the names associated with a particular material in many cases are trade names. I found that Mylar is GE's name for polyester and I'll bet Delrin and Micarta are similar names for more common materials as well..
I was surprised to learn from this thread that the original nuts were not organic (such as ivory or bone) but in fact were plastic.. Throws a lot of clarity on some of the myths that I believed to be fact.. Also says a lot to me about agonizing over trivial details and brings a lot of focus on the reality of certain situations!
I was surprised to learn from this thread that the original nuts were not organic (such as ivory or bone) but in fact were plastic.. Throws a lot of clarity on some of the myths that I believed to be fact.. Also says a lot to me about agonizing over trivial details and brings a lot of focus on the reality of certain situations!
Scott Lentz
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Coke Dave
Glad to here your post! There is real truth out there but the folk lore and misinformation is so engrained the truth is lost. I remember back in the seventies they said heavey 15 pound guitars sustained better, if true why then the 8.5 guitar today? In truth if you like heavey or light guitars its your ears and your choice!
Glad to here your post! There is real truth out there but the folk lore and misinformation is so engrained the truth is lost. I remember back in the seventies they said heavey 15 pound guitars sustained better, if true why then the 8.5 guitar today? In truth if you like heavey or light guitars its your ears and your choice!
Dan Erlewine
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I still don't see no linen . . .
. . . I got a bunch of nuts from the 50s, and they are all that plastic, but I don't see no linen. I don't see the cross-hatching clothy stuff until a good deal into the sixtes?
What vintage is that cross-hatch stuff? Oh well, it doesn't really matter, does it? I like that old plastic of the type I have used ones of, and I would buy it if it was available. I would probably like what you are describing also (at least if you like it I would probably like it).
Call it "Linut". "That nut's made from linut, man!"
dan
. . . I got a bunch of nuts from the 50s, and they are all that plastic, but I don't see no linen. I don't see the cross-hatching clothy stuff until a good deal into the sixtes?
What vintage is that cross-hatch stuff? Oh well, it doesn't really matter, does it? I like that old plastic of the type I have used ones of, and I would buy it if it was available. I would probably like what you are describing also (at least if you like it I would probably like it).
Call it "Linut". "That nut's made from linut, man!"
dan
People keep telling me they were bone, but I always swore they didn't look like bone or sound as bright as bone. It's a relief to hear I wasn't totally crazy for thinking that. White, smooth, and somewhat translucent when you look at the edges. Could very well be nylon. Not porous like bleached bone.
LesPauloholic
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Interesting....
Where do you get pariffin oil??
My other question is what does the oil do to the tone?? if you made 2 nuts, soaked one in the oil, then switched them out on the guitar, what would the tone effect be?? would the oiled one sound darker??
Greg
Where do you get pariffin oil??
My other question is what does the oil do to the tone?? if you made 2 nuts, soaked one in the oil, then switched them out on the guitar, what would the tone effect be?? would the oiled one sound darker??
Greg
LesPauloholic
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johan gustavsson said:
Many here will disagree with that statement.... big time.
GrasshopperRick
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Some companies make a dry teflon spray... I like to pretty thoroughly soak a new bone nut in that and then buff it again for the last step before it gets glued in. It yields a smoother, slightly yellower look, and the strings are all nicely teflon lubricated so you don't have to deal with a lot of sticking while the slots are breaking in that last little bit.
About the whole tone of the nut thing... I didn't ever do scientific research on it (maybe someone ought to...), but I do think it makes a difference on the fretted notes, the nut is still a point of vibration transfer... albeit not many of the vibrations are get past your finger. Here's how I think of it, don't guitars with brass nuts pretty typically sound (painfully) bright all up and down the neck?
Maybe it's me...
I do think it's subtler than most people make it out to be... as for the inlays though... that makes a HUGE difference...
About the whole tone of the nut thing... I didn't ever do scientific research on it (maybe someone ought to...), but I do think it makes a difference on the fretted notes, the nut is still a point of vibration transfer... albeit not many of the vibrations are get past your finger. Here's how I think of it, don't guitars with brass nuts pretty typically sound (painfully) bright all up and down the neck?
Maybe it's me...
I do think it's subtler than most people make it out to be... as for the inlays though... that makes a HUGE difference...