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"nylabone" nut on my R9, no joke!

2

2002R9Burst

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Oct 22, 2002
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Copy of posting.

I actually made a nut out of a my old doggies’ "nylabone." The color isn't as white as a 50's nut and it's not quite as hard either. But the sound is good. And the strings DO NOT bind in it either since it is a type of nylon. It was very very hard to shape and the slots were an absolute nightmare to cut, but you just have to take your time. I'll post a pic of it and the link to the “nylabone” I used. This was on my new ’59 reissue. I also spaced the strings further apart more like my ’58 junior. I’ll post that pic as well. I lowered the strings in the new nut and left maybe .09 of relief in the neck. As the new fret board dries though, the neck tends to bow more, so the truss rod needs periodic tweaking. I will post my setup specs, which will include the string angle off the stop tailpiece to the bridge and a step-by-step of all that I did. Each guitar setup is to the players taste. I am just going to share my experience and preferences in hopes that maybe someone can get some ideas from them. All comments are welcome! (now I have to figure out how to post pics) I’ll be back soon!!!
 
TruelasDougblood

TruelasDougblood

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Jul 19, 2001
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I used to have a Lab and the nylabone was about the only thing in the house he absolutely wouldn't eat....
 
L

Lee Malone

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Jan 15, 2002
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TruelasDougblood said:
I used to have a Lab and the nylabone was about the only thing in the house he absolutely wouldn't eat....
Click to expand...


Preach on, brother!

I have Weimaraners and if they would make furniture (and shoes and cabinets and books and electric cords...etc...) out of nylabone I woldn't have a worry in the world...hey!...maybe we're on to something, here!

:)spin
 
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Dan Erlewine

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Jul 18, 2001
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TruelasDougblood said:
I used to have a Lab and the nylabone was about the only thing in the house he absolutely wouldn't eat....
Click to expand...

Truelas: Could you please email me the picture in your avatar? Or post it here? Is that a pic of Bloomfield? If so, I would like to see it closer.

thanks, dan
 
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Dan Erlewine

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Jul 18, 2001
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Nylabone

2002R9burst:
Whatever that stuff is, it looks just like the "whatever" it was man-made plastic nut material that Gibson used from (guess) say, the late-40s until the early to mid-60s. I used up my last untouched original nut blank of that stuff this year on a fifties Gold-top. Once you could buy that from Gibson.

Have you had much experience with the stuff I am referring-to? If so, how does it compare in sound?

The stuff Gibson used was quite hard and sounded good compared to today's Corian (or whatever it is).

If I had a good supply of that I would consider using it instead of bone in some situations. (I said "consider").

dan
 
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Ed Rafalko

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Jul 15, 2001
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6,287
I have a few Gibson pre-cut nuts on hand, and had to grind one down at the base because it was too high for my application- and it smelled just like bone did when I ground it.
 
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Dan Erlewine

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pre-cut bone Gibson nuts . . .

. . . from what era, Ed? Smelled like bone? Pre-cut? I doubt it.

Maybe you have leftover used nuts in hand?

dan
 
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Ed Rafalko

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Re: pre-cut bone Gibson nuts . . .

Dan Erlewine said:
. . . from what era, Ed? Smelled like bone? Pre-cut? I doubt it.

Maybe you have leftover used nuts in hand?

dan
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I bought the one I was using from Guitar Center a few months ago, Dan. It was blister-packed with the Gibson Cardboard.

Now, I'm not saying it was bone- there was a clear mold mark and sprueholes on it. But it smelled like bone when I ground it.
 
TruelasDougblood

TruelasDougblood

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Dan Erlewine said:
Truelas: Could you please email me the picture in your avatar? Or post it here? Is that a pic of Bloomfield? If so, I would like to see it closer.

thanks, dan
Click to expand...

Dan, you've got mail....

Doug
 
D

Dan Erlewine

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Re: Re: pre-cut bone Gibson nuts . . .

Ed Rafalko said:
I bought the one I was using from Guitar Center a few months ago, Dan. It was blister-packed with the Gibson Cardboard.

Now, I'm not saying it was bone- there was a clear mold mark and sprueholes on it. But it smelled like bone when I ground it.
Click to expand...

ED: Sorry, but bone is not injection-molded. I question whether or not you know what bone smells like? There are few things like it . . . (think of your teeth being ground-out at the Dentist - THAT is the smell).

Happy NEW YEAR ED R!

DAN
 
E

Ed Rafalko

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Re: Re: Re: pre-cut bone Gibson nuts . . .

Dan Erlewine said:
ED: Sorry, but bone is not injection-molded. I question whether or not you know what bone smells like? There are few things like it . . . (think of your teeth being ground-out at the Dentist - THAT is the smell).

Happy NEW YEAR ED R!

DAN
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Same to ya Dan! I hope you and Joan have a happy and prosperous one!
But I DO know what ground bone smells like- just like the smoke you see and smell at the dentist, like Bill Cosby said.

But I have a guess as to why that nut smelled like bone when I ground it down. It's because I used hide glue to glueit on, then took it off to grind it down, and the holes on teh bottom of the nut trapped some hide glue, which probably was hardened- and you have more than likely s,elled hide glue before, so you know it's a similar smell to what we're describing.

I KNOW the nut was plastic, and I was amazed to smell that distinctive bone smell from it- until I thought about the glue.
 
Tonefiend

Tonefiend

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Jul 15, 2001
Messages
7,656
Ed and Dan; Tusc nuts and saddles smell like bone when sanded. I imagine they are a ground bone and resin mixture.
This is what Taylor uses, and I imagine a few other manufacturers. Possibly including Gibson.

Tusc is made by Graphtek if I am not mistaken. They are great nuts. Almost as hard as bone.
 
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