Anyone tried EARVANA nuts?

mailman4 · Feb 29, 2004

While websurfing, I came across the www.earvana.com website that boasts of a revolutionary offset nut that eliminates "out of tune"-sounding chording and guarantees perfect pitch throughout the fretboard. Whereas most guitars come with stock "straight" nuts with grooves starting at equal points, this Earvana nut is calibrated and offsets each string for tonal precision. Evidently, this nut (which retails for under $30) can be installed without marring the original condition of the guitar---thus, no problems about "devaluing" vintage axes. Just curious if anyone else has heard of this new item and has any personal feedback?

JDW33 · Feb 29, 2004

i installed one on my Norlin LP and it cleared up the tuning on the first 12 or so frets. But the verdict is my fretboard is not exact; that is the frets are not where they should be. But it is a bit better. Well worth the $30.

chaz498 · Mar 2, 2004

I have one on my Strat and to my ear makes a great improvement re intonation, especially when chugging out open position AC/DC tunes and the like. However, I think the greater contact area with the string may darken the tone a touch but as I changed neck, nut and trem block at the same time i couldn't really say what did what to what, if you get my drift :dead:

Wilko · Mar 2, 2004

I just installed one on a friend's tele and I was surprised. It did really clean up the intonation.
As for contact area at the nut, you could back-cut it to not have such long slots.

I'd prefer a real bone, or other harder material, maybe cut with shelves or such.

The material they use is pretty hard and "plinks" when you tap it like a good nut should.

burst59 · Mar 3, 2004

I just installed one on a friends tele also,It was on for about 2weeks didn't like it at all.:nay

chaz498 · Mar 4, 2004

I just installed one on a friends tele also,It was on for about 2weeks didn't like it at all.

Why? Was it the tone, intonation, looks? More info please

burst59 · Mar 4, 2004

chaz498 said:
Why? Was it the tone, intonation, looks? More info please

He didn't like the tone he was getting or the looks of it.He went back with bone.:dude

JDW33 · Mar 4, 2004

My tone improved with the new nut.

wilder · Mar 4, 2004

I have one

on a Warmoth strat and the intonation and open chord sweetness is great.

Chris

strat1127 · Mar 6, 2004

I've read that if you have a guitar with an ABR-1, you will not be able to intonate properly due to the shorter travel distance with the ABR's saddles.

I sent Earvana an email about this issue. When I hear back, I'll let you know the verdict.

roxrob · Nov 24, 2019

Hi Guys

very old thread I know, but I was having loads of trouble with open chords on my Lester.....for example either G or C chords were in tune but never both. I "suffer" from the curse (or occasionally a blessing) of having perfect pitch and anything that is out of tune drives me crazy. I had fitted a new nut previously to try and alleviate the issue, I am pretty handy when it comes to setting up my guitars, but this particular one was always a compromise which I couldn't live with.

Anyway, I thought I'd give the Earvana retrofit "shelf" nut a try. It took me a couple of hours to fit it with basic tools this afternoon and after small adjustments to intonation at the bridge (an ABR1, which I had heard didn't have enough travel to use an Earvana) and adjusting the slot depth, I have to say that I am very impressed. To my ears the open chords are now spot on and single notes on the first 3 frets show as spot on on my tuner. The material they use is, I believe, the same as that used on Tusq products and gives good tone and sustain. Certainly worth the £30 I paid for it...…..

Will let you know when I've done a few gigs with it but on initial trial I may be fitting one to several of my other guitars.

Rob

Big Al · Nov 25, 2019

roxrob said:
Hi Guys

very old thread I know, but I was having loads of trouble with open chords on my Lester.....for example either G or C chords were in tune but never both. I "suffer" from the curse (or occasionally a blessing) of having perfect pitch and anything that is out of tune drives me crazy. I had fitted a new nut previously to try and alleviate the issue, I am pretty handy when it comes to setting up my guitars, but this particular one was always a compromise which I couldn't live with.

Anyway, I thought I'd give the Earvana retrofit "shelf" nut a try. It took me a couple of hours to fit it with basic tools this afternoon and after small adjustments to intonation at the bridge (an ABR1, which I had heard didn't have enough travel to use an Earvana) and adjusting the slot depth, I have to say that I am very impressed. To my ears the open chords are now spot on and single notes on the first 3 frets show as spot on on my tuner. The material they use is, I believe, the same as that used on Tusq products and gives good tone and sustain. Certainly worth the £30 I paid for it...…..

Will let you know when I've done a few gigs with it but on initial trial I may be fitting one to several of my other guitars.

Rob

Rob, I suffer with the same sensitivity to sour tune chords and intervals. I've been using Earvanna nuts for years now, and my results match. I do like the new drop in shelf nut, but as you note it must be fitted/seated correctly. I have files to square up and clean up the slot and like you say care must be taken to sand the base flat, so it sits flat in the nut slot with the shelf flat on the board.

I use specific nut files to slot the nut to set height to first fret just like a regular nut and then intonate the bridge. No intonation issues on any of my bridges. This is a HUGE difference!! I suggest anyone who tries this to do what I did, before installing, use a quality tuner and write down the offset, when tuned for each string for first 7 frets. How sharp, how flat.

Repeat after installing earvanna and compare. It'll blow your mind.

roxrob · Nov 27, 2019

Big Al said:
Rob, I suffer with the same sensitivity to sour tune chords and intervals. I've been using Earvanna nuts for years now, and my results match. I do like the new drop in shelf nut, but as you note it must be fitted/seated correctly. I have files to square up and clean up the slot and like you say care must be taken to sand the base flat, so it sits flat in the nut slot with the shelf flat on the board.

I use specific nut files to slot the nut to set height to first fret just like a regular nut and then intonate the bridge. No intonation issues on any of my bridges. This is a HUGE difference!! I suggest anyone who tries this to do what I did, before installing, use a quality tuner and write down the offset, when tuned for each string for first 7 frets. How sharp, how flat.

Repeat after installing earvanna and compare. It'll blow your mind.

Hi again...…glad you're getting good results Al, here's my latest comment

I took my earvana equipped guitar to rehearsals last night and we all agreed that the transformation was very evident...… Really showed up how out of tune the open chords were on other instruments.....I feel that there may be few more orders happening over next few days.

Loving it so far, with a bit of crunch dialled in on the amp those lower positions sound SO much better to my and my mates ears. Testing continues...…

Rob

Wilko · Nov 28, 2019

roxrob said:
.… Really showed up how out of tune the open chords were on other instruments....

As Big Al was getting at, if the other guitars were "out of tune" why weren't they ever set up better? A good setup can make most guitars play better "in tune" as they can be. All bets are off as you move up the neck and star bending and pulling.

Intonation adjustments can be made with string height at the nut as well as the bridge. Sure, that may be stating the obvious, but for many, it's not obvious and often overlooked.

renderit · Nov 29, 2019

I THINK I understand what they are doing here.

If you adjust the bridge you can compensate somewhat, but the entire scale on that string becomes slightly out the further up the neck you go.
With a compensated nut you are moving the scale more to center it on the neck hence hitting the scale closer.
So why can't we cut our own nuts to compensate?

Anyone tried EARVANA nuts?

mailman4

New member

JDW33

New member

chaz498

New member

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass

burst59

Active member

chaz498

New member

burst59

Active member

JDW33

New member

wilder

All Access/Backstage Pass

strat1127

New member

roxrob

Member

Big Al

Well-known member

roxrob

Member

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass

renderit

Well-known member