Bone nuts.

Why am I having such a hard time, finding 42mm wide flat bottom pre slotted Bass guitar bone nuts, its driving me nuts (pardon the pun) plenty of plastics out there, but I don't want plastics, Brass hahaha for god sake give me a break.
Does anyone know where I may be able to track these down in Australia, I can get 38mm, no problem there even 43mm. I have a PBASS and a JBASS both are 42mm wide at the nut slot. Been playing for awhile on my Basses, but never really had to deal with replacing the nuts before, I didn't realize there is such a variation.
So I have a question !!!
Are 43mm bass nuts a standard width for a 42mm wide neck and its just a mater of centering it then filling it down to suit the neck ????
Its probably a silly question, but I have found that there are 42mm wide flat bottom bone nuts, just not in Australia unless I want to pay a luthier $80 to have one made up from a blank. No thanks, i'll put up with the plastics before doing that, no offence to luthiers, but I just cant justify a $5 ready made nut to having one made.

ANYHOOT,
hope someone has an answer for me, thank your mother for the rabbits.

As an alternative, perhaps have a look at the Tusq nuts?

https://graphtech.com/products/tusq-...om-p-bass-1205

43 mm should be fine. That's the standard width for a P-bass nut...and unless you special order it's the width for all PB 4 string bass nuts, IIRC.

The US nut is supposed to be 1 11/16"...which is just under 43mm. Generally you want the nut to be just a hair wider than the slot so you can sand it down to exact dimensions.

I found this:

https://guitartrade.com.au/bone-nut-...p-bass-slotted

...but at 42mm I'd be a little worried that it's too narrow.

If push comes to shove you can buy ANY bone nut that is bigger than your slot and sand it down to size. Keep the plastic nut and use it to know where to put the string slots.

I have made nuts from bone blanks, which are very cheap. It's a ton of sanding, but it only takes a couple of hours tops while you listen to a podcast or audio book ;-)

Further to my earlier post, I should add that the Graphtech Tusq XL was pretty much a perfect fit in my Pitbull P-Bass build. I sanded a little off the thickness so it fitted just snugly in the spot, as well a a little from the bottom to get the string height in the zone.

Ive looked at that very site, but they are in Canada its something like $30 to $60 shipping depending how soon you want them then the cost of the nut, I was hoping for something a bit closer to home and far less exspensive. Thanks for the input.

Thanks fender3x Ive also been to that site, for some reason wont allow 2 nuts in the same order, not sure if thats and indication of lack of stock or not, thats overseas as well so to order 2 I have to make 2 seperate orders then pay shipping costs twice, out of the question but thanks for the feedback.

Ive decided to order 4 @ 43mm blanks from real tone music in Australia, they seem to be the go to for a lot of things like this unfortunately not the pre slotted versions. So will be doing a bit of filing and sanding to shape, now not having the correct luthier files for the slots will test me, hence the reason for getting 4 blanks, I have trimmed pre slotted before using different grade sand paper and I have even used old strings for correct diameters with some good results. Can't justify the cost of buying the files but looking ahead and the work I have done without correct tools is something I may now need to look into. I will be keeping the old nuts I have a small collection of them now, will use those as a template.

The bone nut that I ordered with my EX-4 is 42mm wide.

I did my first one from scratch. LOTS of sanding, but it's not particularly difficult. Having a few extra is also a good thing.

If it's pre-slotted, great. If not you can mark where the slots go from the plastic nut that came with the kit.

Torch cleaners have done well for me slotting bass nuts. They're not really very good for guitars, but they are stiff enough for bass and leave a nice round bottom to the slot.

It's more work than proper nut files (at least from what I hear...I have only used the torch cleaners) but slow cutting has the advantage of making it harder to inadvertently go too deep.

Just saw this thread.
Have you tried https://bassworkshop.com.au/collections/nuts
They have flat bottomed TUSQ nuts. Located in Melbourne.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by colin2121

Just saw this thread.
Have you tried https://bassworkshop.com.au/collections/nuts
They have flat bottomed TUSQ nuts. Located in Melbourne.

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And also a couple of other locations:
https://www.melbournemusiccentre.com...h-guitar-parts
https://skymusic.com.au/products/gra...slotted-p-bass

I’ve made a few bone nuts from blanks now. I have an oscillating spindle sander and that makes light work of the bulk sanding. I get it almost to size on that and then use sandpaper on a flat surface to do the rest. Once you put your mind to it, it doesn’t take much longer than sanding a pre-bought nut down to size (they are rarely the right thickness or height).

Whether you can use a 43mm nut filed down at the ends on a 42mm wide neck really depends on how close the string slots are cut to the ends of the frets. There isn’t a universal standard. It’s normally about 2mm to the outer edge of the slot, but I’ve seen noticeable differences on guitars (I’ve worked on far fewer basses) from the same manufacturer. And pre-bought guitar nuts definitely have differences in the overall string spacing.

I have a small stock of replacement bone nuts of slightly different lengths and widths and heights, and even on nuts of the same length, I know the string spacing can be different. I’ve recently had to make my own nut for a Squier Tele neck where the slot was quite wide and on the only wide nut I had, the strings were slightly too near the edges once I’d taken 0.5mm off each end. It was too easy to push the low E string off the board when fretting chords. So that had to come off and a bespoke one fitted.

It’s probably best to measure the distance between the end of the nut and the string slot on an instrument you already have and like the feel of. If you can get the same distance at the ends after filing 0.5mm off, then you’ll be fine.

Hey Colin, thanks for that, I can't count how many sites I went to, to try and find these nuts. That link has exactly what I was looking for, haa ohh ok so Im now going to order the preslotted Tusq and keep these bone nuts in the collection section of my bits and pieces. I will be trying out, a slotting session to see how I go with the blanks. Thanks again.

Thanks Simon,
I will certainly experiment with the blanks, though, not having the correct files will be a challenge. Any thoughts on what I may be able to use aside from the purchase of nut files to get a good finish ??? or should I bite the bullet and just get the files ??? I know I may never use them again unless I do another build or have to replace the odd nut in the future, so it's a bit of an expense learning kerb. Can't justify a luthiers cost to get them done either. I did have thoughts on using the old nuts as a template but that's simply not the way to go, the nut needs to be on the instrument in order to get the nut filed correctly.

For bass nuts, you can normally use a combination of needle files. I have just purchased some Hosco bass nut files, but I was using needle files before that. I find the round one to be pretty good for lowering the slots, just using the tapered end of the file to get the right diameter for the slot - though you need to work from both sides otherwise the slot is too tapered.

Don't cut the blank so it's over-high, otherwise you'll be filing for hours and hours.

I have a cheap eBay string-spacing ruler. It's pretty much the same one as StuMac sell, but less money.

I have a set of fine needle files, but not very round, may get away with the E string slot but the rest are a lot finer than the files I have. So setting up the nut for height would require a set of feeler guages layed over the first fret ??? Then draw a line across the nut then sand down the nut till the height is matched before filing the slots ??? Ive looked at a few posts that seems to be the way to go ??? Ive also seen where blow torch cleaners have been used as slots files and are very cheap.

On my needle file set, the flat file is 0.048” on the side dimension, which is fine for cutting a slot for a 0.045” G string. I’d always start smaller and expand the width, even with proper nut files, so that would be fine for getting all the initial slots cut, which will need widening on the E, A and D strings.

The nozzle cleaner files have been mentioned by others as OK for cutting bass nut slots, but the sets I’ve seen don’t have the diameters for cutting slots for the E and A strings as they only go up to 1.5mm diameter (which at 0.059” is slightly too small for a 0.065” slot.

You don’t need feeler gauges to determine a good starting height for the nut blank, just a ruler. Depth of the slot (or thickness of the fretboard for an end-of-board nut) plus 5mm (maybe 6mm for a 5-string). An 0.105” string is just under 2.7mm deep, so 5mm still leaves 2.3mm space above the board, which is more than enough for fret height and clearance.

Final nut height adjustment comes after you’ve done the final nut slot depth adjustments.

Thanks again for your help Simon, appreciate it.
ok my fret board comes in at 3mm to the center and 2.5mm to the sides, the nut blank is 6mm height fits nice and snug into the slot, so that leaves me with 3mm to cut the slots according the center and 2.5mm for the E and G strings, the blank has a radius and looks to be pretty close the neck radius, So im not sure if that will be enough height to cut and sit the strings in ?? Though it should be enough if I don't go too deep to start with, doing the 3rd fret and height check as I go, if go 1.5 mm deep for the E slot will that be enough to hold the string in position without it popping out or should I go to 2mm deep which will leave 1mm clearance to the fret board at the nut, seems like very low action, without doing anything at this point. It will be a fine line. Is the nut not heigh enough ???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jetblack

Hey Colin, thanks for that, I can't count how many sites I went to, to try and find these nuts. That link has exactly what I was looking for, haa ohh ok so Im now going to order the preslotted Tusq and keep these bone nuts in the collection section of my bits and pieces. I will be trying out, a slotting session to see how I go with the blanks. Thanks again.

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Not a problem.
I have done plenty of searching for TUSQ nuts. It is even harder to find lefty TUSQ nuts.
Hope it works for you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

The nozzle cleaner files have been mentioned by others as OK for cutting bass nut slots, but the sets I’ve seen don’t have the diameters for cutting slots for the E and A strings as they only go up to 1.5mm diameter (which at 0.059” is slightly too small for a 0.065” slot.

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I made a mess out of a blank with needle files. That may just be me. If I had better hand-eye coordination I would have learned the violin. (my mother thought I'd never have the dexterity for it...so...bass). I have found the nozzle cleaners to require a lot of patience, but with that proviso they have been darned near idiot proof on my bass nuts, at least for this idiot. BUT, you do have to search for the right set. Most are like Simon says. The biggest one is not very big. You can find bigger ones. I was lucky enough to find a set that was specifically for 5 string bass, so it had sizes that worked well for E, A strings. There's one for the low B string too, but I have never used it, not having a 5 string bass...

Fender3x, Your absolutely right, Ive made a mess of 2 blanks thus far with the needle files, I started with the triangle file so I could get the marks indented, quite surprised at how quickly that file bedded in, then of course using wider round files to try to get a rounded seat and of course keep that angle towards the tuner bases. Then using the nozzle cleaners for the other finer slots, 2 nuts in the bin, the others are in the "rethink" box. Ill now be semi patient and await the TUSQ nuts and keep practicing my Bass using the plastics.

Use the edge of a flat needle file (providing your file is thin enough in that dimension for a G string slot). I’d certainly avoid the triangular file unless it’s just for scoring an initial line.

The triangle file was for scoring on the marked points, It was marked out really well with 5mm from E and G to the edge of the fret board then pretty much eyed in the 2 centre strings, just went a little too deep with the triangle file I really didn't expect it to cut in that quickly, I'm a bit heavy handed, but lesson learnt, I will take you advice and try again using the flat file and be a little more less heavy handed. Thanks Simon.

It's all good character-building stuff and hopefully we learn from our mistakes.

But it's very easy to be heavy-handed with cutting nut slots, I over-cut all the time. Even with proper nut files, no file is the same in terms of cutting power, and if you've just been using one that took 10 strokes to file a small distance, you need to mentally reset before the next one as it might take just 2 strokes to do the same with the next file. So keep a constant vigil on visual heights and remember to look at the dust pile created (remembering that the wider slots are always going to create more dust than the thinner ones for the same slot depth).

I have cut nut slots with three types of implement. I have not used expensive or cheap nut purpose made nut files. From what I read about the purpose built nut files the cheap ones are (a) only really cheap compared to expensive nut files, and (b) terrible. From what I read, the high quality, expensive nut files are bliss to use. The only drawback I have heard about them (other than lightness in the wallet after purchase) is that it's easy to cut too deeply. Even that may not be a problem since it contributes to the building of character.

I have used home-serrated feeler gauges, torch cleaners; and cheap, small files sold in sets. I have at least three sets of the small cheap files. My main difficulty with them is that they appear to require skill to get good outcomes. I have no skill and not much aptitude. Perhaps for that reason, I rarely use them for anything let alone nuts.

Meanwhile the feeler gauges have worked reasonably well on guitars and the torch cleaners have worked quite well on basses with out much need for skill. In both cases they are slow. The one advantage to slow is that I have only once cut too deeply. The bad news is that my wife has noticed no noticeable improvement in my character.

I think I was a bit too blahzey to start with, careful markup then drove in a bit too hard, thinking it can't be that hard. No No patience is a virtue when it comes to this sort of thing, and of course the correct tools go a long way. Not to worry my TUSQ nuts have turned up, pre slotted and looks to have a nice angle for seating the strings and of course 2 blanks in the "maybe try again bucket". All god thanks again Simon.

Im going to give the nut slotting a rest for now, Ive taken in all the advice and maybe try again some other time. I now have TUSQ pre slotted nuts, I ordered 4 and have a PB neck on its way shortly for an upgrade on my PB, so they will be handy for that. I've also come to the realisation that these JB kits use the same necks as the PB's. I'm fairly sure the JB necks on Fenders are 38mm at the nut and the PB's are 42, my kit JB has a 42.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jetblack

I've also come to the realisation that these JB kits use the same necks as the PB's. I'm fairly sure the JB necks on Fenders are 38mm at the nut and the PB's are 42, my kit JB has a 42.

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That's true, although the Fender measurements were SAE ;-) As far as I know all PB bass necks are 42 mm unless you special order. I am not sure whether Adam is still doing it, but it used to be possible to order a 38mm Fenders-style bass neck. He warned me that it would take a while, and it did. Several months. But I got one. A maple jazz bass profile neck that is my current favorite, narrowly beating out my G&L ASAT neck.

I have been wanting a P-bass with a Jazz profile neck since I talked to a bass player in a local band who had an original Fender P-bass that had come from the factory with a J-bass profile neck. It's such a rare bird that it may have been an error at the factory (this was a '70's bass and QC was not always great...). I have seen P-basses with J-bass necks swapped onto them... And I came close to ordering a G&L with a P body and J neck....but was not living the dream until Adam enabled my GAS.

The lovely thing about building is creating your own rare bird.

Yes of course, the old imperial measuring, ive become so tuned in on the metric I had forgotten that America still works on the SAE system. I been restoring Bultaco's for years and with the metric system as a standard its a lot easier for replacing some pieces, brain locked lol.

Hi Simon, a bit off the track, question of tone and volume pots. Are there any upgrades so to achieve a punchier sound output on my JBA4 ?? Its nice but tends to lack that more grounded sound, it's quite soft sounding through my practice amp as compared to the Pbass, I did upgrade the pups, as you know, but now just wondering if it would be a good idea to upgrade the pots as well??? I think you mentioned that you didn't like the mini pots and I think that's what came with the kit, I'm not understanding the differences between them only that its likely obvious that standard pots are larger ???
Any help is appreciated.

I love those old Spanish bikes. Haven't seen one in years tho!

I am not sure there is much you can do with passive electronics to get more punch, short of punchier pickups. You could add active EQ, but that would also mean adding a pre-amp and a battery.

Of course if you're not getting the punch of your P-bass from your J-bass you can do what I did...

Attachment 44835

:cool:

Fender3x, I have had thoughts of going the PJ route, I did upgrade the kit pickups. Had to open up the pockets slightly to get them to fit in there "real tone" pickups. I didn't use the kit pups at all, so I don't know what they are like. I could possibly use an EQ though another amp. I was just wondering if it were possible. Thanks.

and back to a note more related to the topic.......bone nuts can be dyed, so Jetblack if you want to continue a black theme you can dye the white bone nut black. or get a black tusq nut ....

Those should be fairly good if they are the ones that I see on the Realtone website. It looks like they are Toneriders? I haven't used them but they are popular here. For me "punch" tends to come by boosting the low mids. If you have an amp with a lot of EQ it would be worth a try. Or a cheap bass equalizer pedal. Of course you can only boost what's there. I had a set of DiMarzio J's once that I hoped I could dial in to sound like a p-bass. I finally decided that the only reliable way to get a p-bass sound might be from a p-bass pickup...and thus the bass in the pic got a bit of routing and a new pickguard ;-)

...the bass in the pic got a bone colored bone nut, however. Curious to see what black die might do to it... hmmm...

@fender3x : I used Rit liquid charcoal and followed the instructions which involved hot water or boiling I think for the nut on Dora I think.. or maybe the japan black spirit based Feast and Watson wood stain... not sure which and I couldn't work it out from my build thread, but there is a pic of the dyed nut.

I'll take a look. Thanks!

Yeah Rabbit I ordered a black nut with the kit, trying to keep with the Jetblack theme but I didnt like it, It made the first fret look like it didnt exist strings kind of disappeared over the top of the neck, if you know what I mean, so decided to go back to using the white bone nut. Im super happy with the way it finished and the chrome "bling" helped to highlight it. Attachment 44841

Attachment 44842 Tone riders are what they are, they work fine good tone control very clear output no issues with that a all Im just used to my Pbass with its extra punchy output.

I put a set of EMG Geezer Butler PJ pickups in my Frankenjazz. They are a passive set with alnico magnets (unusual for EMG). I don't know what they did to make the bridge pickup quiet, but it is. It's also hotter than a standard Jazz pickup to balance with the P pup in the neck position. I think they sound killer.

Of course, I should note that I am not really a jazz bass guy. I pretty much never solo the bridge pickup. I tend to use the bridge pickup as an a kind of tone control. Up when I want a bit more sass or honk. Down or off when I want P bass sounds. Usually down more than up.