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Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: smokin_dave on February 21, 2013, 08:23:26 AM

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: smokin_dave on February 21, 2013, 08:23:26 AM

According to this video posted by Warwick it's an in-house invention......
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LWRosmx4HVY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LWRosmx4HVY)
 
I've alway's thought it was an Alembic creation.
It sure is a great thing but who should get credit?

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: 811952 on February 21, 2013, 08:47:47 AM

Alembic.  At the time, Beverly told me that my bass (811952) was the prototype for it (in the shop in '82 for some work), and that the idea was Entwistle's.  There's been some discussion on this site about it, and some dispute over when Alembic started it but it's agreed that Alembic was the first..
 
John
 
(Message edited by 811952 on February 21, 2013)

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: nnek on February 21, 2013, 09:06:39 AM

Curious....Warwick as a company did not exist before 1982.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: tubeperson on February 21, 2013, 09:22:18 AM

They may using Framus as how long they have been in business.  Framus was owned by Mr. Wilfer's father, and then he assumed control of that company, which was a predecessor to Warwick.  Not that I am defending their claim mind you.....

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: nnek on February 21, 2013, 09:26:59 AM

Well Framus is quite a bit older... my first guitar was a Framus and that was purchased new in 1962. They were'nt a new company even then.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: adriaan on February 21, 2013, 11:35:06 AM

My grandfather built a mandolin for my mother, could easily be 75 years ago, and as a skilled carpenter and clarinet player (and a father of five with a small budget) he had to improvise. So instead of a bone nut, it has a little L-shaped metal plate, with slots for the strings, which is suspended by two screws (originally, one is now missing) and is therefore a height-adjustable nut.
 
The mandolin has a nice inlay of a butterfly in a flamed Afrormosia top veneer. (That is an actual wood species, I looked it up as I wrongfully doubted my mom's memory!) The body is plywood. but the back and sides have a beautiful walnut veneer, and the neck looks like it may be solid mahogany. Too bad the top looks so cracked, and the tuners are in bad shape, I don't dare to string it up completely.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: jarlmos on February 21, 2013, 12:35:43 PM

The first warwick was made in 1982. I have a Warwick Streamer from 1983/84. It has a brass nut, but it isn't adjustable. I don't know when they introduced the just-a-nut (thats what they call their adjustable brass nut) but that was later, maybe in the late 80's.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: jarlmos on February 21, 2013, 12:46:51 PM

I did a little research and found page on talkbass  
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f238/warwick-difference-our-just-nut-iii-adjustable-nut-960151/ (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f238/warwick-difference-our-just-nut-iii-adjustable-nut-960151/)
where warwick officialy states that they introduced the adjustable nut in 1987

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: tubeperson on February 21, 2013, 01:13:38 PM

This should make for a lively exchange between Warwick and Alembic.  Warwick seems to copy several manufacturers.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: nnek on February 21, 2013, 07:06:25 PM

According to that link Warwick invented it in 87?
There seems to be plenty of Alembics prior to 87 with factory installed adjustable brass nuts as original equipment.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: harald_rost on February 21, 2013, 11:30:10 PM

I have a Warwick Thumb from 1987 and it already has an adjustable brass nut. But other than the new one every string is running over a screw for moving up or down the string.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: smokin_dave on February 22, 2013, 04:48:27 AM

It seems to me that if there is a patent on it that there would be a cease and desist order on the horizon aimed at whomever falsley makes the inventor claim ya' think?
 
(Message edited by smokin dave on February 22, 2013)

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: pauldo on February 22, 2013, 05:22:30 AM

This whole thread sounds nuts to me. . . .

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: tncaveman on February 22, 2013, 05:24:48 AM

I just posted a few pics of pre-87 Alembics on the TB forum.  I figured what the heck.    
 
And, by the way, I'm also a French model - bonjour.  (you know - everything on the Internet is true  ;o)
 
Stephen

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: lbpesq on February 22, 2013, 01:05:37 PM

Bond Electraglide guitars, perhaps the most innovative electric guitar ever produced (approximately 1400 made in Scotland in 1984-85) have adjustable nuts.  That certainly predates Warwick's 1987 claim.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: mica on February 22, 2013, 01:19:41 PM

Warwick's adjustable nut is different from ours, is it not?  
 
I'm not exactly sure when we started installing them regularly, but I think it was 1982. At least that what the 5 minutes I was willing to spend on this today revealed.
 
added:
Well, I looked at the video, and these are not the just-a-nut type, they certainly do resemble our adjustable nut a good deal.  
 
(Message edited by mica on February 22, 2013)

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: David Houck on February 22, 2013, 04:47:05 PM

1982 is my recollection from previous discussions and from looking at instrument pictures for when Alembic started putting them on as standard.  As Stephen suggested, you can get a pretty quick idea by looking through the Showcase section.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: edwin on February 22, 2013, 09:00:40 PM

I remember those Bond guitars. There was a shop in Boston that was blowing them out really cheap and sometimes I regret not picking up one for fun.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: hifiguy on February 22, 2013, 11:08:37 PM

Alembic.  Period.  No question - at least for instruments that anyone ever saw in any quantity.  I owned a 1992 German-made Warwick Corvette Pro that I bought new back in the day and promptly noticed that it had an Alembic-style nut, though the execution was different.  The Warwick nut had individually adjustable brass screws for each string that were secured into a brass plate at the head end of the neck.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: mario_farufyno on February 23, 2013, 06:00:15 PM

Warwick copy designs from everybody, Spector body shape, Steinberg headless...

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: alembickoa on February 24, 2013, 09:41:27 PM

I had a 1981 Series I and a 1982 Spoiler, each of which had an adjustable nut. My 1999 Orion also has one. They are a magnificent tool.
 
Blessings...Steve

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: that_sustain on February 25, 2013, 06:02:19 AM

How low can one go?  Much lower with that adjustable brass nut.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: lbpesq on February 25, 2013, 09:04:27 AM

Edwin:
 
You want a Bond?  I have an extra one, if you're interested.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: edwin on February 25, 2013, 10:15:51 AM

It's tempting but I'm actually needing to sell more gear (Anyone want a 1956 ES140T with early patent number humbuckers?). This whole thing of continuing medical trauma in the family and then taking a year off before I start working is taking a toll.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: rusty_the_scoob on February 26, 2013, 09:01:43 AM

Double-post, sorry!
 
(Message edited by Rusty_the_Scoob on February 26, 2013)

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: rusty_the_scoob on February 26, 2013, 09:08:20 AM

The story I heard - and take it with a grain of salt because I can't verify it - was that it was Phil's bass tech in the late 60's/early 70's.  He set up one of Phil's basses and Phil complained that the nut was too high.  So the tech filed it down and he complained that it was too low.  He filled the slots and again Phil complained that it was too high.  So one of the other techs said why don't you make it adjustable so he can set it himself?
 
No idea if it's true and can't remember where I heard it, but I liked the story.

Title: The origin of the adjustable brass nut.Warwick,Alembic,who??
Post by: sonicus on February 26, 2013, 05:00:36 PM

Dan ( rusty the scoob) I have heard the same story !