Author Topic: Slightly off topic: METAL NUT on a Fender Jazz Bass? (Read 200 times)

haddimudd · « **on:** September 03, 2004, 11:33:07 AM »

While I am planning some upgrades on my cheesy fretless Japanese Fender Jazz Bass (in order to make it less cheesy), including PU upgrades with Alembic JB Activators (thus posting in this forum ), I was thinking of upgrading the bass also with an adjustable metal nut, like on my high end basses (including my Alembic of course).

Now I have never seen any Jazz Bass with a metal nut in the first place and I guess there must be a reason for it but I can't seem to get behind it.

My Alembic fretless sounds no bit less warm than any non-metal nut bass, however when I want it to it sounds very crisp above all. I think these are nothing but advantages of the metal nut, so why would I want to avoid a metal nut on a Jazz Bass after all? What is the secret?

Thanks a lot!

Hartmut

811952 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 03, 2004, 12:28:27 PM »

Hartmut,

My inclination on a fretless would be to go for a bone nut, with the strings practically resting on the fingerboard at the nut. Otherwise open strings will sound considerably different than stopped strings. I have played fretless basses with nuts made of the same wood as the fingerboard, and they seemed to be the best match tone-wise, although they are more inclined to wear out from day-to-day playing. Bone will last practically forever. As for Fenders with metal nuts, they were all the rage back in the early '80s...

John

bigredbass · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2004, 10:33:08 PM »

Some builders feel that brass (I assume that's the 'metal' we are speaking about) nuts offer the least difference in tone between open and fretted notes. My own experience bears this out; however, I am NOT a fretless player, so I don't know how the brass nut/fret sound would differ vs. a fretless instrument.

In my experience, bone with roundwound strings did NOT last forever.

I'm sure my ears are not good enough to hear the difference in nuts. I prefer brass nuts on my other basses because I'm sure it must be a little brighter, and they are very resistant to wear, the biggest reason I prefer them.

J o e y

gbarchus · « **Reply #3 on:** September 04, 2004, 07:24:51 AM »

I have brass nuts on most of my basses, but an ebony one (with TI Flats) on my fretless PBass.

haddimudd · « **Reply #4 on:** September 04, 2004, 12:27:11 PM »

I am sure if you are looking more for an upright bass sound you wouldn't want the brilliance of a metal nut, especially if you choose to use flatwound strings.

I am always looking for the piano like rich overtones sound though, even on fretless.

While thinking about it I was wondering if there is a significant difference in the use of nut material if you compare neck through instruments such as Alembics with bolt on instruments such as the Jazz Bass. I wonder if there is a reason why neck through instruments would sound better with a metal nut (brass or gold plated) than bolt on necks?

kmh364 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 04, 2004, 04:11:51 PM »

I don't know if Alembics sound better or worse with a metal nut, but I do know they'd have a hell of a time maiking an adjustable nut out of bone, plastic, graphite, etc., LOL!

kmh364 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 04, 2004, 04:13:42 PM »

I don't know if Alembics sound better or worse with a metal nut, but I do know they'd have a hell of a time making an adjustable nut out of bone, plastic, graphite, etc., LOL!

palembic · « **Reply #7 on:** September 04, 2004, 05:49:45 PM »

Kevin ...the ADJUSTABLE ebony bridge an a 5 string fretless exist and was installed on one of the most mystic basses in this club: Bob's Custom Rogue.
http://club.alembic.com/Images/631/970.html?1067880972

Paul the bad one

kmh364 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 04, 2004, 07:25:41 PM »

I have seen adjustable wooden bridges, but never a nut.

I suppose an adjustable metal nut with a wooden, bone, graphite, etc. facing on it could be made to work, but I haven't seen one yet.

bob · « **Reply #9 on:** September 04, 2004, 09:47:58 PM »

(Paul, I think that was a typo - it's an adjustable ebony nut, not a bridge, and I'm pretty sure there's at least another one out there by now)

palembic · « **Reply #10 on:** September 04, 2004, 11:57:01 PM »

yeah right ...typo ...middle of the night ... sorry! So Kevin ....it IS a adjustable NUT indeed!
I think mystic has to be mythic too.

But friends ...as you can see ...Bob stays Bob and he is still not out sailing!!!!!!!!!

Paul the bad one

kmh364 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 05, 2004, 05:44:41 AM »

Hmmm...it wasn't clear from Bob Novy's Custom Rogue FTC thread link (that Paul TBO included above) that his bass had an adjustable wood nut. I've been playing for 27yrs,. and never saw anything like that. I guess you really learn something new every day.

How bout a pic or two, Bob?

811952 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 06, 2004, 09:50:16 PM »

Adjustable nuts. I have the urge to post something really inappropriate here, but I'm fighting it big time.
John

haddimudd · « **Reply #13 on:** September 10, 2004, 08:55:20 AM »

While I was thinking about this for a while now I believe to remember now that I once heard neck through instruments are less affected by such components as nut material compared to e.g. bolt on neck instruments.

Alembic basses receive their biggest tonal effect from their electronics, thus materials are less influencial on the sound than on other (not-neck-through) instruments. Is this correct? I guess, that is the reason why an Alembic fretless works fine with a brass nut but why you wouldn't want to use a brass nut on a bolt on neck such as a fretless Fender Jazz Bass, right?

Just trying to understand the differences in the use of proper replacement parts.