Cutting a nut correctly is one of the most challenging and important parts of luthiery. There is no such thing as "plug-and-play" when it comes to nuts. Each one must be cut according to the dimensions and requirements of the specific neck it is to be used on. This requires skill and the correct tools. If you desire to cut your own nut, Warmoth offers nut blanks in the materials listed below. Nut slot files are available in our Supplies section.
| Materials |
Characteristics/Applications |
Sound |
Workability |
| Bone |
Hard material with a vintage look, must be cut cleanly to keep strings from binding in slots. |
Bright and clear, with a detailed sound. |
Hard, dense material. Bad-smelling dust. |
| Brass |
Hard material polishes well and looks good with gold hardware. Great sustain for bass and slide guitar playing. |
Bright with very good sustain. |
Slow-working, dust can clog files, gets hot when power-sanded. |
| Nickel |
Made of the same material as our fretwire (18% hard nickel/silver) so it matches sound & look of frets. Polishes well. |
Very bright with excellent articulation and sustain. |
Very slow working, gets hot when power-sanded. |
| Graph Tech TUSQ XL |
TUSQ XL is a ivory-like material that is Teflon impregnated. Teflon is 500% slipperier than graphite. This is great for use on electric guitars that get tremolo use or have tuning stability issues. It is also great for someone who bends notes often. |
Well balanced tone with a bit more warmth. |
Easy to cut, less shaping required with pre-molded blanks. |
| Corian |
Hard synthetic material takes a fine finish and is available in large oversized blanks. |
Balanced, clear, even sound. |
Cuts slowly but evenly. |