Anyone try the earvana nut?

[mike.sartori]

I have a 99 Gibson Les Paul Classic, which up until recently I almost never played because it wouldn't stay in tune for a whole song. My friend noticed that there was a ton of wiggle room on the posts of the ABR-1 bridge, so I replaced it with a tone pros, and now it plays excellent, with much more stable tuning.

 

I have definitely noticed, however, that open chords in the first position have a very sour sound, especially that F chord. I hear that the earvana nut is supposed to help with this. Anyone have success with earvana?

[Oaksong]

 

I have a 99 Gibson Les Paul Classic, which up until recently I almost never played because it wouldn't stay in tune for a whole song. My friend noticed that there was a ton of wiggle room on the posts of the ABR-1 bridge, so I replaced it with a tone pros, and now it plays excellent, with much more stable tuning. I have definitely noticed, however, that open chords in the first position have a very sour sound, especially that F chord. I hear that the earvana nut is supposed to help with this. Anyone have success with earvana?

 

 

Yeah. I had one on my last LP. It works as described. Most guitars don't need it, but if you have an issue like this, it is a cheap fix.

 

My Jackson has this issue... I keep waiting for them to release one for Floyd rose equipped guitars. The day they do... I am ordering it.

[WRGKMC]

I had it on three guitars. I recently took them back off and installed brass nuts. Much better tone and sustain.

 

Earvana Nuts will prevent strings from being bent sharp playing in the lower positions if you have jumbo frets but they also created wierd tonal effects when you intonate the rest of the notes. The issue is with the wide string contact surface also prevents strings from returning to proper tuning after bending notes or using a whammy even with graphite grease in the slots.

 

My best suggestion after using them for a few years is the tone loss and tuning issues, arent worth the agrivation. A standard nut properly cut to the right height and the guitar properly setup, Intonation, Height & Relief, will do just fine.

[Bro Blue]

I have them on two guitars, an LTD EC400VF and and LTD PB500. They work, and I haven't noticed anything weird tonally, they are close to what a Graphtech nut sounds like. I also have not noticed any problems with tuning issues, but both these guitars have the TOM bridge and stoptail, I've never used Earvanas on anything with a trem.

 

I was a skeptic. But after three years I'm convinced. Here's a pic of the one on my PB500:

 

[mike.sartori]

So it seems like there are some mixed reviews here, I am definitely annoyed with the tuning issue. my Strat and Tele don't have this issue. Is it a consensus that the earvana nut negatively affects the tone of the guitar? I have the cheap plastic gibson nut on their now. I know paying for a custom bone nut would cost even more than the earvana so if my nut is just crappy, it might still be my best option.

[WRGKMC]

 

So it seems like there are some mixed reviews here, I am definitely annoyed with the tuning issue. my Strat and Tele don't have this issue. Is it a consensus that the earvana nut negatively affects the tone of the guitar? I have the cheap plastic gibson nut on their now. I know paying for a custom bone nut would cost even more than the earvana so if my nut is just crappy, it might still be my best option.

 

 

 

? Gibsons have bone nuts, not plastic unless someone replaced it.

 

When I said wierd tonal effects, I suppose I should explain. I been a luther and player for 40 years and I have ears tuned to hearing suttle differences in tone. String manufacturers make strings so they have a particular tone at pitch, at a particular Lbs pull on a string. When you shorten a string, Pitch goes up. To tune to pitch, you wind up having to reduce tension slightly to get it in tune. Most wouldnt notice the slight reduction in tension at all. I was able to feel the reduction and hear it, partly because I'm very sensitive to correct setups and to perfect tone and intonation.

 

I'm avoiding trying to be a sound snob but I been playing instruments for 44 years and my ears are pretty sensitive to the subtle differences. Bessides the guitar building and playing I also have a studio and do a ton of recording with my own band and others. Playing live with an amp cranked may not notice any issues at all. When you get headphones on and then have other instruments going that dont have compensation, it can become a nightmare trying to get notes to match with those earvana nuts without beating occuring.

 

You could say, if all the guitars and bass are a smidge sharp in the root position, it wont be noticed by the listener. If you have one guitar that compensates for the sharpness, it will sound flat in comparison to the other instruments in the lower registers.

 

So it comes down to which is going to win out. Are you going to compensate the Bass and other guitars to match the Earvana or just dump the earvana nut. My choice since I have about 30 guitars, was to dump the earvana nuts.

 

As far as the material goes,

Bone nuts are maybe $2 earvana nuts are $32. Earvana nuts wont sound as good as a bone nut as far as material goes. They do use two types of material. A Derylin white plastic which is pretty soft stuff. Its used on their strat nuts as a color option. It sucks sustain so I dont recomend those at all. The others are black ones. It isnt graphite but at least its a harder material and the sustain will be a littel better, but still not as good as other nut materials.

 

If you have bad frets or the nut height problems of course neither is going to sound any good. Also as frets wear, you need to take the nut down in height to compensate for the wear. Many stock instruments have the nuts cut too high causing sharp notes. Relief, bridge height, and string type/gauge are others. In most cases you can just have the instruments set bup and the nut wont even be an issue. Peoples finger pressue making notes go sharp, or cheap electronic tuners definately can be though.

[Cobalt Blue]

Here's a vote in favor of Earvana nuts.

One came stock on my Hohner acoustic, and the guitar plays/intonates beautifully.

As BroBlue has indicated the Earvana also comes stock on many ESP guitars:

http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_deluxe_viper.html

http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_deluxe_h.html

 

Et cetera.

 

Until I purchased the Hohner, I was beyond skeptical. Not anymore.

[WRGKMC]

 

So it seems like there are some mixed reviews here, I am definitely annoyed with the tuning issue. my Strat and Tele don't have this issue. Is it a consensus that the earvana nut negatively affects the tone of the guitar? I have the cheap plastic gibson nut on their now. I know paying for a custom bone nut would cost even more than the earvana so if my nut is just crappy, it might still be my best option.

 

 

 

? Gibsons have bone nuts, not plastic unless someone replaced it.

 

When I said wierd tonal effects, I suppose I should explain. I been a luther and player for 40 years and I have ears tuned to hearing suttle differences in tone. String manufacturers make strings so they have a particular tone at pitch, at a particular Lbs pull on a string. When you shorten a string, Pitch goes up. To tune to pitch, you wind up having to reduce tension slightly to get it in tune. Most wouldnt notice the slight reduction in tension at all. I was able to feel the reduction and hear it, partly because I'm very sensitive to correct setups and to perfect tone and intonation.

 

I'm avoiding trying to be a sound snob but I been playing instruments for 44 years and my ears are pretty sensitive to the subtle differences. Bessides the guitar building and playing I also have a studio and do a ton of recording with my own band and others. Playing live with an amp cranked may not notice any issues at all. When you get headphones on and then have other instruments going that dont have compensation, it can become a nightmare trying to get notes to match with those earvana nuts without beating occuring.

 

You could say, if all the guitars and bass are a smidge sharp in the root position, it wont be noticed by the listener. If you have one guitar that compensates for the sharpness, it will sound flat in comparison to the other instruments in the lower registers.

 

So it comes down to which is going to win out. Are you going to compensate the Bass and other guitars to match the Earvana or just dump the earvana nut. My choice since I have about 30 guitars, was to dump the earvana nuts.

 

As far as the material goes,

Bone nuts are maybe $2 earvana nuts are $32. Earvana nuts wont sound as good as a bone nut as far as material goes. They do use two types of material. A Derylin white plastic which is pretty soft stuff. Its used on their strat nuts as a color option. It sucks sustain so I dont recomend those at all. The others are black ones. It isnt graphite but at least its a harder material and the sustain will be a littel better, but still not as good as other nut materials.

 

If you have bad frets or the nut height problems of course neither is going to sound any good. Also as frets wear, you need to take the nut down in height to compensate for the wear. Many stock instruments have the nuts cut too high causing sharp notes. Relief, bridge height, and string type/gauge are others. In most cases you can just have the instruments set bup and the nut wont even be an issue. Peoples finger pressue making notes go sharp, or inaccurate tuners definately can be though.