Soprano Ebony nuts

[Timbuck]

I find making my Ebony nuts is best done by making a strip of pre-shaped Ebony strip usually about 10 inch long and gluing in place then trim to length and shape in situ on the neck ..it saves all that fiddly stuff using a special vice and that...and it makes a neat job.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2nTdgix]9B599EEA-7D3C-42A7-9336-904990A701EE by Ken Timms, on FlickrB3357BA8-A41A-4C31-BC03-DBC69D18BBE6[/URL]

 

[TheDudeAbides]

I'm new to ukes, but have replaced a fair number of guitar nuts in my time, isn't the nut on an Uke a "consumable" part that would be expected to be replaced at some point during the instruments life?

Gluing a wood nut to wood seems like it would make the replacement very difficult.

 

[BuzzBD]

You do not want the nut to be moving around on you, so most are glued in place. The trick is to use a tiny drop of glue, so it can easily be replaced with a sharp blow to it.
Brad

 

[Timbuck]

I own a few vintage original martin Style 0 sopranos 70-100 years old (for reference purpose) ... all have Ebony nuts and saddles fully glued in place with no sign of wear...these are not guitars with steel strings ... also I have never had any problems removing an Ebony nut when I've had to replace one ... you just run a sharp knife across the back to break the finish and knock it off with a sharp blow, some times it will leave a few Ebony splinters behind but nothing that can't be removed easily.

 

[Jerryc41]

I find making my Ebony nuts is best done by making a strip of pre-shaped Ebony strip usually about 10 inch long and gluing in place then trim to length and shape in situ on the neck ..it saves all that fiddly stuff using a special vice and that...and it makes a neat job.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2nTdgix]9B599EEA-7D3C-42A7-9336-904990A701EE by Ken Timms, on FlickrB3357BA8-A41A-4C31-BC03-DBC69D18BBE6[/URL]

Nice and neat!

 

[Ukecaster]

Once glued into place, what do you use to cut off the excess ebony? To me, it seems riskier to cut and then sand the ends while glued onto the uke, but then, I'm not Ken Timms!

 

[Timbuck]

Once glued into place, what do you use to cut off the excess ebony? To me, it seems riskier to cut and then sand the ends while glued onto the uke, but then, I'm not Ken Timms!

I just did another one this morning with no problems ..I thought about doing a video, maybe next time I will.

 

[kkimura]

I like that you round the corners of the nut off. So many commercial ukuleles have nuts with sharp corners that dig into your hand.

 

[Timbuck]

I like that you round the corners of the nut off. So many commercial ukuleles have nuts with sharp corners that dig into your hand.

The main thing I noticed when I started copying these vintage Martins was that there were no sharp edges or corners anywhere on the instrument and this makes them very comfy and smooth to handle ... sadly the modern ones don't have this.

 

[MarTay6]

I love the fact you use ebony nuts on your ukes... one of those little features that makes me want one!

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I just did another one this morning with no problems ..I thought about doing a video, maybe next time I will.

Please post the video, Ken. You explained the in situ cutting process but I'd still really like to see it & am guessing I'm not alone in that.

 

[Ukecaster]

Please post the video, Ken. You explained the in situ cutting process but I'd still really like to see it & am guessing I'm not alone in that.

I can't imagine cutting off the excess with any kind of power tool, i'm guessing probably just a set ot manual snippers, then rounding off with a file.

 

[EarthSea]

Ah! This raises the question, Ebony or bone? What are the noticeable sound differences between the two?

 

[Timbuck]

Ah! This raises the question, Ebony or bone? What are the noticeable sound differences between the two?

On the nut it makes no difference for an obvious reason unless you play open strings all the time ie: "my dogs got fleas" and no chords. as for saddles thats different.

 

[EDW]

The main thing I noticed when I started copying these vintage Martins was that there were no sharp edges or corners anywhere on the instrument and this makes them very comfy and smooth to handle ... sadly the modern ones don't have this.

Yes, it is so nice that the old Martins are very comfortable in that respect. The new ones have sharp edges on the nut. I had an OX at one point and I rounded the edges slightly with a little sandpaper, so it was much more comfortable to play. It is one of those things that would not take the manufactures that much time, but makes a real difference in the feel.

 

[hendulele]

Yes, it is so nice that the old Martins are very comfortable in that respect. The new ones have sharp edges on the nut. I had an OX at one point and I rounded the edges slightly with a little sandpaper, so it was much more comfortable to play. It is one of those things that would not take the manufactures that much time, but makes a real difference in the feel.

Same here. The nut edges were annoying to negotiate.

 

[EarthSea]

On the nut it makes no difference for an obvious reason unless you play open strings all the time ie: "my dogs got fleas" and no chords. as for saddles thats different.

Yes of course, how silly of me. In saying that, why wood then? After many hours put into making the instrument I’m interested in the pro’s and con’s of wood and bone, I’m thinking you choose wood because you are making a replica.
Open strings are played where the nut is competing with the metal fret ie playing the chord F, here you have two metal frets and two wood or bone frets.
My 80 year old Royal Hawaiian solid koa uke has a wooden nut, I’m assuming it’s ebony, but interestingly it’s not glued into place and easily removed when replacing strings. I just hate the peg tuners and thinking of changing them.

 

[Timbuck]

I've made a video of the process so I've put iit on a separate thread. title "fitting an Ebony nut video"