PRS SE Tremonti Replacement Nut

[OperatorAce]

What would you PRS enthusiasts suggest for a new nut? I thought about using a Tusq nut, hoever, I'm not sure which one to get.

 

[andy474x]

The black Tusq XL worked great on my SE CU24

 

[OperatorAce]

Out of these here, would the drop in Epiphone/Gibson nuts work?

http://www.graphtech.com/products/brands/tusq-xl/tusq-xl-guitar-nuts

 

[OperatorAce]

Any help with this would be appreciated!

 

[gball]

PRS Nut?

http://www.prsaccessories.com/collections/parts/products/string-nuts-set-of-2

 

[OperatorAce]

Will those fit the SE guitars correctly? The current Tremonti SEs are Wide fat, however my SE is pre-lawsuit and I'm not sure it's the same.

 

[OperatorAce]

Haha they have SE nuts in that store. Found it!

http://www.prsaccessories.com/collections/se-parts/products/se-string-nut

Question though: which nut would sound better for blues/hard rock: the tusq nuts, or the PRS SE nut?

 

[László]

Here's a link to Paul explaining nut materials on the PRS site (hmm...more on the site than you may have surmised at first!); scroll down the page and you'll find it:

http://www.prsguitars.com/blog/category/rules_of_tone

Paul thinks PRS' nut material sounds pretty good.

 

[OperatorAce]

Of course he does, but he is a salesman. I'd rather hear from PRS users than the guy that makes them.

Also, nut material on the US made guitars =/= Korean ones.

That video really doesn't have much substance as to why their nuts are better.

 

[Rider1260]

I had an early SE Tremonti replaced the nut with a USA PRS nut I found it better than the white one that came on the guitar ( Cut Better ) I just had to do a minor smoothing on the edges to make it 100% to my liking

 

[OperatorAce]

Thanks for the info - did you go with the normal USA Wide fat nut?

 

[RavensDave]

Thanks for the info - did you go with the normal USA Wide fat nut?

I believe the USA Tremonti takes the Wide Fat/Thin nut and not the Regular, but I want to confirm before ordering for my Tremonti SE Custom.

 

[garrett]

The correct answer is always bone.

 

[shinksma]

The SE Tremonti (current year model) has a Wide-Fat neck, so I assume so did yours from 2003. The USA PRS Wide-Fat nut should be a drop-in replacement.

 

[mad monk]

I just replaced the nut on a Tremonti with a bone nut. If you can slot and trim them yourself, it's always the way to go. ANY replacement nut, even though it may claim to be a drop in, needs to be "touched up".

 

[blaren]

I'll ask it again. WHY do you want a new nut? Is the stock one binding and causing tuning issues? If so, thats what nutfiles can be used for.
As for any tonal difference...the second you fret a string the nut id out of the equation. Nuts dont make tone. Maybe on the open strings...slightly...but yeah...
It's a popular misconception that all SE PRS guitars need a new nut or that a nut is going to improve your tone. It wont.

 

[RavensDave]

I'll ask it again. WHY do you want a new nut? Is the stock one binding and causing tuning issues? If so, thats what nutfiles can be used for.
As for any tonal difference...the second you fret a string the nut id out of the equation. Nuts dont make tone. Maybe on the open strings...slightly...but yeah...
It's a popular misconception that all SE PRS guitars need a new nut or that a nut is going to improve your tone. It wont.

I realize you weren't asking me, but since I think this will add to the discussion, I'll answer anyway.

My Tremonti SE Custom came with 9s which are just too light for what I'm playing. The online consensus (which I realize should always be taken with a grain of salt) is that even 10s have been known to cause issues. Not being experienced with filing a guitar nut and wanting to run 10/52s, I figured I'd take it in to a luthier to let him upgrade me to the USA PRS nut.

If you think it's worth me giving it a go on my own with filing or even trying the 10/52s, I'd love to try - I just haven't read many reports on this forum of the heavier strings working out.

 

[Ovibos]

I had the same issue with binding on the 10s in my SECU24. Had the USA Wide-Thin installed; it needed to be filed down for height, but not much slotting work. Oddly, the G in my USA nut is slotted really deep - not sure if that's an issue yet.

One thing to note is that it's not as deep as the SE nut, so there will be a little space between the nut and the trussrod cover (which can swing around a bit unless you tighten it up or put some felt/adhesive on it). You'll also want to take a black marker to the pocket before putting the nut in as there'll be a little bit of unfinished neck peeking there.

 

[shinksma]

I realize you weren't asking me, but since I think this will add to the discussion, I'll answer anyway.

My Tremonti SE Custom came with 9s which are just too light for what I'm playing. The online consensus (which I realize should always be taken with a grain of salt) is that even 10s have been known to cause issues. Not being experienced with filing a guitar nut and wanting to run 10/52s, I figured I'd take it in to a luthier to let him upgrade me to the USA PRS nut.

If you think it's worth me giving it a go on my own with filing or even trying the 10/52s, I'd love to try - I just haven't read many reports on this forum of the heavier strings working out.

I have 10s on my SE ZM and SE-7-string, and maybe on my Akerfeldt. By using some nut-sauce, mostly needed on the G-string eek, the strings have been just fine with the stock nuts. So YMMV...

 

[Coldvisions34]

The Graphtech TUSQ black XL's are always solid way to go... that being said the SE nuts are slotted for 9's and maybe even 10's on some and for the most part do a good a job if you are using 46-10's and lower. If your playing in lower tunings and require bigger strings than its definitely worthwhile changing out the stock nut on them. Graphtech nuts do a great job... self-lubricating and have some really good sustain when slotted right for the strings. My personal preference is a custom bone nut. Ive got them on 2 Mushok baritones and a Tremonti custom... strings ring and sustain for days and are VASTLY improved over the stock nuts, not even a cloase. Only downside is you have to slot them yourself.