How to find the right Acoustic & Classical Guitar Nuts AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Acoustic & Classical Guitar Nuts
- Width
- Match the nut width exactly. Steel-string nuts are commonly around 1-11/16 in or 1-3/4 in; classical nuts are commonly around 52 mm. Even a small width mismatch leaves overhang or shifts the outer strings toward the fretboard edge.
- Thickness and length
- Match slot thickness and length, and note whether the base is flat or shaped for a radiused board. A loose nut buzzes and moves, and a curved bottom cannot sit in a flat-bottomed slot.
- Slotted vs blank
- Pre-slotted nuts must match your string spacing. Blanks need nut files and correct slot depth. Slot depth controls first-fret action and buzzing.
- Material
- Use bone, TUSQ, NuBone or Micarta rather than soft molded plastic. Hard materials improve sustain and keep strings from wearing deep grooves.
Brands that matter
- Graph Tech: TUSQ and NuBone nuts in pre-shaped sizes for many guitar makers.
- Bob Colosi: Bone blanks and pre-shaped bone nuts.
- StewMac: Bone blanks and nut files.
What to avoid
- Cutting slots without proper nut files
- Bleached bone if you prefer unbleached, which is often denser
- Ordering by guitar brand alone without measuring
Questions
Bone or TUSQ?
Both are good. TUSQ is uniform and consistent, while bone varies piece to piece and suits players who prefer a traditional material.