Reviewed By: Jac Harrison
Purchased from: Manufacturer
Street Price:
Nut $13.65 USD
Saddle $39.95 USD
About:
Tusq Nut & Saddle Upgrade.
Tusq
by Graphtech Guitar Labs is a synthetic alternative to animal bone used
on stringed instruments at the points where the strings touch the
instrument.
Installation:
Replacing
the nut or saddle on a stringed instrument can get tricky, so if you
don't know how to setup a guitar have your local luthier do it for you.
Guitar: Carved Sitka spruce top
Solid Indian Rosewood back and sides
3 piece maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard
2 way truss rod
Bigsby tremolo
*This guitar does not have a floating bridge. It is a standard "Tune-O-Matic" Nashville bridge. The guitar is a hollow body with a small block mounted under the bridge for added sustain.
This guitar (her name is Candy) has always had the Tusq products on her, as do all of my stringed instruments. So for this review I installed the typical Allparts nut and nickel saddles that you will find on most stock guitars that sell for less than $1,000 USD.
Sound
Amp:
Vox Pathfinder 15r
Cable:
Mogami
Impression:
There
is a night and day difference between your stock string point of
contact materiel and a verity of upgrades that are available. There are
many different types of materials that you can use to brighten your
sound, increase sustain, string voicing, volume, and longevity of
your strings. I have used them all from animal bone, plastic,
fiberglass, glass, wood, brass, horn, etc. By far animal bone is the
best natural material in my opinion, but with bone you have
inconsistencies that compromise your tone and sustain. With the Tusq products
I have found that you get everything that an animal bone product
offers, without the inconsistency. I also find the Tusq product easier
to work with.
The Sound Difference
Sustain
Stock nut and saddle - 8.9 seconds
Tusq nut and saddle - 13.4 seconds
Tone
Stock nut and saddle - flat almost dead
Tusq nut and saddle - rich with bell like qualities
Life of Strings (DR Pure Blues 11's)
Stock nut and saddle - 4 weeks of average play
Tusq nut and saddle - 7 weeks of average play
My advice:
I use Tusq product on every stringed instrument I own. If
you are happy with your guitar but want to make her sing clearer,
louder, and hold those notes just a little longer; replace the points where your strings contact your instrument with Tusq.
Contact:
Graph Tech Guitar Labs
#5-7551 Vantage Way
Delta, B.C. Canada
V4G 1C9
1-604-940-5353
