Fossilized Mammoth Ivory

[ronin]

Years ago I had a guitar built. I purchased fossilized mammoth ivory out of which luthier fashioned the nut and saddle. Sounded fabulous.

Wondering if anyone has had this done with a mando nut? Results?

[Marty Jacobson]

My wife used to work with mammoth ivory, I have some lying around. It works fine, and is a great way to use small pieces. If I thought I'd get tremendous results by using it, I'd use it, but I don't think you'll hear a dramatic change in tone if the existing nut and saddle are already appropriate materials and correctly made.

[George R. Lane]

I had one on my old Weber Gallatin (Cedar/Maple) and it sounded nice. My friend who bought still has it on.

[Lane Pryce]

What Marty said. I've tried it. Seems like it wasn't any different than bone. Or not as bright as bone. Hard to beat bone or mother of pearl. Lp

[Marty Jacobson]

My favorite nut material is garolite (Richlite/phenolic). It can't crack, and I get it in a graphite loaded black which is self-lubricating for eternity and also has a nice violin-like aesthetic.

[Jeff Hildreth]

Cannot resist...
Fossils are rocks...
Fossilized mammoth ivory is old mottle colored tusks..not rocks and not fossils.

I've used it and find no appreciable difference over yesterday's cow bone.

[liestman]

Fossils may be rocks if they are casts of organisms or, like mammoth ivory, they may be any other preserved remains of organisms from the remote past.

Mammoth ivory would definitely not be self lubricating. I think I would stick with cow bone.

[mrmando]

I have a nice bridge saddle made of mammoth ivory on one of my mandolins. But no nuts.

[mtucker]

pearl. my two cents

[MontanaMatt]

I have a new Ratliff mando with a mammoth tusk nut, so far I love it. I've alway twisted on graphite off a sharpened pencil with every string change, at the bridge too. With the mottled look of the fossil, you don't notice the graphite stain like with bone.

[ronin]

I've also seen deer antler. Anyone tried that?

[ronin]

Marty, curious have you tried it?

[jhowell]

I've also seen deer antler. Anyone tried that?

My personal experience with deer and elk antler in guitar world is that they are both too porous and soft. Got a couple of nice nuts from the femur of an old bull elk that a friend harvested. I ended up getting a grip of unbleached bone from Asia...most likely water buffalo femur -- it was really consistent for density.

[Dave Hanson]

I have a new Ratliff mando with a mammoth tusk nut, so far I love it. I've alway twisted on graphite off a sharpened pencil with every string change, at the bridge too. With the mottled look of the fossil, you don't notice the graphite stain like with bone.

The trouble with graphite from a pencil lead is that it is made from graphite and clay.

Dave H

Dave H

[amowry]

I've used fossil walrus ivory, which I'd guess is similar. Sounds like bone to me

[MontanaMatt]

The trouble with graphite from a pencil lead is that it is made from graphite and clay.

Dave H

Dave H

Didn't know that...is there a better alternative? I guess I'll check local stores for powdered graphite...anyone use Stew Mac nut grease?

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Marty Jacobson - "....and also has a nice violin-like aesthetic.". I agree. I really like black nuts ( no comments folks !!). They seem to start the fingerboard off right. A black nut along with my favourite fingerboard inlay - none,would be my choice in a custom instrument - understated & elegant,a bit like me !,
Ivan

[Bertram Henze]

Didn't know that...is there a better alternative? I guess I'll check local stores for powdered graphite...anyone use Stew Mac nut grease?

BigBends Nut Sauce all the way.

[William Smith]

No offense but when I started out on mandolin 25 some odd years ago, I'd break strings and I used pencil lead, still broke strings, I find if you have a proper setup you shouldn't break strings-I don't remember the last string I broke, maybe 10 years ago? I like pearl for nut and I guess if you wanted a more treble sound use bone/ivory/aluminum for the saddle?

[Mandoplumb]

The trouble with graphite from a pencil lead is that it is made from graphite and clay Dave H

Not trying to be an a## but why is that a problem, doesn't it still lubricate. I've used it in the past and it seems to. I agree with another post, if a nut and bridge are cut properly. It's not needed.

[rfd]

any relatively hard material will make for a nice nut for any string instrument. spending a lotta dollars on "special bone or antler or tooth or horn" is a waste of money, imho. i prefer bone that hasn't been bleached, which makes it brittle. asiatic ox bone is a fave of mine due to it's inherent shades of amber. for those wanting white bone, which normally requires bleaching, i use australian camel bone - it has a nice ivory color and is reasonably dense. for folks wanting a black nut i use water buffalo horn. no matter what, don't dismiss corian counter top plastic - it's incredibly dense, makes for a great nut, and is available in every color imaginable.

[Nevin]

Fossils may be rocks if they are casts of organisms or, like mammoth ivory, they may be any other preserved remains of organisms from the remote past.

Mammoth ivory would definitely not be self lubricating. I think I would stick with cow bone.

Its not often I can cast myself as a real expert here as I am a mediocre mandolinist at best but on this one I can. I am a geologist by academic training and worked as one for over twenty-five years. Fossils are rocks. Either (as stated above) casts of materials or materials that have been preserved by having their original material replaced by minerals, usualy silica or calcium/magnesium carbonate. Neither would be suitable for making a nut. What is beings sold as fossilized mammoth ivory is either overpirced bone or an attempt to legitimize illegal elephant ivory.

[Marty Jacobson]

What is beings sold as fossilized mammoth ivory is either overpirced bone or an attempt to legitimize illegal elephant ivory.

I think the real problem is an imprecise use of the word "fossilized".

[fatt-dad]

Fellow geologist here. . .

Yeah, if fossils from quartz are all good, then just use quartz. I doubt fossils from calcite would be any good.

Now a malachite nut? That'd be cool!

I'm much more interested in getting the slots right.

Nice to know there are fellow geologists playing the mandolin. We are a small group, eh?

f-d

[Marty Jacobson]

Now a malachite nut? That'd be cool!

I have some malachite and turquoise here that would be awesome... but nobody has wanted that much bling so far. :-)