Earvana or Graptech

[Guitarmattms]

Hey Guys. I have a Washburn stratocaster with a bad nut... So, I'm thinking about upgrading the nut to something along the lines of an Earvana or a Graphtech. I never had any experience with these but I hear good things about though and I understand that ESp uses Earvana on some of their guitars.

[teokiatuan]

Originally Posted by Guitarmattms

I understand that ESp uses Earvana on some of their guitars.

ebmm too.

they're two different things aren't they?

Graphtech claims to prevent string breakage
Earvana claims to better intonation

i can tell you Earvana does work.
not sure bout Graphtech, never tried those before.

[jim777]

I have an Earvana nut on my Strat, and it's cool. You can only really hear a difference on the first 4 or 5 frets, but it's a nice, noticeable difference.

[buddroyce]

Even though they are both nuts, they're not exactly the same type of thing. If you were to go with the Graphtech nut I would go with the TUSQ/Black TUSQ nut for the tonal improvement. The Earvana is a great little product that does improve the intonation on the first few frets but really don't do all that much further up (I honestly believe the Buzz Feiten system is beter but the Earvana stuff is a lot cheaper). If you can hear how off your intonation is when playing chords on the first few frets then go for the Earvana. If you can't hear any dissonant overtones then go for the graphtech stuff.

Just my $0.02

[Robstar]

Earvana is coming out with a locking nut version (soon I hope). i had not heard of Graphtec an will check them out.
I wanted to try The Buzz F system but the price is a little much for me and i hear you have to use the same gage of strings after the set up.
I play a little R&B with my ibanez(rg550) and sometimes i do hear weird things happening when playing big chords. Or maybe its just me and my humble skills. LOL

[AxeHappy]

Originally Posted by buddroyce

Even though they are both nuts, they're not exactly the same type of thing. If you were to go with the Graphtech nut I would go with the TUSQ/Black TUSQ nut for the tonal improvement. The Earvana is a great little product that does improve the intonation on the first few frets but really don't do all that much further up (I honestly believe the Buzz Feiten system is beter but the Earvana stuff is a lot cheaper). If you can hear how off your intonation is when playing chords on the first few frets then go for the Earvana. If you can't hear any dissonant overtones then go for the graphtech stuff.

Just my $0.02

+1.

They do different things. If you hear poor intonation than get the Earvana (I just tune my G string a little sharp for some of the same effect).

If you feel you break string too often or need more sustain, get the Graphtech. It's also supposed to improve tone but I don't like when companies just say that.

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by jim777

I have an Earvana nut on my Strat, and it's cool. You can only really hear a difference on the first 4 or 5 frets, but it's a nice, noticeable difference.

did you put that over a locking nut? Did it work well, if you did? I block my RG's trem and I don't use the locking nut, I wonder if I could do this.

[jim777]

No, that's a regular vintage trem Model 1 neck. No locking nut was ever on it.

[kotornut]

Originally Posted by jim777

No, that's a regular vintage trem Model 1 neck. No locking nut was ever on it.

Dang it!!!! Oh well, maybe they'll actually come out with the locking type earvana soon.

[Gemini Guitars]

They DO produce the locking nut version now. It is a drop-in retrofit for an R3 (1 11/16") nut, and comes with hardware to top or bottom mount it.

I have been a partner with Earvana for 2 years now, and couldn't be happier with the product. Bear in mind that I do not receive money or discounts for endorsing them--I came to my conclusions by trying out the nut and loving the results. I have put them on all my non-Floyds, and one day may have to try the new locking nut on my RGs.

<personal opinion>
The comparison with BFTS is a bit lopsided in my view. I have tried BFTS-equipped guitars, and read many reviews, and I will say this much about the Buzz Feiten Tuning System: It has become a cult. It was an interesting idea, but the execution leaves a bit to be desired. Installation requires cutting back the fretboard and drinking lots of Kool-Aid. The results are a moderate improvement in intonation consistency, but nowhere near the hype.

The real bonus of the BFTS is its snobbery. At the risk of pissing off the Fender fans out there, I will compare BFTS to Fender.

Fender makes low-quality guitars by DESIGN. Leo designed the Tele and Strat around existing lumber dimensions and easy repeatability in construction (good BUSINESS decision--did nothing for instrument quality). After the templates were made, an 8-year-old with ADHD could run the assembly line. The "Fender Synchronized Tremelo" was innovative in 1954. And the single coil pickups produced sound. But once Seth Lover invented the humbucker, and Floyd Rose took trem operation to a new level, Fenders were COMPLETELY obsolete and inferior. So the Fender-lovers dug in. They defend Fenders based on the most ridiculous criteria, and try to convince others to love the terrible sounds they make, by promoting them as BETTER. "Come on, man...what sounds better than an awesome vintage 50's Strat neck pickup?" "Everything else. Like a parts-bin 80's BC Rich NJ humbucker." (actual conversation) To be fair, the guy hated Ibanez, so he may have been mentally challenged. Those sour grapes taste bad.

Or to put it another way: once Ibanez invented the RG570--the ultimate optimization of the Fender Stratocaster, improved in every possible way--why do they still make Fender Stratocasters? Because Jimi Hendrix played one.

The point is that I believe that BFTS is inferior to Earvana in every way (component cost, installation cost, permanent instrument modification, tuning setup, and performance), but the BFTS fans just dig in. The Earvana nut is a better product, and BFTS is obsolete, but its adherents refuse to allow it.

</personal opinion>

In response to the earlier posts regarding string breakage:
The Earvana nut is composed of a proprietary material that mimics the best qualities of bone and graphite. I have never broken a string at the nut (3 years of playing on it), tone is good, and the grooves are slippery. Earvana>GraphTech.

[DEADTUNES666]

I think Segovia played without the aid of either one, so I'd say the Graphtech one would do just fine...

[Gemini Guitars]

Segovia also played gut (nylon today) strings, which have very different stretch and intonation characteristics.

[fwd0120]

I like the Black tusq grapthech stuff. although I have no experience with earvana. But Graphtech has been consistently helpful, and i find it very easy to sculpt (in a good way) I think they offer more products across the board, if you like the continuity of having it at the string trees, nut, saddles etc.