Tusq

A synthetic ivory substitute of polymer and mineral filler, sold as pre-shaped nut and saddle blanks.

Tusq is a manufactured material rather than a wood or a metal: a polymer loaded with mineral filler, supplied in blanks shaped closely enough to the finished part that a repairer can fit one with files and sandpaper in minutes. It is designed to imitate ivory's combination of hardness and lubrication, and it is consistent from piece to piece in a way natural bone is not. It is commonly described as sounding slightly brighter and more even than bone, with clearer separation between open strings, and as improving tuning stability on tremolo guitars because the material is smooth and self-lubricating. It is cheap and plentiful, but it reshapes less freely than bone and wears faster under friction.

Example: A drop-in Tusq nut often cures the pinging and tuning drift of a tremolo guitar, because the slots are smoother and the material lubricates itself.

typical use: Nuts and saddles, and as a drop-in replacement on factory instruments.

Tusq

See also