In order to try to put the question to rest, I popped a short email to customer support to see if an answer was available. I'll post up any information they can provide.

Honestly, when examining the nut of my Strat, it does look like bone and has been hand shaped and cut for strings. The string cuts look way too sharp on the edges to be a molded plastic nut. Maybe that's just wishful thinking getting the better of my uneducated eye.

_________________
You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.

Theres nothing pre-shaped about the string slots on any nut. That honestly is one area of the guitar you just have to 'use the force' when setting.

Any kind of measurment in that area is a guideline at best.

As it happens I cut a new bone nut for one of my herd, in the week. I also have some plastic preslotted things knocking around. I'll shape that for you tomorrow, spot the difference.

K?

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No no and no

OK! I can only try. I did say "uneducated" eye y'know.

_________________
You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.

Alrighty! I wrote to customer support... and Mr Krause was kind enough to answer my inquiry which was as follows:

From: Ron Austin
Posted At: Saturday, May 22, 2010 5:57 AM
Posted To: Follow Up
Conversation: bone nuts
Subject: bone nuts

We have a thread going right now on the Fender Forums and in it there has been raised the question about Fender using real bone to make the nuts for various models of Stratocaster guitars. I did a little research into the available .pdf parts lists and noted that many of the Strats list a "bone nut". Our question is this... does the term bone nut as described in these parts listings actually define the nuts as made from real bone, or is it meaning that they are made from an equivalent material? Inquiring minds wish to know.

Here is an url to one example I picked since I have a Powerhouse Stratocaster ~~> http://support.fender.com/diagrams/stra ... 02APg3.pdf Ref #3, Part # 0083675000

Thanks in advance for helping with this question.

Scincerely,

Ron Austin a.k.a. VT BlackStrat

And the response:

Hello Ron,

Thanks for writing in. There are actually several different materials that we’ve used. On the Standards and American Vintage we use a compound called Melamine; a lot of other models use a nut made of Micarta. The new American Deluxe basses do use a bone nut, as well as various Custom Shop models. (Of course, when ordering a Custom Shop guitar, you can have them make the nut out of anything you want.) All of these materials have such similar sonic characteristics, that you really have to have a good set of ears, like Eric Johnson’s, to tell them apart. I hope this will help you out.

Best Regards,

Jeff Krause

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
Consumer Relations Department
8860 E. Chaparral Rd. Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
480-596-7195
consumerrelations@fender.com

_________________
You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.