The problem with Bone and Ivory nuts & saddles is that they are organic materials. This therefore means they will have inconsistent soft or dead spots because of their natural grain. TUSQ nuts, saddles and bridge pins are precision engineered under high pressure and heat, specifically to govern which frequencies are transferred to your guitar top (tone), and which frequencies remain in the strings (sustain). And guitar makers and players agree - acoustic guitars do come alive with TUSQ man-made ivory. These nuts & saddles are simply more efficient at transferring vibrations to your guitar top, resulting in big open lows and clear bell like highs. They also significantly increase your instrument's harmonic content and harmonic sustain. Increased harmonics equals more richness and character. Its the difference between a four piece choir and a twelve piece choir singing every time your play a note. Each TUSQ part is consistent from piece to piece, and within each piece, to offer you harmonically rich tones without the problems associated with natural materials. Bob Taylor, President Taylor Guitars - "TUSQ nuts and saddles have improved the sustain and clarity on all our guitars. We are using them on all our models." You can view GraphTech's full range of brands and products HERE