If it didn't have string trees (and at least as first glance I don't see the holes) it may have had staggered tuning post machine heads, where the posts and their string holes are different heights so that string trees are not needed. As mentioned above, you can add the string trees easily if the tuners were swapped out.
I have used similar nuts, and they should work well, but yes, they need enough downward tension on the strings as they run over them, just like any other nut. I don't think you can drop in a regular nut as the width/location for the roller nut is slightly different. I don't think it's worth the trouble to swap it out with bone. It's an electric guitar, so the acoustic open string element is not a bit part of the tone.
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Creator of The Parlando Project
Guitars: 20th Century Seagull S6-12, S6 Folk, Seagull M6; '00 Guild JF30-12, '01 Martin 00-15, '16 Martin 000-17, '07 Parkwood PW510, Epiphone Biscuit resonator, Merlin Dulcimer, and various electric guitars, basses....
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