Members Clonexx Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 So you may have seen my story about getting a used MIM Strat and having the nut crack when I was tuning up the 6th string. Username "Nevermind" was really awesome and was nice enough to send me 2 replacement nuts made for MIM Strats. I got them today, but they are a little too fat to fit in the slot at all, so I would think that it needs to be sanded down a little. I was wondering a few things also.. 1) What grade sandpaper should I use to sand down the nut so it fits? 2) Whats the best way to install it? Put glue in the nut slot, then slide it in from the side or Push it down from the top while tapping it lightly? 3) The grooves for the strings seem kinda shallow. Are they supposed to be that way or do I also need to get a small file and make the grooves deeper so the strings fit in them all the way? I'm not sure if the old one was like that because it had a lot of wear, or if that's just the way they are supposed to be. Thanks for all your help guys, I should have it repaired and working tomorrow if I get some advice and can pick up the stuff I need. Thanks again for taking the time to read and help if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsupermanny14 Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 $50 bucks at a tech shop including the cost of a nice graphtech nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whiteop Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 get a tech to do it. I did so there wasn't any guesswork but make sure they are real luthiers with a lot of experience. Every Guitar Center knows several. A luthier I used charged me just $40 to replace the nut. He put one of the new Tusq nuts in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrfan Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 I assume he sent you a preslotted Tusq nut.Yes they are a little wide so position the nut to get your string spacing to the fretboard edges correct and sand off the excess.You want a snug fit in the slot but not tight.Too tight and wood can break or split when you install it.Installation from the top is probably best.220 grit should be fine to do your sanding.A small amount of titebond would glue to hold it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 I assume he sent you a preslotted Tusq nut.Yes they are a little wide so position the nut to get your string spacing to the fretboard edges correct and sand off the excess.You want a snug fit in the slot but not tight.Too tight and wood can break or split when you install it.Installation from the top is probably best.220 grit should be fine to do your sanding.A small amount of titebond would glue to hold it in. ^^^^This,......{censored} shelling out 40-50 bucks to have a nut fitted, may as well pay to have someone hold your cock while you piss:facepalm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ouzhewen Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 I would agree, get a tech to do it.. Support your local luthiers, they need it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 I would agree, get a tech to do it.. Support your local luthiers, they need it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrfan Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 may as well pay to have someone hold your cock while you piss:facepalm: Damn RC, a little harsh but yeah I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 If you are good at working with your hands, and are confident in your abilities...and want to learn. Try it yourself. If none of the above...get a tech to do it. A nut isn't the easiest thing to get correct the first time. They can be a pain...since there is so much personal fitting that needs to be done, as you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ouzhewen Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 Not being cynical here dude.. We used to have two luthiers nearby (10 minute walk from my office, but they could not get the business and had to close their doors) and now I have to drive almost 150 miles to get to the nearest one.. If you know how to do it, fine, if not, luthiers are here for a reason... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 Not being cynical here dude.. We used to have two luthiers nearby (10 minute walk from my office, but they could not get the business and had to close their doors) and now I have to drive almost 150 miles to get to the nearest one.. If you know how to do it, fine, if not, luthiers are here for a reason... Every guitarist imo should be able to do some basic work on their guitars, and the two most basic jobs should be swapping out strings and precut nuts, if it's a LP or a vintage instrument or the nut size is non standard, or a non standard material is required then fair enough, apply for assistance. Otherwise you can find out a lot about your guitar by carrying out these most basic of task. If somebody has absolutely no confidence to touch their guitars at all, the Golden or Yellow Pages is the place to find their nearest tech....and there is a difference between a tech and a luthier. There are plenty of people about who can carry out basic tasks and they shouldn't be charging $50 to swap out a nut unless they're wearing a black n white striped top and a mask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 Every guitarist imo should be able to do some basic work on their guitars, and the two most basic jobs should be swapping out strings and precut nuts I agree that every guitarist should be able to do some basic work on their guitars, but I don't think that nut work is really basic work. Changing strings, doing a setup, things like that are basic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blingdogg Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 I gotta agree with guitargod0dmw on this. I agree that every guitarist should be able to do some basic work on their guitars, but I don't think that nut work is really basic work. Changing strings, doing a setup, things like that are basic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 I gotta agree with guitargod0dmw on this. A "setup" should include nut work, if the nut is wrong how can you do a setup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 A "setup" should include nut work, if the nut is wrong how can you do a setup? Usually here, nut work is separate from a setup. A setup would be to adjust the truss rod, set the string height, set the intonation, make sure the trem works the way you want it to... When you pay for a setup here, that's the work that is performed. If the nut is wrong and you want the tech to fix it, you pay extra. Usually about $75 extra.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 If the nut is wrong and you want the tech to fix it, you pay extra. Usually about $75 extra.. Fitting a nut is $75? And people pay that for such a basic task? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 Fitting a nut is $75?And people pay that for such a basic task? It varies depending on the tech, but yes. It's probably between like $45-$90...so I was just saying in general. And yes... Keep in mind you're not the "norm" when it comes to most guitarists and their equipment...you do a lot of work on your own, just like me. Most people can't do that kind of work...they end up causing more harm than good. Usually they'll either cut the slots too deep or make them too wide... They just aren't good at working with their hands. There is a guy that I work with that can't even hold a freaking screwdriver, yet he plays a few instruments and owns a studio on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 Usually they'll either cut the slots too deep or make them too wide.... That's why I was differentiating between precut nuts and the rest. Graphtechs precuts should cover Amer Series, America Std's and MIMs without modding the slots. At worst they'll require lowering, ie removal of material from the base of the nut or the width, removal of material from the face. This was the OPs original enquiry, who seemed quite confident to remove the material in question and merely needed to know the grade of abrasive to use. I quite understnd that if it comes to non standard nuts or materials then owners may want to pay to have a nut cut, but still, at $75 a time they would do better to gave a go. Man, do these guys who charge that much have to go on an offenders register at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 I started doing my own work when I had a bone nut installed on one of my guitars and it was virtually unplayable because the nut was cut improperly. Installing a pre-slotted tusq nut is one of the easiest jobs you will ever do on your guitar, just sand the sides and the base to fit and you're done. If you fudge it up as in too high on one side, hobby files can be had for about $15 at any hobby store. If you fudge it up with a slot that is too deep (open string buzz), a little dab of super glue gel and refile to fit. Wala, easy as pie and definitely easier or at least less troublesome than changing out pickups - I mean singe the wrong wires in your control cavity and you're toast.:poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 I started doing my own work when I had a bone nut installed on one of my guitars and it was virtually unplayable because the nut was cut improperly. Installing a pre-slotted tusq nut is one of the easiest jobs you will ever do on your guitar, just sand the sides and the base to fit and you're done. If you fudge it up as in too high on one side, hobby files can be had for about $15 at any hobby store. If you fudge it up with a slot that is too deep (open string buzz), a little dab of super glue gel and refile to fit. Wala, easy as pie and definitely easier or at least less troublesome than changing out pickups - I mean singe the wrong wires in your control cavity and you're toast.:poke: Yup:thu: More people need to realise that this work is about as easy as you can get, and to be honest is easier than a truss rod adjust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shenaniganizer Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hey, now that we're on the subject of precut nuts, which nut do you think would fit on my Peavey Raptor's neck? I guess it would count as an import strat copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sleepeatplay Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 My curiousity is aroused here, I'm wondering about the pre-cuts myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrfan Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 nut work is separate from a setup. Sorry but, wrong.A properly adjusted nut is very important in a setup.It determines your action and intonation in the first positions.I also agree with RC that there is a big difference between a tech and a luthier.Some so called techs I wouldn't let change strings.Installing a precut nut isn't the same as making one totally from scratch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted February 3, 2009 Moderators Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hey, now that we're on the subject of precut nuts, which nut do you think would fit on my Peavey Raptor's neck? I guess it would count as an import strat copy. Measure the current nut, stock Graphtechs will suit 42/43mm widths. Details: http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?SubCategoryID=4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted February 3, 2009 Members Share Posted February 3, 2009 Sorry but, wrong.A properly adjusted nut is very important in a setup.It determines your action and intonation in the first positions. I never said it wasn't important to a setup. I said it's generally a separate cost from a setup. In NYC and the surrounding tri state area, when you pay for a setup, say between $45-and $80, nut work is not included in that cost. They might evaluate the nut and tell you that it needs work, but they're going to charge you more money to do that work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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