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Nut lubicant - what do you use?


ido1957

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What are you using to lubricate your guitar nut? I've been using cork grease for years. It's like a Lypsil tube so it's small handy and keeps my strings from binding.

I've seen a lot of comments about shaving pencil lead and Vaseline. That works well form what I've heard.

 

What a bout filing your nut. Are you filing the sides to widen rhe slot?

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No grease or anything else. Each guitar has nut slots carefully filed for the gauge strings that it uses - I tend to file them one or two thousands over the string size (or just the next size file). Don't make the slot too deep - the wound strings should stand slightly proud of the top (if the slots are too deep take a little off the top). There are cheaper alternatives but a good set of gauged nut files makes the job a snap. I also roll the back side of the slot where the string exits towards the tuner and polish it on a buffing wheel with jewlers rouge. StewMac is a great source for tools.

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I used to be pretty anal but then had a lapse in QC and decided "eh, I'll just use pencil lead." Works well if used judiciously, and the dirtbagginess suits my punk side. For filing, I did worse: I use strings to sort of whittle/shave the nut grooves. It's slow, but works well for me. The key is to not overdo it.

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I have read a lot of people buy their tools from Stew Mac - sounds like a good place to check out.

It's a good place but it's also an expensive place. Check on eBay. For lubricant, when needed--which is rare--I use powdered graphite. A harder nut works wonders; binding is caused by the winding of the string digging into the surface of the nut. Try TUSQ, bone, brass, etc. I solved the problem of the G string binding on my "good" acoustic by accident by changing strings from phosphor bronze to 80/20. I have no clue how or why it works but I recommend changing strings to anyone who has the problem.

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Nothing' date=' strings stick because of mechanical shape not need for lube.[/quote']

Strings stick because of friction unless they're flatwounds. Lubricant reduces friction. Granted, it's better to remove the cause of friction (i.e., a nut that's too soft or cut improperly) but sometimes you can't do that and lubricant is a necessary evil.

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A well cut nut means no requirement for lubricant if any kind' date=' on either static tails or vibratos, solve the issue not the symptom[/quote']

I use a small amount of lube only as a precaution, not because of any particular issue.

So I guess you could call it a suprstition.

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A well cut nut means no requirement for lubricant if any kind . . .

Not quite. If the nut is made of a material that's too soft, there's still the possibility of the string windings digging into it. You can solve the problem with lubricant, different strings, or a harder nut, but simply cutting the slots properly won't necessarily eliminate the problem by itself.

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