Members DarkHorseJ27 Posted August 13, 2009 Members Share Posted August 13, 2009 Today I swapped out the Tusq nut for a bone one. It was easier than I thought. I got the nuts from the guy mentioned in this post: http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2394818 When I was out doing errands I picked up and exacto knife and elmer's glue from Wal-Mart and some arc welder tip cleaners from the local hardware store. The nuts had the string grooves pre-cut, but as is they wouldn't hold any string. I think the person that made the nuts did that so the person who buys its doesn't have to figure out where the put the groove and so the can file it to fit any guage string they want. The tip cleaners did a decent job of filing them down. I used my feeler guage to figure out what tip cleaner to use on each nut slot. I made a score with the exacto knife behind the nut, loosened the strings, put a small board on the fretboard up against the nut, and one light tap with the hammer and it came loose. There no old glue underneath (it all came out with the nut), so I applied my own glue. I used 3 parts water one part elmer's glue. I put on bone nut in place and pressed it into position. While holding the nut in place I but the string in the slots and tuned them to pitch. The nut is staying in place, and no fret buzz. Got the action a good bit lower at the nut too. The part that took the longest was filing down the nut slots. With the job itself there, was no complications and it was easy. However, there was and incident. When I went to tune the strings to pitch I realized I didn't have my tuner handy. I had mixed the glue and water in a small bowl. In the four seconds I had my back turned the cat had started drinking the glue mix. Not realizing the elmer's glue I got is non-toxic, but not wanting to take any chances I grabbed the cat and took it to the bathroom to wash its mouth out. You can imagine how to cat reacted to water. I had to force its mouth open. I got its mouth washed out, but then it bit down. One of its bottom teeth went into my index fingertip fairly deep. Its counterpart on the top actually busted through the fingernail. It went through in the center of the nail and the nail crack all the way to the edge. After making sure the cat was ok I used some rubbing alcohol on but bite (found out we were out of hydrogen peroxide). Took some anti-inflammatory and put it on ice. Finger swelled up pretty good. Now I can't fingerpick with my pointer finger, or even hold a pick without it hurting. Finding it surprisingly easy to use my middle finger in place of my index, my ring finger in place of my middle finger, etc. Called a veterinarian friend of mine and asked if I had anything to worry about with the cat. She said that even though something may not be toxic to us, it can be to a cat (she wasn't sure if elmer's glue specifically is). But since the cat only got a small amount of a mild glue that was quite diluted, and because her mouth was quickly rinsed out, the cat should be ok. Morale of the story, put pets where they can't mess with anything when you're doing something. I'm glad the cat is and should be ok, but I'm a little pissed at it at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members irishstu Posted August 13, 2009 Members Share Posted August 13, 2009 Good job. Pics? (of nut and finger (and naughty cat)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted August 13, 2009 Members Share Posted August 13, 2009 Poor cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted August 13, 2009 Members Share Posted August 13, 2009 Man - good job. Pity about the fingernail. This is where you learn to become more dexterous with the next finger in line. You will wind up a better player for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McNulty Posted August 13, 2009 Members Share Posted August 13, 2009 Here's a good example of what happens when you try to do anything to a cat that involves your fingers and it's mouth... How to give a cat a pill... 1 Sit on sofa. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your elbow as though you were going to give a bottle to a baby. Talk softly to it. 2 With right hand, position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. (be patient) As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. Drop pill into mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs. 3 Pick the pill up off the floor and go get the cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process. Sit on floor in kitchen, wrap arm around cat as before, drop pill in mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs. 4 Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Scoot across floor to pick up pill, and go find the cat. Bring it back into the kitchen. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten. Drop pill into mouth. 5 Pry claws from back legs out of your arm. Go get the cat, pick up half-dissolved pill from floor and drop it into garbage can. 6 Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of closet. Call spouse from backyard. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously. 7 Retrieve cat from curtain rod, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figures from hearth and set to one side for gluing later. 8 Get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw. 9 Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. 10 Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with rubber band. 11 Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom. 12 Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take another pill from foil wrap. 13 Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour one cup of water down throat to wash pill down. 14 Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call at furniture shop on way home to order new table. 15 Get last pill from bottle. Go into bathroom and get a fluffy towel. Stay in the bathroom with the cat, and close the door. 16 Sit on bathroom floor, wrap towel around kitty, leaving only his head exposed. Cradle kitty in the crook of your arm, and pick up pill off of counter. 17 Retrieve cat from top of shower door (you didn't know that cats can jump 5 feet straight up in the air, did you?), and wrap towel around it a little tighter, making sure its paws can't come out this time. With fingers at either side of its jaw, pry it open and pop pill into mouth. Quickly close mouth (his, not yours). 18 Sit on floor with cat in your lap, stroking it under the chin and talking gently to it for at least a half hour, while the pill dissolves. 19 Unwrap towel, open bathroom door. Wash off scratches in warm soapy water, comb your hair, and go find something to occupy your time for 7-1/2 hours. 20 Arrange for SPCA to get cat and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters. I have 2 cats, and they have been kicking my ass for years. One of them currently needs medicine for some nonsense, and it is a 2 person job to get it done. It sucks. Heal that finger and keep it out of your cat's mouth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DarkHorseJ27 Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Swelling in the finger went down enough to hold a pick properly. Did some strumming on the Alvarez. Found that the high E string will buzz if you strum it open with even a moderate amount of force. Check the other nuts I got (it is a set of eight) and none of them are any higher. Plus the depth of the nut is large enough to cover the whole area the nut sets in. Doesn't really affect anything physically speaking, but was bothering me. Just ordered a Martin style nut from Stewmac. Checked the dimensions very carefully and it should work. Was going to order from Bob Colosi at www.guitarsaddles.com but at stewmac I got a preshaped one for $15 rather than a blank for $30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tonealicious Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 You might need a shot after getting cat saliva deep inside your hand like that. Oh and Nuge called, he wants his song back. [YOUTUBE]nW8S58CYQqs[/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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