I Need Help with a new nut!

[brianugly]

I finally decided to replace all the cheap plastic nuts on my Epiphone guitars...that sounds funny...but Its true. I am really interested in the Tusq Nuts, but I want to be sure I have the right size, and that it will work on my guitars. I have a Epi Les Paul Deluxe, and a G-400.

1st question...how do I get the old one off? I know I take the strings off--then what?

Then what do I use to put a new nut (haven't bought yet) in?

Any help would be magnificent.

 

[Engel]

I'm no expert but I read somewhere that you should use a razor to cut the finish on the headstock end of the nut so it doesnt stay stuck to it when you pull it out if that makes sense. Also when installing a new one you have to be extremely precise when grooving out the new one... I don't know if there are specs for certain models or what but I know it's a sensitive procedure. Hope this helps.

 

[yllsacky]

Nuts - Replacing nuts on guitars and choosing the right material

 

[brianugly]

Nuts - Replacing nuts on guitars and choosing the right material

Thanks, I looked at the website...but has anybody here done it themselves...I am pretty practical, and like to do things myself if I can. I am pretty sure I can get the nut off, but has anybody already done it???

 

[yllsacky]

Thanks, I looked at the website...but has anybody here done it themselves...I am pretty practical, and like to do things myself if I can. I am pretty sure I can get the nut off, but has anybody already done it???

you will need like tonnes of tools thats what i heard but i guess some v.i.p member will prove me wrong

 

[KP]

Yes, I have replaced a nut. A razor blade, a small screwdriver, a small hammer, some sand paper and feeler gages is all I used. I bought the pre-slotted TusQ nut for Epi (1/4" thick). It only takes patience and going slowly. Check the specs so you know how much to lower the nut.

 

[TWANG]

Removing a nut.. screwdriver tip on one end.. tap lightly.. if it doesn't break free..
put screwdriver tip on other end.
dont hit hard. just tap.

unfortunately epi sometimes over glues.. so you can put the tip on the fretboard side against the face of the nut.. say from A to B string. and also tap lightly there..

tap hard, it breaks away wood.. tap lightly, it breaks the glue connection.

To install and epi tusq nut, which is in my opinion the best there are, you have to file a bit off each end..

they make them a bit wide so they will fit for sure..
and you have to take a bit off the bottom so the nut slot height is correct.

it's pretty easy.. file the sides just means, strings off.. fit nut.. file a bit equally on each end until it's flush with the neck on the sides.

place nut in groove strings on.. use old strings.. press each string at third fret and hold.. one at a time, of course.. and then judge distance between the bottom of that string and the first fret..
should be about a piece of copy paper between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string.

to lower the nut slot for that correct fit.. place med. or fine sandpaper flat on a flat surface.. gently rub the nut back and forth..

it's kind of a drag.. but doing at home it will work..
so you'd loosen strings.. remove nut.. sand a bit, refit, retune
and repeat until you're done, keep the bottom flat and at the right angle.

going slowly will prevent error and in the end, be faster.

when you are done. use elmers or other cheap assed white glue and only a very little bit.
you don't need the thing glued forever and the cheap glue holds, yet breaks free easily when repair time comes around.

Clamp in place with capo.. or even using string pressure.. but in either case.. press firmly so the glue squishes and you have NO air gaps between the bottom and front, board side of the nut.

It sounds like a lot, but really. twenty minutes with a pre slotted epiphone tusq nut, which I've sold a bunch of and use myself.

NOTE:::: sometimes things don't go perfectly.. so.. SAVE ALL the dust..
sometimes the fit isn't just perfect on the ends of the nut. for instance.
well.. put a tiny tiny drop of white glue on a piece of paper..
use a flat toothpick and put a little bit of the dust in the glue.. stir it up..
plaster any gap you see on the ends of the nut with that mixture..
let dry.. tape around the spot.. use very fine sandpaper.. and it smooths out so you can't even tell it's been filled.

You can also use superglue and dust.. but I only do that for nut slots.. after all I don't want the nut glued in forever, but in the nut slots.. if you ever get one that's too deep..
don't toss the nut out.. just a little superglue in the slot.. toothpick in a little dust..
smoosh it in, let dry, refile. voila. new nut slot.

TWANG

 

[TWANG]

ps.
as KP and sacky note.. there are varying ways to do it..
mine is based on what a typical guy will have around the house.. and using a tusq nut, pre slotted..

all the years I made bone and slotted by hand.. and I found the tusq slotted not only sounded better to me.. acoustic or electric.. it was a heck of a lot less work.. and I didn't have to mess with the slots.. they worked on 9 10 and 11 guage!

guys can use feeler guages razor blades.. many other ways and tools..
but the way I posted is basically taking you through it as if it's your first time and you don't have a pile of luthier stuff.

So.. always read different ways as ways that do work and are worth knowing..

's all good!

TWANG

 

[Mark H]

I used super glue. make sure that it is centered, ie same distance from both E strings to edge.
The new Tsqu nuts have some overhang that needs to be sanded off.

 

[The_Sentry]

TWANG nailed it.

Removing a nut.. screwdriver tip on one end.. tap lightly.. if it doesn't break free..
put screwdriver tip on other end.
dont hit hard. just tap.

unfortunately epi sometimes over glues.. so you can put the tip on the fretboard side against the face of the nut.. say from A to B string. and also tap lightly there..

tap hard, it breaks away wood.. tap lightly, it breaks the glue connection.

To install and epi tusq nut, which is in my opinion the best there are, you have to file a bit off each end..

they make them a bit wide so they will fit for sure..
and you have to take a bit off the bottom so the nut slot height is correct.

it's pretty easy.. file the sides just means, strings off.. fit nut.. file a bit equally on each end until it's flush with the neck on the sides.

place nut in groove strings on.. use old strings.. press each string at third fret and hold.. one at a time, of course.. and then judge distance between the bottom of that string and the first fret..
should be about a piece of copy paper between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string.

to lower the nut slot for that correct fit.. place med. or fine sandpaper flat on a flat surface.. gently rub the nut back and forth..

it's kind of a drag.. but doing at home it will work..
so you'd loosen strings.. remove nut.. sand a bit, refit, retune
and repeat until you're done, keep the bottom flat and at the right angle.

going slowly will prevent error and in the end, be faster.

when you are done. use elmers or other cheap assed white glue and only a very little bit.
you don't need the thing glued forever and the cheap glue holds, yet breaks free easily when repair time comes around.

Clamp in place with capo.. or even using string pressure.. but in either case.. press firmly so the glue squishes and you have NO air gaps between the bottom and front, board side of the nut.

It sounds like a lot, but really. twenty minutes with a pre slotted epiphone tusq nut, which I've sold a bunch of and use myself.

NOTE:::: sometimes things don't go perfectly.. so.. SAVE ALL the dust..
sometimes the fit isn't just perfect on the ends of the nut. for instance.
well.. put a tiny tiny drop of white glue on a piece of paper..
use a flat toothpick and put a little bit of the dust in the glue.. stir it up..
plaster any gap you see on the ends of the nut with that mixture..
let dry.. tape around the spot.. use very fine sandpaper.. and it smooths out so you can't even tell it's been filled.

You can also use superglue and dust.. but I only do that for nut slots.. after all I don't want the nut glued in forever, but in the nut slots.. if you ever get one that's too deep..
don't toss the nut out.. just a little superglue in the slot.. toothpick in a little dust..
smoosh it in, let dry, refile. voila. new nut slot.

TWANG

 

[joe19680]

Twang nailed it but forgot 1 important step. when the old nut is removed make sure to clean the slot out good. there will be alot of glue there (at least there was in mine) that will make fitting the new nut difficult. But other than that what twang has described is what i did and it works better thatn the cheap plastic. oh and i still use pencil shavings in the slots too...

 

[TWANG]

first. don't use superglue.

second. good call joel.
epi is using some clear glue and in a couple of them I've seen, slopping it in pretty good.
this is stupid. it's a waste of glue, and it makes repairs on a part that epi KNOWS will
eventually need changed much more difficult.

And one of those difficultys is getting that junk off.
The nut slot at the board and the neck should be smooth and even. the nut should fit as nicely as you can get it to.

Once I didn't have a file.. long ago.. and took my moms metal nail file out to the garage and ground it down to the right thickness to get it smooth.
then I put it back in her drawer.

heh.

TWANG

 

[Mike Von D]

Replacing the plastic nut with graphite was the absolute best thing that ever happened to my Epi's.I was nervous the first time but it was a breeze. And the pay off is oh so worth it.

 

[Mark H]

The old Epi glue was never a prob for me as far as removing the old nut, in fact Ive had an Epi nut fall out during a string change.
Sure remove all the old glue??? Now removing headstock binding on a Custom, that was not cut right and was laid under the nut, only on 1 side!...that was a PITA. Gee I wonder why I had to set up the bridge on that guitar after I made the nut nice and even???

I use super glue on many places of a guitar, sure some don't. They didn't have super glue "back in the day" so many will frown on its use....cool?
When I want a positive attachment, without all that mess....(like Twang talked about under a stock Epi nut) I use super glue? No not a ton like you have to use with "Elmers" just enough to attach your part....and not have it move while its drying (like the old timmy luthers Elmers glue)....Hence the super glue?
Sorry to disagree.

 

[Fuelish]

I Need Help with a new nut!

Neuticles.com ... sorry...can't help myself, just find it funny that these even exist...

 

[The Guitarist]

 

[Mike_MV]

Replacing the plastic nut with graphite was the absolute best thing that ever happened to my Epi's.I was nervous the first time but it was a breeze. And the pay off is oh so worth it.

Hello Mike,

What can one expect as improvement with a nut replacement?

Pardon me for being ignorant, I am coming back to guitar playing after a few years of not playing, back in the day all I used to worry about was whether it had six strings ;~)

 

[joe19680]

Hello Mike,

What can one expect as improvement with a nut replacement?

Pardon me for being ignorant, I am coming back to guitar playing after a few years of not playing, back in the day all I used to worry about was whether it had six strings ;~)

Keeping the instrument in tune for 1...Most tuning issues start at the nut

 

[Dolebludger]

I leave nut and fret replacement to my luthier. If I ever had a break, it would also be fixed by my luthier. I do pretty much all else myself, but I know my limits and don't want to foul up a guitar.

IMO, the nut is of most importance on trem-equipped guitars. That's where most of the tuning problems happen. On a guitar without a trem, only strings binding at the nut after string bending could cause a tuning problem. Also, you can have a problem with a nut with groves worn too low over time, so that open strings rattle on the frets. If this is happening with a decent action set-up, you need a new nut. The nut also effects the tone of open strings, because it is what transmits the vibrations to the neck. One of the reasons I don't install new nuts myself is that an improper fit or use of improper glue would dull the open string tone.

Many tuning problems at the nut on non-trem guitars can be fixed with a small drop of lube in each of the slots. I know the plastic nut on my Epi LP isn't "cool", but it is working fine. A graphite nut wouldn't need lube, but it is a bit softer material and dulls the open string tone just a touch. Ivory is hard and is a good sound transmitter, but it too will require a drop of lube from time to time. No experience with tusq.

 

[Mike Von D]

Hello Mike,

What can one expect as improvement with a nut replacement?

Pardon me for being ignorant, I am coming back to guitar playing after a few years of not playing, back in the day all I used to worry about was whether it had six strings ;~)

This is a no B.S. statement, before when using the stock plastic nut on my Epi standard I was retuning the G B and E strings almost nonstop. They did not just go sharp and not just flat but constantly up and down thruout the course of a gig.To the point that it not only drove me nuts but my bandmates as well,Everyone kept telling me it's the stock grover tuners.And while I know that they are'nt high end by any means I have stayed in tune with cheaper quality tuners. So I went for the nut overhaul.I bought a pre slotted TUSQ nut from G-fetish. Couple of taps with a small tack hammer and a gentle tug with needle nose and the plastic nut came right off.sanded a little where it was, placed the new nut in retsrung and tuned. Realized I was going to have to shim it as it sat lower than the Stock Epi nut,(it's amazing how even 1/16thor less can make a difference but it does).. Shimmed it re strung tuned. Height looked good coming out of the nut so I detuned moved the strings and glued with plain white Elmers. I dont know what the standard move is But I hurried and retuned the strings to pitch immediately after to help hold it in it's proper place while the glue dried.Readjusted the bridge to add some string height And OH I kid you not. Immediately! the tone difference was very noticeable And as far as tuning.I will leave it at this I take 3 guitars to every gig. This past weekend we played an outside venue I took my usual 3 axes.I ended up sticking with that Epi standard for the whole 3 hour gig.My high E string went slighty flat one thruout the night other than that it was spot on and stable the whole evening.

Now part of me thinks I had a good night, OR got the luck of the draw and it was just one of those sessions where you dont have any tuning issues, But I will end with this.And outdoor gig in the 3rd week of August and I live in Indiana and I had one minor string tuning issue during a 3 hour show.That would have NEVER happened with the stock plastic nut..

I suggest you try it I doubt you will be disappointed.