new strings and fresh graphite in the nut = yes!

[mdubya]

I pulled out my old crusty 91 SG Special last night to try it out with my current low volume practice rig. This old SG has a 57 Classic + in the bridge and it has always been the best sounding guitar I own. It ain't pretty, and sometimes it has playability issues, but its tone is awesome.

Of course, since I have ignored it for ages, the strings were nasty. But the tone was there. It had intonation and tuning problems and had me thinking I might need to spend some $$$. In the meantime, I put a fresh set of strings on her, shaved some graphite in to the nut, cleaned her up, and brought her up to tune.

Even just tuning up, I could feel how much smoother the strings were in the nut. Once up to tune, there were no more intonation or tuning issues, she hasn't played this well in a long time. Lesson learned. Sometimes it is the simplest, most obvious solution that we over look.

And she sounds so good, I am leaning towards taking her on Christmas vacation with me.

 

[Bobby Marshall]

It is amazing what a little TLC can do for your baby.

Your post is timely for me. I have been considering throwing one of those in an SG that has the 490/498 set in it right now.

But I have another SG with some Duncan 59s in her from the late 80s that absolutely smokes.

What pickups did you have in your SG before you put in the 57 classic?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm getting my Faded Special from GC soon, and have three pups on hand to drop in: a 57 Classic, a PAF RI from the early 80s, and a 498t from the early 90s. I was thinking the RI, but now ....

 

[Drew224]

Graphite works magic for tuning. It's saved me from blowing cash on new tuners.

 

[mdubya]

It is amazing what a little TLC can do for your baby.

Your post is timely for me. I have been considering throwing one of those in an SG that has the 490/498 set in it right now.

But I have another SG with some Duncan 59s in her from the late 80s that absolutely smokes.

What pickups did you have in your SG before you put in the 57 classic?

I am not sure if it had a 500T or a 490. The 57 Classics seem perfect for the SG though. They are very popular on the SG forum ETSG. I have had the Classic plus in the guitar since the early 90's. It has sweet warm tones and plays anything from classic pop to classic rock to old school metal. I had put a Duncan '59 in it originally and that was an improvement, but still lacking something for me. As soon as I dropped the Classic plus in, that was it. First through my JCM 800, then even more so through my 76 Marshall JMP.

 

[mdubya]

I'm getting my Faded Special from GC soon, and have three pups on hand to drop in: a 57 Classic, a PAF RI from the early 80s, and a 498t from the early 90s. I was thinking the RI, but now ....

The 498 is a ripper. But very modern sounding and a bit too much for my tastes. Some love it. What PAF RI do you have? You already know my thoughts on the 57.

 

[mdubya]

Graphite works magic for tuning. It's saved me from blowing cash on new tuners.

Amen brother. My nut had graphite in it previously, but I think I am going to use it every string change now.

 

[Mookakian]

You should try a bone/buffalo horn nut

 

[mdubya]

You should try a bone/buffalo horn nut

I have bone on a couple of other guitars. I never gave them much thought. However, if I keep playing this SG it is going to need frets and it deserves the matching 57 Classic neck pick up after all this time.

It is funny how I keep trying to retire this guitar and it keeps resurfacing.

 

[Mookakian]

personally i find this small mod one of the best resulting changes for its simplicity(sorry. a little drunken). Amazes me to be honest. Keep rockin those strings!

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

The 498 is a ripper. But very modern sounding and a bit too much for my tastes. Some love it. What PAF RI do you have? You already know my thoughts on the 57.

From what I've been told, it's from an early 80s Custom.

Being a blues/jazz-inflected rocker, I've been leaning towards loading the Classic into the Faded and putting the replaced 490T into my Epi G400.

eta: While we're on the subject of nuts, has anyone here ever played a chambered nut? I've heard tell that they give better resonance, but money's tight and I don't want to drop the scrilla on a crappy mod.

 

[mdubya]

personally i find this small mod one of the best resulting changes for its simplicity(sorry. a little drunken). Amazes me to be honest. Keep rockin those strings!

Is it just so hard that the strings don't bind?

 

[dubcut]

It is hard enough but the reason the strings don't bind is the natural lubricity of graphite.

I have Nickel nuts on two of my guitars - They do not bind like brass or steel. Actually less than Corina and other plastics.

The nickel is more malleable and soft, facilitating a smoother finish. Also is less porous than other metals, as it has the property of cooling very stable. Which is why most drag cars use a nickel alloy in the block.

Also nickel transfers less energy than harder metals, and absorbs vibration better. And matches the tone of your fretted notes better..

But some guitars are suuper bright and on them I use the Graph Tech, which will be the next thing to go on my Double Cut...

I feel that the headstock pitch and string side angle compound on the Gibsons in such a way to just seem to cause problems with conventional nuts. I Relieved the back cuts on mine to help, but sometimes D&G with those funky angles get bound..

The plastic nuts have the advantage of a smoother contact surface, because they machine well with hand tools. (Kinda like nickel) Going slow on nickel is my personal fave, which is the reason for the rant...sorry...

Is it just so hard that the strings don't bind?

 

[mdubya]

It is hard enough but the reason the strings don't bind is the natural lubricity of graphite.

I have Nickel nuts on two of my guitars - They do not bind like brass or steel. Actually less than Corina and other plastics.

The nickel is more malleable and soft, facilitating a smoother finish. Also is less porous than other metals, as it has the property of cooling very stable. Which is why most drag cars use a nickel alloy in the block.

Also nickel transfers less energy than harder metals, and absorbs vibration better. And matches the tone of your fretted notes better..

But some guitars are suuper bright and on them I use the Graph Tech, which will be the next thing to go on my Double Cut...

I feel that the headstock pitch and string side angle compound on the Gibsons in such a way to just seem to cause problems with conventional nuts. I Relieved the back cuts on mine to help, but sometimes D&G with those funky angles get bound..

The plastic nuts have the advantage of a smoother contact surface, because they machine well with hand tools. (Kinda like nickel) Going slow on nickel is my personal fave, which is the reason for the rant...sorry...

No worries. I appreciate the input.

My most recent guitar tech/luthier insisted on a bone nut when I was doing frets and some upgrades to another guitar. Who am I to argue?

I am just happy my old crusty SG stays in tune now with just a little bit of graphite in the old nut. Poor old thing even has a single mismatched tuner from breaking one off and replacing it with a spare.

 

[dubcut]

Chambered nut - The principle of this concept is hard to tame to the fullest extent, which is slight,if even noticeable..

It is easier to use thermoplastic which has characteristics of lighter weight, and would have a similar effect compared to a standard Gibby nut.

The holes put under the strings have this problem: They cannot be finitely tuned to a frequency , and even if they could that frequency is not enough to stimulate the vibration of the string in a signifigant way. Even if it were tuned to a common multiple of the frequency of the open string.

Some have drilled holes from the top, directly under the string, to decrease surface area of contact, which fights friction naturally. I just relieve the cut with a few strokes of the file personally...


I have toyed and tinkered with a wider nut that functioned as a Nut/Zero fret combo. You simply file to string height on the front and make a single hacksaw blade-width cut 1/8 to 3/32 behind it. Then use the rear as a guide. No super advantage, but had to see about it.

Most Gibsons come stock with too much nut, IMO. ABOVE the string...

From what I've been told, it's from an early 80s Custom.

Being a blues/jazz-inflected rocker, I've been leaning towards loading the Classic into the Faded and putting the replaced 490T into my Epi G400.

eta: While we're on the subject of nuts, has anyone here ever played a chambered nut? I've heard tell that they give better resonance, but money's tight and I don't want to drop the scrilla on a crappy mod.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I may have to experiment ....

 

[Mookakian]

Learnt a bit in the past few posts, thanks for the details and experiences

 

[Bobby Marshall]

I am not sure if it had a 500T or a 490. The 57 Classics seem perfect for the SG though. They are very popular on the SG forum ETSG. I have had the Classic plus in the guitar since the early 90's. It has sweet warm tones and plays anything from classic pop to classic rock to old school metal. I had put a Duncan '59 in it originally and that was an improvement, but still lacking something for me. As soon as I dropped the Classic plus in, that was it. First through my JCM 800, then even more so through my 76 Marshall JMP.

Guess I will have to get some 57s and my soldering iron. Thx.