Changing the Nut

DonovanB

I am just about to change the nut on my Les Paul to the Graphtec nut. What is the best glue to use?

Is there anything I should know beforehand?

AlanRatcliffe

Cold glue is fine. Cleans up easy and doesn't make future nut replacements difficult.

ratrap

Hijack on

In my limited experience setting up 3 guitars bought second hand I have found that changing to much lighter strings than the guitar was shod with originally (for some time), sometimes the nut is a tad low with the new strings. Can one shim the existing nut in some way or is it advisable to just replace it?

Hijack off

Gearhead

You can shim with anything hard or even wood if sorta the same as the neck/board itself. The height difference is small though...

Ray

Donovan Banks wrote I am just about to change the nut on my Les Paul to the Graphtec nut. What is the best glue to use?

Is there anything I should know beforehand?

Do these come slotted or are you going to do all this yourself? Does one need nut files or can needle files do the trick (which I've read) but the needle files I've got dont look so good for it. I've been wanting to do this myself but with bone.

DonovanB

Ray I bought a TUSQ Nut. Didn't end up doing it. I think this is a job for a pro. Maybe if it was a cheaper guitar...

AlanRatcliffe

It's not a job for a beginner, as it's not easy to cut the nut correctly and is easy to make a mistake. I usually recommend buying two nuts - learn on the first one and get the second one right. ?

You can use needle files in a pinch, but it's a lot more difficult to get right.

Otherwise it's a one time only setting, so it's often worth paying someone to get it right.

Gearhead

If one would like to buy proper files to get the job right, where should he go shopping? I'm of course asking for a friend :?

aja

Alan Ratcliffe wrote It's not a job for a beginner, as it's not easy to cut the nut correctly and is easy to make a mistake. I usually recommend buying two nuts - learn on the first one and get the second one right. ?

You can use needle files in a pinch, but it's a lot more difficult to get right.

Otherwise it's a one time only setting, so it's often worth paying someone to get it right.

Thanks for that. I needed a nut job, but decided to have it done.
I am good with my hands, but without the proper tools, how can I blame the tools for messing up the job? ?

AlanRatcliffe

Gearhead wrote If one would like to buy proper files to get the job right, where should he go shopping? I'm of course asking for a friend :?

Stewmac, LMII - the usual suspects. TOMS/MIDI sometimes brings in the Ibanez sets, which are great value for money.

Gearhead

Now I remember Andy McGibbon also saying something about Ibanez files. Will look into it, Stewmac too expensive ?

slyd

Hi there
I changed the nut on my strat to a graphtech nut. It was not an easy job; It comes with slots cut in, but due to the radius of the neck nut slot, and the corresponding underside of the nut, the excess height of the nut had to be filed/sanded down from the top.
This effectively removed the slots, and I had to recut them. Needle files work fine for the heavier string slots, but I had to make a plan to cut the other slots correctly.
This I did by taking the appropriate-width feeler-gauge (according to string diameter), and filing cutting-teeth into it and then using that to cut. It's crude maybe, but worked a deam.
Glue is usually not recommended to keep the nut in place, as the friction-fit of the nut, and the string pressure do the job.
There is a wealth of info on the net on doing this job, (on the Graph-tech site too), that will guide you through the entire process, including string height. Just google "nut replacement" or similar, and Bob's your sister! ?