Hey, Take a Look at My Nut!

jtcnj said:
I would change the strings to eliminate that variable.
The most likely culprit if I were to guess is the b string is too high at the nut.
when you fret it at 3 and tune, you are adding tension to the string as you push it down from the open position.
This may result in the open string then being flat.

If the rest of them are ok and intonation is not problematic, you nut slot is positioned correctly.
The distance from the front edge of the nut to the first fret must be correct (as well as all the frets /fret slots).

This is from the Graphtec nut installation.

I use this but eyeball the heights rather than measure, for all strings as sometimes the nut slots do not follow the fret board radius accurately.

I leave my lo e and A strings slightly higher to compensate for my ham fisted chord picking/strumming or they buzz, esp. at 25 1/2" scale.

View attachment 39147
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I have new strings on the way, so we will eliminate that issue. I checked intonation last night. Dead on, so that isn't an issue. I always lube my nuts when changing strings (especially G - strings ;)), but maybe something got into the nut slot? I will clean it good and relube the nut when I change the strings. Hopefully that fixes the problem. If not I'm going to try a Graphtech nut.
 
Funny epiphone also dont have the steep headstock angle of the PARENT companies guitars.....like gibson fixed their own flaw .......but dont talk about much. . Wonder why.........
play authentic kiddies!!!! Buwahahahah
 
Cadorman said:
I have new strings on the way, so we will eliminate that issue. I checked intonation last night. Dead on, so that isn't an issue. I always lube my nuts when changing strings (especially G - strings ;)), but maybe something got into the nut slot? I will clean it good and relube the nut when I change the strings. Hopefully that fixes the problem. If not I'm going to try a Graphtech nut.
Click to expand...

@JohnnyGoo posted while I was typing - similar to what he says above.
The stock nut may just need the slot(s) dressed. There are cheap methods for that if you dont want to invest in nut files.
Mini file sets or welding tip cleaners, etc. Used judiciously, these can be used to adjust existing nut slots.

The new nut may end you up in the same place - almost there but needs some fine tuning.
 
Fooook. I replaced the strings, cleaned the dog, polished and lubed the nut. New guitar. I'm surprised. I changed the strings about 8 months ago and only play this one about 10 percent of the time. Guess I will be changing strings more often.
 
OK this thread is timely. I am really struggling ever since playing my one SG the other night with headphones out of my little amp. From my quick half assed look, I am guessing I may have poorly cut nut slots.

I could hear string buzz very clearly on the G and B strings. Then I got my eye out to look up and down the neck for bow. Best I can see is the neck is not straight or back bowed. In other words, there is some neck relief. The next thing I looked at was the height of my bridge. It seems like it is set decently for 6th string and 1st string heights. This leaves me to look for any other causes. So, I took out my magnifying goggles and hit the light on it. As I look up and down the neck, look at the bridge itself and the nut, I see what I think could be a contributing factor. By eye, It seems the outer strings are farther up off the frets up by the nut than when I look in the middle to upper frets on the guitar. Without using feeler gauges, a straight edge, fret rockers etc. I cannot verify the exact condition of my neck, bow wise, high or low fret wise, string height/bridge adjustment etc.

But from looking under the magnifier, I see 4 things I would like to correct. I need to address the straightness of the neck, level and dress all the frets, and finally replace the nut with a Tusq nut and either put new saddles in the bridge or put a new bridge in altogether. ( I got to seeing rough areas and not well cut notches in the saddles ) all the above are likely to be causing the buzzing. But I suspect most is the nut slots that are pretty darn deep.

I know, Pics or it didn't happen.
 
10's, Cador. I run 10's in everything. I am looking at some bone nuts now. I had one put in my Epiphone LP. I have installed Tusq nut in a buddy's 335 and can do it myself for the SG.

Gonna get some good pics of the nut and bridge for you guys.
 
It certainly looks like the upper strings sit a little deeper in the nut on the first one.
 
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