Filling poorly-spaced nut slots

[RBrownBass]

I recently bought a new Allparts Jazz bass neck with blocks and binding. The seller had already fitted a nut. It looks like a good job fitting wise, but the slot spacing is a bit too wide for my taste- it's P-width rather than J-width, and the E and G strings are really close to the edge of the fingerboard. My guess is that he used a nut that was pre-slotted for a Precision and simply trimmed the edges to make it fit into a bound Jazz neck. I haven't installed the neck, but it's been a while since I bought it, and I'd rather not try to return it.

Rather than spend big dollars to have someone replace a nut on a brand new bound neck, what I want to do is fill the old slots myself and reslot to Jazz specs. I don't know what the nut is made of, but it's off-white. Probably plastic or Corian. I assume super glue will stick to pretty much any material. Can I use bone dust or plastic dust with super glue to do this? If there's something better, I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks in advance!

[202dy]

Depending on the material in the nut dust from a similar material set with super glue is the ticket. Normally this method is used when one has "blown" the nut i.e. filed the slots to deep and the string rattles on the first few frets. Very little of the fill remains after the slot is recut. By very little the fill is only a few thousandths of an inch at the bottom of the slot. I suspect the mix of dust and super glue is not as hard as the plastic and definitely is not as hard as corian but it is doubtful that the material is Corian. This will affect your tone.

Your description sounds like you will have some large fills. Since IMHO, the fill is relatively soft compared to the original material the repair may not be a long term one. My overall recomendation is to purchase a new nut blank and cut it.

Failing that, if there is enough material left on top of the nut you can file and/or sand the top and fill the slots with dust. Pack it relatively tight and wick a few drops of liquid thin super glue into the dust. The new slots can be cut as soon as the fill is hard which is almost immediately.

[spudmaster34]

yeah, just get a new nut, it really isn't verry expensive

[RBrownBass]

Thanks for the responses. If the neck was unbound, I'd have simply knocked the nut out of the slot with a gentle sideways tap from a small file and replaced it myself. The problem isn't the cost of the nut itself, but the cost of having someone dig the old (new) nut out of the bound neck. I'll try the dust/super glue method, and if the tone isn't what I want once the neck is installed, I can have the whole nut replaced in the future.

Just out of curiosity, what sort of tools are used in the removal of a nut from a bound neck, anyhow? I have no idea what this guy used to glue the nut into place or how much glue was used.

[spudmaster34]

I have never removed one from a bound neck, but a pair of plyers might be all it takes

[202dy]

Originally Posted by Auriaprottu

Just out of curiosity, what sort of tools are used in the removal of a nut from a bound neck, anyhow? I have no idea what this guy used to glue the nut into place or how much glue was used.

First of all, there is no way of knowing whether or not they used glue. It could be a press fit. That will work to your advantage but it's not hard to get it out most of the time.

X-acto knife to slice the lacquer line.
End nippers to "walk" the nut out of the slot.
Block to tap the nut.

Once the lacquer is scored take a block and a small hammer and tap north and south gently on the nut. N+S means from headstock to bridge. Do both sides a couple of times. It may be just enough to break the glue that might be underneath. Sometimes you can also tap east and west, too. I use a small diameter hardwood dowel rod to concentrate the force. Remember, you don't want to move the nut, just break the glue line. Take the end nippers and place the blades/jaws on either side of the nut with the blades firmly against the fingerboard. This will minimize chipping. Rock the end nippers gently back east/west (E to G) and forth. The nut should walk out of the slot. The best end nippers for this job, BTW, is a pair that the jaws have been ground dull and a radius is ground in them. It makes it easier to rock the nut.

If this doesn't work drastic action or a trip to the repairmam must be undertaken.

HTH

[RBrownBass]

Originally Posted by 202dy

First of all, there is no way of knowing whether or not they used glue. It could be a press fit. That will work to your advantage but it's not hard to get it out most of the time.

X-acto knife to slice the lacquer line.
End nippers to "walk" the nut out of the slot.
Block to tap the nut.

Once the lacquer is scored take a block and a small hammer and tap north and south gently on the nut. N+S means from headstock to bridge. Do both sides a couple of times. It may be just enough to break the glue that might be underneath. Sometimes you can also tap east and west, too. I use a small diameter hardwood dowel rod to concentrate the force. Remember, you don't want to move the nut, just break the glue line. Take the end nippers and place the blades/jaws on either side of the nut with the blades firmly against the fingerboard. This will minimize chipping. Rock the end nippers gently back east/west (E to G) and forth. The nut should walk out of the slot. The best end nippers for this job, BTW, is a pair that the jaws have been ground dull and a radius is ground in them. It makes it easier to rock the nut.

If this doesn't work drastic action or a trip to the repairmam must be undertaken.

HTH

That's why I like this site! Followed your instructions, and the nut came out easy as pie. Now I can proceed without fear. Thanks a bunch!

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Auriaprottu

That's why I like this site! Followed your instructions, and the nut came out easy as pie. Now I can proceed without fear. Thanks a bunch!

Yeah, they're usually held in with only a couple of small spots of glue - for ease of removal later down the road...




- georgestrings