Has Anyone Ever Changed The Nut On Their Warwick Themselves?

Dordmháistir · #1 10-04-2009, 05:24 PM

Hi everyone,

It's been ages since I last posted on here but every time I visit this place it has good advice. My issue relates specifically to the nut of the Warwick Corvette 4 string but if anyone has any advice on changing nuts in general I'd be most grateful.

I recently got the loan of a lovely Warwick Corvette and while I was throwing my own preference of strings on it I noticed the nut was split in the middle (a common problem with the older Warwick nuts). Sadly, the minute I tried to tune up the first of the new strings the nut broke into pieces and I now have to replace it.

I've ordered the latest version of the Warwick 'Just A Nut III' and its currently in the post but I'm dicing with the idea of fitting it myself instead of paying someone else to do it. My main questions are...

1. Has anyone done it before and do they have any advice?
2. Is it too difficult to risk attempting myself?
3. Will the neck warp if I take all the strings off at once in order to do it (Jeff Schmidt tells me it won't but those urban myths always scare me!)?

Thanks in advance.

G00D+~VIBES · #2 10-04-2009, 05:26 PM

No. The neck won't warp.

bass12 · #3 10-04-2009, 05:30 PM

I don't see why it would be a problem to do it yourself, as long as you use the right glue (don't ask me what that would be). And to echo Good Vibes, no, your neck won't warp (can you imagine someone trying to install a new nut without removing all of the strings?). To be fair though, you might want to ask the actual owner of the bass what he prefers. It could well be that he's not comfortable with you performing any surgery on his bass.

Dordmháistir · #4 10-04-2009, 05:38 PM

Thanks guys, yeah I figured the strings would have to come off in any case... just wasn't sure if there was some sort of truss rod trickery that had to be done!

Don't worry, I will be running everything by the owner. He's the keyboard player in my band... I actually alerted him to the bass when it was on sale second-hand about a year back, I couldn't afford it at the time but wanted someone I knew to avail of the good deal. He's allowing me to configure it exactly the way I like, it was just unfortunate that the problem with the nut was there.

Thanks again guys.

bass12 · #5 10-04-2009, 05:48 PM

Good luck! Broken Just-A-Nut IIs are a very common problem with Warwicks - I had two break on me (I replaced them with graphite nuts).

jumbosilverette · #6 10-04-2009, 05:59 PM

I've done it. It's a cinch, fast and easy. I think found directions for it on the old Dana Goods site, but I'll bet there's instructions to be found on the Warwick forum. Super Glue works as well.

Dordmháistir · #7 10-11-2009, 04:15 PM

Just thought I'd give you all an update... I changed the nut myself, took only a few minutes and it was a piece of cake. It now sounds gorgeous with a new set of Warwick extra lights on it!

Thanks again everyone.

jumbosilverette · #8 10-11-2009, 04:56 PM

Well, there ya go. Glad we could help.