Lakland pre-cut nut for Skyline DJ4

[hyden]

Anyone know how to get a replacement nut for a Lakland DJ4 - precut? Lakland wants $50.00
Thanks

[JTE]

Thatos about right for a proper nut replacement, if they're doing the whole install. And my opinion is that no pre-cut nut is ever right anyway. You're going to have to cut the slots correctly anyway to fit YOUR bass, so just get a blank if you don't want to pay for one done right.

John

[waynobass]

Assuming the width is 1.5", a Tusq nut for Fender Jazz would probably work.

[JTE]

I would speculate that Lakland doesn't keep any pre-cut nuts in the shop. When they're ready to put the nut on a new bass, they take a blank, put it in and start cutting slots for the bass it's on. So, in order to send you a pre-cut one, they're going to take a lot of the time involved in making a nut from scratch anyway.

John

[Joshua]

Well, wasn't that fun. Deep breaths everyone, and let's remember rule #1; respect.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by JTE

I would speculate that Lakland doesn't keep any pre-cut nuts in the shop. When they're ready to put the nut on a new bass, they take a blank, put it in and start cutting slots for the bass it's on. So, in order to send you a pre-cut one, they're going to take a lot of the time involved in making a nut from scratch anyway.

John

In carpentry, pre-cut means too short.

Raw lumber is sold, for instance, as 8', 10', 12', etc. In reality it is anywhere from 1/8" to as much as 3/8" longer than the nominal dimension. This allows the craftsman to trim each piece to the exact length to achieve a proper fit.

In luthiery, pre-cut means the same thing. A luthier or tech is tasked with making a perfect nut. That is one that is cut to the proper depth to allow for easy playing while spacing and holding the strings correctly. This is a game that is played out in thousandths of an inch. (Just ask any luthier how many nuts he's scrapped because of cutting a slot a few thousandths too low.) Even when using an inexpensive plastic nut as a replacement on an entry level instrument it is typical that the nut must be sized to width, trimmed and polished to make an even transition on the sides of the nut to the neck. The molded nut slots are never at the correct depth because of varying fingerboard thicknesses or nut slot depths. This requires cutting the slot depths or shimming the entire nut. All of this is time consuming, precision work.

As far as pricing goes, a custom nut made from a blank takes a skilled technician an hour and a quarter to fabricate including fitting and polishing. A plastic nut can be done in a half an hour or so. Obviously, a top quality nut should be installed on a Lakland. In this neck of the woods, a plumber or electrician, who work to a tolerance of a sixteenth of an inch, gets fifty to seventy five dollars and hour. That's to make sure water comes in, waste goes out, and the lights are on so that one may observe either. Most players place a higher value on a good playing instrument.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Joshua

Well, wasn't that fun. Deep breaths everyone, and let's remember rule #1; respect.

Did I miss something?

[JTE]

Originally Posted by JLS

Did I miss something?

Yeah, there's at least two posts the moderator edited out of the thread...

Move along you looky-looks. Nothing to see here.

[JLS]

"That's to make sure water comes in, waste goes out, and the lights are on so that one may observe either. Most players place a higher value on a good playing instrument."

Couldn't agree more.

You should see some of the lowball repair/setup ads, on CL, around here...