Nut Moving

[Ezmar]

So I had a new nut installed a while back. I've noticed issues with it staying in place recently, and I guess I'm wondering how the nut is "Set" in place.

Important Qualifiers:

1. It happened when I had too many winds around the E string, causing the angle behind the nut to be larger. This has since been rectified.

2. It happened just now when I was fiddling around with no D string on, since it broke, and I'm waiting for my replacement to be shipped. So there's less string tension keeping it in place.

3. All occurrences have been when I bend the E string up.

4. It didn't do this at all until a Couple weeks ago, when I had the new strings on with too many wraps around the E.


It just slides a little when I bend. I can put it back just fine, but I'm wondering if I should take it back in, and have it Re-Set, or whatever.

[audioglenn]

It sounds to me like the drop of glue that was used to hold it in place has let go. I use ONE SMALL DROP of super glue to hold the nut in place on my basses. DO NOT USE any more that one small drop!! You are just trying to keep the nut in place, not bond it there for life! I have never had a problem breaking that seal if I have to replace the nut. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, take it to a luthier.

[megafiddle]

They are often held in place with a couple small spots of wood glue,
although some are glued entire length (not recommended).

I would remove it and clean off any old glue that might be on the bottom
of the nut or in the slot. Then put a couple small dots of Titebond or some
other simillar wood glue in the slot and set it back in place.
You can use a semi tensioned string to hold it in place while drying, but watch
that it doesn't pull sideways. You can try it first before gluing.

[Ezmar]

The Reason I ask is that I never had any problems with it when I had all 4 strings on and there wasn't the wonky angle on the E. I guess it's possible that The initial stress broke the glue...


How important is the placement of the nut in terms of intonation/ other such things? Would Eyeballing it be sufficient?

[megafiddle]

Normally the only thing that can change is the side to side position. So you position it
so that the strings are centered on the fretboard, with neither the G or E too close
to the edge.
The correct position is also usually where the nut itself is centered in the slot without
hanging out at either side.

The correct position for intonation purposes is right up against the fretboard. There
should not be enough room in the slot for the nut to move away from the fretboard,
towards the tuners. It should be a close fit.

[f64]

We're the new strings the same gauge? If the new ones were heavier and you had unnoticed binding tuning them you could have disturbed the joint at that moment. Having a more acute angle on the E may have done it but I'd look for other things also. You don't want to repeat the same situation again.
You'd want to reglue the nut into the same position as it was originally. Eyeballing it is fine, just make sure string slots are equal to the FB ends.

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by f64

We're the new strings the same gauge? If the new ones were heavier and you had unnoticed binding tuning them you could have disturbed the joint at that moment. Having a more acute angle on the E may have done it but I'd look for other things also. You don't want to repeat the same situation again.
You'd want to reglue the nut into the same position as it was originally. Eyeballing it is fine, just make sure string slots are equal to the FB ends.

They were the same gauge. I'm pretty sure it was the E, since it's a Fender, so the E tuner is pretty close, and it happened when I bent the E up, so it would have been exerting a lot of pressure sideways. I'll try to re-glue it when I go home for the Holidays next week.

[96tbird]

Two TINY dots of superglue (CA) or a small amount of wood glue. You're new so wood glue is best for a first go at it; iMO. Loosen the strings enough to move them easily out of the slots and remove the nut, carefully remove any old glue, put the glue in, replace nut and strings tighten the strings to pitch to clamp it down, check positioning side to side and that it is tight against the FB side and leave it overnight to cure well. 8).

[Coolhandjjl]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

.......It happened when I had too many winds around the E string, causing the angle behind the nut to be larger.......

This is actually a good thing. Problems often arise out of not enough angle. But if that was rocking the nut back towards the headstock, could be the E string slot was too tight, or not enough glue used during the nut installation.

[sizzle]

wear tighter pants

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by Coolhandjjl

This is actually a good thing. Problems often arise out of not enough angle. But if that was rocking the nut back towards the headstock, could be the slot was too tight, or not enough glue used during the nut installation.

The Side to Side angle, not the Break angle.

[Coolhandjjl]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

The Side to Side angle, not the Break angle.

That should only cause a problem if the windings overlapped on top of themselves, which is a no-no taught from day one.

[Phalex]

It happened to me once when I was getting a massage. The masseuse was male, and I thought I might be gay.......

No...... I think that was an episode of Seinfeld........

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by Coolhandjjl

That should only cause a problem if the windings overlapped on top of themselves, which is a no-no taught from day one.

This was already in another thread I posted about it, but I usually use Rotosounds, which have silk ends covering a thinner core+loose inner wrap wire thing that's thinner than the DRs. I don't generally have to cut the Rotos to not have a lot of overlap, but I did when I put the DRs on. I fixed it shortly afterward. I'm also completely self taught, so nobody was there on day one to teach me the "right" way to do everything.

So yes, the windings wrapped on top of themselves, and no, I'm not an idiot for doing that.