Nut shimming material

[kyral210]

Here is the deal. I need to shim my Graph Tech nut to raise the nut to a perfect height (0.4mm on the bass, and 0.3mm on the treble).

I read that string packaging material is perfect as it absorbs superglue like a sponge, drys to look like nut material, and is very thing to easily controlled. The problem is I use D'addario strings which don't come in paper wallets.

What is the best alternative material to use as a nut shim?

[Turnaround]

At lease one well-repsected luthier uses self-stick paper labels. Check here...

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luth...m/nutshim.html

[Zooberwerx]

I've used beer can aluminum. Works like a charm and can be cut to size with an exacto knife.

Riis

[202dy]

Paper, business cards, pickguard material, pick material, or build up. Paper can be colored with felt tip markers and glued with white or CA glue. Plastic materials come in many colors. Super glue can be built up on the bottom of the nut and leveled to the proper height by sanding on some 220 grit on a piece of 1/4" plate glass.

Or the slots can be filled slightly and filed to proper height.

It all depends on what is trying to be achieved and the size of the adjustment to be made.

Sometimes it is easiest to replace the nut.

[kyral210]

By the way, it is the while nut that is being shimmed, not a single slot. I wonder if car body filler built up and then sanded down would be a good option?

[Cutty]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

I've used beer can aluminum. Works like a charm and can be cut to size with an exacto knife.

Riis

Good idea,iv'e used tin foil(the type you wrap you Xmas turkey in!!)folded into the width you need,it works well,and won't compress as cardboard will,over time,

[kyral210]

Metals like tin can (beer can?) material or tin foil would work great on a fixed nut such as a floyd rose system, but I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole for a standard nut.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by kyral210

Metals like tin can (beer can?) material or tin foil would work great on a fixed nut such as a floyd rose system, but I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole for a standard nut.

By standard, do you mean plastic, bone, ivory, and the like? I've only used the beer can shim on brass nuts.

Riis

[kyral210]

I have now shimmed a number of nuts and can pass on the following information.

The best shim material is plain printer paper! Why? You are using superglue to fix the shims to the nut, and the printer paper soaks it up like a sponge.

I start by dipping the bass of the nut in superglue, and then stamping it firmly onto the shim, and then finally stamping that shim (now fixed to the base of the nut but not dry) in superglue again. When dry, the shim is not just firmly bonded to the nut, but with the superglue running through it, it has become part of the nut. Also, when dry it is as hard as nails, and can be sculped with a knife, painted a colour, or left just natural. It really is a great material.

Doing this isn't as good as a properly cut whole nut (no shim required), but it is definitely better than laminates where the superglue doesn't soak through, as then you have week spots.

Don't use waxed or protective paper (such as string packages) as their coating doesnt allow for the soak through effect that makes paper so great.

[xbassmanx]

Originally Posted by kyral210

I have now shimmed a number of nuts and can pass on the following information.

The best shim material is plain printer paper! Why? You are using superglue to fix the shims to the nut, and the printer paper soaks it up like a sponge.

I start by dipping the bass of the nut in superglue, and then stamping it firmly onto the shim, and then finally stamping that shim (now fixed to the base of the nut but not dry) in superglue again. When dry, the shim is not just firmly bonded to the nut, but with the superglue running through it, it has become part of the nut. Also, when dry it is as hard as nails, and can be sculped with a knife, painted a colour, or left just natural. It really is a great material.

Doing this isn't as good as a properly cut whole nut (no shim required), but it is definitely better than laminates where the superglue doesn't soak through, as then you have week spots.

Don't use waxed or protective paper (such as string packages) as their coating doesnt allow for the soak through effect that makes paper so great.

I just wanted to thank you for this post!

I just swapped nuts on my SX SPJ-62 with a Fender replacement P-bass nut.
The Fender part was radiused unlike the SX nut that was flat on bottom. I appied super glue and strips of paper, then filed and sanded it flat.

Now the wood glue has setup and it was a complete success!