Nut lube at Home Depot?

bassrique · Jul 25, 2009

I've never had to lubricate any nuts on any basses I've owned before, but I recently purchased a guitar that may need a little help, as some of the string are a little sticky up there.

I know guitar shops carry a product specifically for this, but I'm not making that drive today. I will however be at Home Depot later, and I'm wondering what these nut lubes are made of? Can I get the same thing by another name at Home Depot? Are they silicone based?

ByF · Jul 25, 2009

If your strings are sticking in the nut, the slot in the nut may be a little too narrow. So, a little work with a nut file (or even very fine sandpaper) may be in order. The idea is to make the slot wider without making it any deeper, of course.

I have never used commercial nut lubes. A little bit of graphite makes a pretty good lube--just rub the point of a pencil in the slot. In general, you don't use silicone-based products in guitar work, because if it gets on the finish, it can make future finish repairs more difficult--the silicone is nearly impossible to remove.

Ed

slyjoe · Jul 25, 2009

What Ed said - a pencil.

The other problem with silicone also is that it attracts dirt like crazy,

iammr2 · Jul 25, 2009

I like to lube my nuts at home with a pencil.

JTE · Jul 25, 2009

Or, get a little tube of powdered graphite at a "home improvement" store. It'll probably be around the locks. I got a tube about 15 years ago and I'll never have to buy more, and I use a touch every time I restring the 4-string basses ('cause they have Hipshots on 'em).

jte

Craig_S · Jul 25, 2009

JTE said:
Or, get a little tube of powdered graphite at a "home improvement" store.

Just be sure not to throw it on your gig bag and forget about it. I had a tube open up on me. What a freakin' mess. I had to throw out some stuff get a new gig bag.

spigmu · Jul 25, 2009

iammr2 said:
I like to lube my nuts at home with a pencil.

Be sure not to use the sharpened ones for that. Use the pencils from the B-E-A-D ATK. But you knew that.

RTL · Jul 25, 2009

iammr2 said:
I like to lube my nuts at home with a pencil.

Me too! I'd show the OP my special nut-lubing technique, but it makes me uncomfortable when people watch.

XylemBassGuitar · Jul 25, 2009

I break off a piece of candle wax and rub it in the slots a lot of the time. The nuts need re-lubing more often, but I like the feel and how it works.

Jazzdogg · Jul 25, 2009

iammr2 said:
I like to lube my nuts at home with a pencil.

Sounds painful! :hiding:

Hawaii Islander · Jul 25, 2009

ByF said:
If your strings are sticking in the nut, the slot in the nut may be a little too narrow. So, a little work with a nut file (or even very fine sandpaper) may be in order. The idea is to make the slot wider without making it any deeper, of course.

I have never used commercial nut lubes. A little bit of graphite makes a pretty good lube--just rub the point of a pencil in the slot. In general, you don't use silicone-based products in guitar work, because if it gets on the finish, it can make future finish repairs more difficult--the silicone is nearly impossible to remove.

Ed

Good advice.

The stuff in music stores is called "Nut Sauce"! Just don't get the Habinero one!

bassrique · Jul 25, 2009

Hawaii Islander said:
Good advice.

The stuff in music stores is called "Nut Sauce"! Just don't get the Habinero one!

That's it! And now that i think of it, the stuff kinda looks like it has wax in it.

LowBSix · Jul 25, 2009

TEFLON powder that can be bought at a crafts store is what I've used on Brass Nuts for about 25 years and I still have the one and only one I've ever purchased....

Very clean! Possibly a TEFLON type of spray would work...

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Nut lube at Home Depot?

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bassrique

ByF

slyjoe

iammr2

JTE

Craig_S

spigmu

RTL

XylemBassGuitar

Jazzdogg

Less barking, more wagging!

Hawaii Islander

bassrique

LowBSix

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