Is this "Normal"?

[Paul McCarty]

Bought this 2006 P-Bass used about 18 months ago, it had round wound strings and I replaced them recently with flats and noticed this wear pattern. At first I thought the E string groove had split but upon closer inspection realized it was a collapse of the groove edges into the groove. It gives the vibe of soft nut material, therefore. Also may be a sign of previous nut replacement? Can anybody chime in here with a good assessment and recommendation for repairs if needed? FWIW I noticed some difficulty in setting up the intonation on E as well as slightly distorted sound on the string in question. Bass is the model in this link:

Fender American 60th Anniversary Precision Bass 2005/2006 Transparent Butterscotch | As The Crow Flies | Reverb

Thanks!

 

[Turnaround]

That's not wear. Somebody has tried to file the nit slots with a triangular file. Wrong! Replace that nut, or if you are not skilled in fitting and profiling a nut, have a good tech do it.

 

[Paul McCarty]

That's not wear. Somebody has tried to file the nit slots with a triangular file. Wrong! Replace that nut, or if you are not skilled in fitting and profiling a nut, have a good tech do it.

Thank you that is what I needed to hear. Does the nut look original in your professional opinion?

 

[Turnaround]

Thank you that is what I needed to hear. Does the nut look original in your professional opinion?

It looks like a replacement.

 

[Paul McCarty]

It looks like a replacement.

I thought so as well. Thank you for your input.