My new guitar has it's nut-slots cut too shallow. I've never tried adjusting nut slots before, although I (in theory) know how to do it.

Problem is that I don't have a set of decent needle files, and the properly guaged ones seem pretty damn expensive (I'm not planning on making a habit of nut-cutting).

Should I just find a repair guy and pony-up for it, or is there a clever way to do it on the cheap?

Save your money on the nutjob - you can always do it yourself.

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

A new nut would set you back about $1.50. For a plastic one, that is.

Adam,

Do a google search on removing the nut. I did it recently, it requires much care not to break the surrounding wood but it's a straightforward task. Then file the bottom of the nut thus achieving the same result, but from the other side. You can then slide it back in, retune, and see how it plays, repeat to perfection. Once you're happy, pop in a tiny amount of wood glue, then the nut, tune up, and you're all done.

Maybe,

Adam

Just pay a reputable guy to do it right, you could be looking at a headache...

adamawakes wrote:Adam,

Do a google search on removing the nut. I did it recently, it requires much care not to break the surrounding wood but it's a straightforward task. Then file the bottom of the nut thus achieving the same result, but from the other side. You can then slide it back in, retune, and see how it plays, repeat to perfection. Once you're happy, pop in a tiny amount of wood glue, then the nut, tune up, and you're all done.

Maybe,

Adam

He said the nut slots are too shallow, meaning they need to be cut deeper. No matter how much you take off the bottom of the nut, if the slots are too shallow you risk having the strings pop out.

Take the guitar to a tech. It will cost a max of $20 to have them touch up the slots. If you just need them a little bit deeper you can take a piece of very fine sandpaper (about 1000 grit), put it in the nut slot with the string on top to form the sandpaper to the slot. Use the sandpaper to take away a bit of the slot..this works really well to smooth out unfinished nuts too. I do this all the time to my own guitars, just be careful and work slowly.

Wow! That is a name from the past! I saw Adjusting Nut Slots in like '88 or so... they opened for Fright Wig as I recall. Great band.

Did this myself on my jag and broke some of the wood away. Still works though. Guess it depends on how much you care about the appearance of your guitar.

Care = pay money for someone else to do it

Don't care = give it a go but you will probably chip some wood away you cheap bastard

Hmmm.

Adam's idea would actually work if I was brave enough to know the nut out (which I'm not) since the slots are deep enough to prevent string-popping, just to shallow for good first/second fret intonation.

Reckon I'll pay.

Thanks all!