How do you remove a Stratocaster nut?
riplead
nut with a Graph Tech nut. How do I remove the existing nut without
damaging the instrument?
Also, how do I fasten the replacement nut?
Thanks in advance!
west
> I recently purchased a Deluxe Players Strat and want to replace the
> nut with a Graph Tech nut. How do I remove the existing nut without
> damaging the instrument?
End snips.
>
> Also, how do I fasten the replacement nut?
>
> Thanks in advance!
If the nut is the right thickness, nothing. If is a little loose, a
tiny drop of superglue is what I use.
riplead
Please forgive my ignorance, but I'm not familiar with end snips, and
how I would use them to remove the nut. I have several needle nose
pliers, and wire cutters, but no end snips. If I get a pair of end
snips, do I just nibble away at the nut, or does it lift out?
Cyberserf
1) Slacken the strings
2) Remove them from the nut. put two layers of tape on either side of
the nut to protect the headstock and fingerboard if you should
slip ;-)
3) Try lifting it out with your fingers. If that doesn't work, use a
pair of pliers and gently grip the saddle on the bass side edge and
lift upwards. Since it can deliver a controlled grip, the best tool
for this job IMHO is a pair of needlenose visegrips.
4) Watch your chin...this is a controlled lift. You just want it to
lift it a little out of the slot, but they are sometimes quite loose,
so go slow.
5) If it hasn't come off, but lifted a little, go to the other edge
and again, lift upwards...at this point it should pop free. Otherwise,
keep going back and forth until it comes off.
6) If you grip to hard with the pliers, the nut may crack and break in
the slot...cleaning it out can be a bear.The best tool for cleaning
this out is a mallet and appropriately sharpened screwdriver...tap
from the sides and slightly upwards (away from the neck and the
guitar)...the screwdriver is slightly sharpened at one tip to better
grip the saddle material...a few taps typcially does it...unless some
jerk put glue on it...in which case, prayer and a Dremel with a good
router attachment is good too.
7) OK...back to the nut...Don't lift sideways...this always breaks the
nut...lift up.
8) Once out, if the seat looks clean, go ahead and pop the Graphtech
replacement in the nut slot...press it down. That's it...do not glue
or otherwise fasten the nut...the nut slot walls and the pressure of
strings is plenty to keep the nut secure for life...don't do anything
else to "secure it further".
9) Here's the hard part...you will now probably have to cut the nut
slots deeper (or cut them from scratch if your nut isn't pre-slotted)
to get your action right, but to do a good job of this, you would
require some rather specialized tools (particularly if you haven't
done this before).
10) Don't lap the bottom of the nut to bring it down...it is typically
radiused and this is simply a bad idea.
11) If you do have to cut the slots, you should remember a few
things.
a) If you have to cut brand new slots you will need to figure out the
string spacing (typically 1-3/8th string spread in a Strat). If you
managed to get the old nut off in one piece, use it to copy your
string spacing. Otherwise, this is critical, don't start your slots
too close to the edge of the board and, remember to take into account
the thickness of each string when calculating the spread or your bass
strings will look crowded next to your treble strings.
b) Measure often. You measure the nut action by fretting the string on
the third fret. The string in question should just barely clear the
first fret top...if you tap the string over the first fret, you should
hear a very faint "ting" sound. You can also measure by using the half
pencil trick. Place a sharpened pencil lengthwise on a belt sander
(watch your fingers) until it is roughly a half circle. Place the flat
side on top of the fret and let the tip touch the nut. The pencil line
that you scribe in this manner delineates the deepest each slot should
go while respecting the fretboard radius.
c) In order for the string to avoid being bound at the nut, the slot
must be slightly larger than the string diameter. However, if it is
too wide, the string will move about on the bottom of the slot and, if
the slot is not completely smooth, this may produce audible and
undesirable artifacts. Many may say that you can substitute the proper
diameter nut files with various implements such as jewelers files,
cant saw files, xacto micro saw...and indeed, with some experience,
you can do a credible job, so long as the kerf of each tool you use is
of the right width for the slot that it is cutting as you go down the
line, then by-and -large the substitution will work...However, the
slot seat will not be rounded and smooth, so if you go the "cobbled
solution" route, simply cut a little shy of your required depth and
use a folded by of 600 grit sandpaper to smooth the bottom down.
d) Your cuts need to be angled back towards the headstock. This
provides a single takeoff point for the string that is well forward of
the nut seat allowing the vibrating string to continue uninterrupted.
It also introduces the requiste break angle. With this in mind, make
sure you protect your headstock from the wayward travels of whatever
metal implement is in your hands.
e) Once your slots have been cut to depth, you may need to bring your
nut down...this is typically done with a file to rough in the height
and various gradation of sandpaper 400-6000 grit (MicroMesh). The
idea is to barely bury the unwound strings and to have the wound
strings half buried by the nut slot.
Frankly, the easiest thing for you would be to bring it to a tech and
have it done right...but if you DYI, I hope my advice helps.
Cheers, CS
DeeAa
news:80465610-cad7-4da0...@e10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
No nut should be glued all too firmly in place. All of mine have gotten
loose with a little tap on the side and basically lifted off then. Use your
imagination - anything that won't break things is OK. If it's on the end of
the fretboard, even easier. Any pincer to lift if need be is fine, just
don't apply huge pressure. But it's not like it's made of glass so just go
for it, with common sense it'll come off easy.
As for the new nut, I usually put in just a few tiny dots of superglue.
Again, so little that it'll break loose with a good tap at one end. It only
needs a little something to stop sideways moving...the string pressure will
take care of holding it down OK.
DeeAa
news:21d99ba8-528d-4a92...@l1g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
8) Once out, if the seat looks clean, go ahead and pop the Graphtech
replacement in the nut slot...press it down. That's it...do not glue
or otherwise fasten the nut...the nut slot walls and the pressure of
strings is plenty to keep the nut secure for life...don't do anything
else to "secure it further".
9) Here's the hard part...you will now probably have to cut the nut
slots deeper (or cut them from scratch if your nut isn't pre-slotted)
to get your action right, but to do a good job of this, you would
require some rather specialized tools (particularly if you haven't
done this before).
10) Don't lap the bottom of the nut to bring it down...it is typically
radiused and this is simply a bad idea.
11) If you do have to cut the slots, you should remember a few
things.
Way excellent advice, except I'd like to add that...well at least I never
had a guitar on which the nut woulda stayed where it should with no glue
whatsoever. The nut always creeps a little off center because the bass
strings pull it more than the trebles. For that I recommend superglue, as it
breaks off very easily from wood with a slight tap if need be, but keeps it
tight othervise. Just a few drops though!
Secondly, on what guitars do you see radiused nuts? I've never seen
one...I've always set the heights by thinning it from the bottom rather than
re-cut the string slots. But if it were radiused...just never seen one?
Cheers,
Dee
Cyberserf
> Way excellent advice, except I'd like to add that...well at least I never
> had a guitar on which the nut woulda stayed where it should with no glue
> whatsoever. The nut always creeps a little off center because the bass
> strings pull it more than the trebles. For that I recommend superglue, as it
> breaks off very easily from wood with a slight tap if need be, but keeps it
> tight othervise. Just a few drops though!
On any nut except a Fender, I'd be with you, but these are special
little beasts that fit in a tight little slot cut into the fingerboard
(unlike most other guitars that have the nut flush against the
fingerboard edge). However, you are correct, if you use anything, a
small drop of cyano acrylic is quite easy break (if you know it is
there)...a sharp rap or a little heat is all it takes. However, in
over 30 years of work, I've never seen a single standard strat nut
that actually "needed" to be glued in.
>
> Secondly, on what guitars do you see radiused nuts? I've never seen
> one...I've always set the heights by thinning it from the bottom rather than
> re-cut the string slots. But if it were radiused...just never seen one?
Fender nut slots are radiused at the bottom (71/4 or 10") as well as
the top since the cutters rides on top of the fingerboard (pre-
fretting). Drop in replacements are typically pre-radiused top and
bottom on these...lapping these guarantees the creation of a little
hunk of garbage.
Here's a link to the beast under discussion:
http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_string_nuts
Regards, CS
Sacramento Dave
"Cyberserf" <cybr...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:21d99ba8-528d-4a92...@l1g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
Cheers, CS
That all sounds like good advice. This is a ruler I bought for slot spacing
on a nut (
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Measuring_tools/String_Spacing_Rule.html )
the strings are not really spaced equally . I used jeweler files now I
bought a set of nut files it's really made dereference in the finished
product. As for the dept of the slot I use a set of automotive feeler gauges
( http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Measuring_tools/Feeler_Gauges.html auto
supply a fraction of the cost ) What I do. put a single layer of tape
between nut and 1st fret, is use a straight edge on the first two frets
stacking the feeler gauges between fret board and straight edge ( between
nut & 1st fret) to determine the fret height then I add the measurement
above the frets I add .020 ( fender spec.) Then holding feeler gauges
against the nut I start filing once your file hits the gauges your at dept .
It sounds a little confusing but it's so simple you won't believe it. This
is not something I came up with it's a method described ( much better than
me ) in " Guitar player repair guide" I always push this book it's just a
wealth information on guitars from simple care to pulling frets.
Cyberserf
End snips are wire cutters that cut at the tip (end) rather than the
side. Like this:
http://www.hyperclaw.com/pic/products/end-cutting-plier-1-L.jpg
If you use these, watch the pressure or dull the cutters.
-CS
Cyberserf
> "Cyberserf" <cybrs...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
<snip a bunch of crap I wrote for fun>
>
> That all sounds like good advice. This is a ruler I bought for slot spacing
> on a nut (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Measuring_tools/String_Spacing_Rule...)
> the strings are not really spaced equally . I used jeweler files now I
> bought a set of nut files it's really made dereference in the finished
> product. As for the dept of the slot I use a set of automotive feeler gauges
> (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Measuring_tools/Feeler_Gauges.htmlauto
> supply a fraction of the cost ) What I do. put a single layer of tape
> between nut and 1st fret, is use a straight edge on the first two frets
> stacking the feeler gauges between fret board and straight edge ( between
> nut & 1st fret) to determine the fret height then I add the measurement
> above the frets I add .020 ( fender spec.) Then holding feeler gauges
> against the nut I start filing once your file hits the gauges your at dept .
> It sounds a little confusing but it's so simple you won't believe it. This
> is not something I came up with it's a method described ( much better than
> me ) in " Guitar player repair guide" I always push this book it's just a
> wealth information on guitars from simple care to pulling frets.
I agree...Dan Erlewine's book is a good place to gain some education
(and he has a couple of gems besides the one you mention)...and there
are other similar offerings that are available at Amazon or StewMac or
LMII or whatever source you like...another nice site that I like to
push is Frank Ford's site (www.frets.com). Look in on the big page of
Lutherie for pictorial explanations of a wide variety of simple and
complex repair techniques for stringed instruments (mostly fretted,
but some open). Indeed, if you want some convenience, buy his
CD...Frank is a very knowledgeable technician working in Palo Alto Ca.
at Gryphon Stringed Instruments. With decades of experience and a
really great teaching style that I strive to emulate (though he is
much better at it than I), he is, IMHO, a technicians'
technician...IMHO (again), everything on his site is worth at least
two reads...even if you aren't a stalker...plus, he's a really nice
guy, so there!
Cheers, CS
Tony Done
"riplead" <jha...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:80465610-cad7-4da0...@e10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
This may be a repeat, but in addition to what others have written. I gently
tap the nut *downwards* into the slot a few times to try and break the glue
joint. I use vise grips to grab the old nut if it wont move easily. If it
breaks, I do a partial removal with a dremel before chiselling.
I use PVA glue for holding acoustic style nuts, but I prefer something even
weaker - kids water soluble gum - for strat style nuts.It only has to be
enough to stop it slipping sideways.
Tony D
Kaz Kylheku
> How do you remove a Stratocaster nut?
Kill files may work to an extent, but at some point, IP range blocking
may need to be used.
Don Evans
Thank you! Someone had to say it.
Geetar Dave
> How do I remove the existing nut without
> damaging the instrument?
Put REALLY heavy strings on it. The nut will split, and come right
out!
I did this about 18 months ago, to my chagrin.
-dave-----:::
www.myspace.com/geetardave
Sacramento Dave
"I agree...Dan Erlewine's book is a good place to gain some education
(and he has a couple of gems besides the one you mention)...and there
are other similar offerings that are available at Amazon or StewMac or
LMII or whatever source you like...another nice site that I like to
push is Frank Ford's site (www.frets.com). Look in on the big page of
Lutherie for pictorial explanations of a wide variety of simple and
complex repair techniques for stringed instruments (mostly fretted,
but some open). Indeed, if you want some convenience, buy his
CD...Frank is a very knowledgeable technician working in Palo Alto Ca.
at Gryphon Stringed Instruments. With decades of experience and a
really great teaching style that I strive to emulate (though he is
much better at it than I), he is, IMHO, a technicians'
technician...IMHO (again), everything on his site is worth at least
two reads...even if you aren't a stalker...plus, he's a really nice
guy, so there!
Cheers, CS
I have that web sight book marked already , it is a good web sight.
Kaz Kylheku
> 1) Slacken the strings
> 2) Remove them from the nut. put two layers of tape on either side of
> the nut to protect the headstock and fingerboard if you should
> slip ;-)
This kind of pussyfooting should be saved for a valuable instrument.
Don Evans
Nice slam ... some of us think a Strat could be valuable.
Don
Ether
riplead wrote:
> How do you remove a Stratocaster nut?
Kick it in the crotch--hard.
--E
jtees4
>
>Also, how do I fasten the replacement nut?
>
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