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Replaceing my Guitar Nut

FrankieGFrankieG Posts: 9,100
edited July 2010 in Musicians and Gearheads
So my brother recently broke the nut on my guitar...

Does anybody have any tips on how to replace it?

Thanks!
2003: 7/14 NJ ... 2006: 6/1 NJ, 6/3 NJ ... 2007: 8/5 IL ... 2008: 6/24 NY, 6/25 NY, 8/7 EV NJ ... 2009: 10/27 PA, 10/28 PA, 10/30 PA, 10/31 PA
2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA
2022: 9/14 NJ ... 2024: 5/28 WA, 9/7 PA, 9/9 PA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • CantKeepMeHereCantKeepMeHere Posts: 2,177
    just eat the small cost and take it to a shop - every single time i have known someone who tried to do it themselves - the first 3 or 4 frets buzz for the rest of the guitars life
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  • ScrapeMySkyScrapeMySky Posts: 426
    I'd second that. If you don't have any experience and don't have the right tools (like files), you're almost guaranteed to mess it up.
  • OffHeGoes29OffHeGoes29 Posts: 1,240
    What kind of guitar? I replace the nuts on both my mexican strats with graphtech nuts. It wasn't that bad, just scored around the nut with an exsacto (so it doesn't chip the finish) and tap gently against the side of the nut with something soft like a piece of wood and a hammer until it fell out.

    I then dry fitted the new nut and sanded down the bottom until it met the proper height for the neck (or match the height of the old nut). You may need to sand the sides a little to match the width. Once you feel comfortable with the fit, just tap it in through the side until its in place ( no glue).

    Both sound better, less tunning issues and buzzing (or at least I think so).

    I'm mechanically inclined and have experience building furniture, so it might not be for everyone. But then again I had my pickups installed because I have no experience with soldering.

    Good luck!
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  • FrankieGFrankieG Posts: 9,100
    I was thinking about taking it to a shop, but i dont know any by my house...

    I actually dont know the type of guitar.. its electric... use to be my dads when he was growing up... Its a cheap kinda "starter" guitar. :lol:

    I definitely think I could do it, but I dont really want to.

    Does anyone know if Sam Ash has a department for fixing stuff like this? I think im going to take a ride up there oveer the weekend.
    2003: 7/14 NJ ... 2006: 6/1 NJ, 6/3 NJ ... 2007: 8/5 IL ... 2008: 6/24 NY, 6/25 NY, 8/7 EV NJ ... 2009: 10/27 PA, 10/28 PA, 10/30 PA, 10/31 PA
    2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
    2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA
    2022: 9/14 NJ ... 2024: 5/28 WA, 9/7 PA, 9/9 PA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    The guitar doesn't have a brand name or model name on it anywhere? Post pics. It might be something lame, but then again, it could be a collector piece. When I was first learning guitar, I had an old guitar my dad had found at a garage sale for $20. It broke years ago (I stepped on the top in the dark, and totally destroyed it), but I found out later it was kind of a cool old piece and would've been worth almost $1000 today. So let's see if we can identify it, before you mangle the neck!
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • FrankieGFrankieG Posts: 9,100
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    The guitar doesn't have a brand name or model name on it anywhere? Post pics. It might be something lame, but then again, it could be a collector piece. When I was first learning guitar, I had an old guitar my dad had found at a garage sale for $20. It broke years ago (I stepped on the top in the dark, and totally destroyed it), but I found out later it was kind of a cool old piece and would've been worth almost $1000 today. So let's see if we can identify it, before you mangle the neck!

    Ill have to look when I get home from work.

    I hope I dont mangle the neck :lol:
    2003: 7/14 NJ ... 2006: 6/1 NJ, 6/3 NJ ... 2007: 8/5 IL ... 2008: 6/24 NY, 6/25 NY, 8/7 EV NJ ... 2009: 10/27 PA, 10/28 PA, 10/30 PA, 10/31 PA
    2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
    2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA
    2022: 9/14 NJ ... 2024: 5/28 WA, 9/7 PA, 9/9 PA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
  • FrankieGFrankieG Posts: 9,100
    Ok, so I just bought a Strat instead of fixing my other guitar. :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

    But now I still want to fix the nut....

    The guitar is a Tokai. It says "Goldstar Sound" too.

    Are there different kinds of nuts for different brands??? Or can I just get any nut and it will fit?

    Thanks
    2003: 7/14 NJ ... 2006: 6/1 NJ, 6/3 NJ ... 2007: 8/5 IL ... 2008: 6/24 NY, 6/25 NY, 8/7 EV NJ ... 2009: 10/27 PA, 10/28 PA, 10/30 PA, 10/31 PA
    2010: 5/20 NY, 5/21 NY ... 2011: 6/21 EV NY, 9/3 WI, 9/4 WI ... 2012: 9/2 PA, 9/22 GA ... 2013: 10/18 NY, 10/19 NY, 10/21 PA, 10/22 PA, 10/27 MD
    2015: 9/23 NY, 9/26 NY ... 2016: 4/28 PA, 4/29 PA, 5/1 NY, 5/2 NY, 6/11 TN, 8/7 MA, 11/4 TOTD PA, 11/5 TOTD PA ... 2018: 8/10 WA
    2022: 9/14 NJ ... 2024: 5/28 WA, 9/7 PA, 9/9 PA ---- http://imgur.com/a/nk0s7
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