L_Z_Nut Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 (edited) For some odd reason my guitar has developed an open string fret buzz on the D string. It used to buzz very very slightly when I would change strings, but after I tuned up all the strings (I have a Wlikinson tremolo bridge) and played for a few minutes it would go away until the next string change where it would do the same thing as before. I changed my strings about 1.5 to 2 weeks ago but the buzz has not gone away this time and seems to be getting worse. I have a feeling it might be because the string is not properly seated in the nut slot, maybe it had some slight high points or low points in the slot and it just made it worse the more I played it. IDK. Any advice? I don't know how to file a nut nor do I have the tools to do so, which brings me to my main question. Do any of you know any luthiers in or near the Toronto Ontario region? All I have near me that can replace the nut or file it is Long & Mcquade, but they want to charge me for a re-stringing, replace the nut completely and slot it which they said would run me about $100-$120 depending on the time and work envolved. and that's just insane! Thanks for your time and help. EDIT: Also I don't know if this will help much, but it buzzes on a downstroke but not on an upstroke, IDK to me that seems like it might help. Lately I've been trying to make sure I pluck it on an upstroke LOL. Edited June 1, 2006 by L_Z_Nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 If you use your trem alot you can expect nut slots to wear down faster. Especially the ones holding wound strings which act like a saw. A fix depends on what sort of material your nut is made of. If its a bone nut you could fix it (for a while anyway) by mixing bone dust and superglue to build the slot back up to where it was. I basically just fill it right up and then recut the entire slot. Anything softer, like plastic, should just be replaced with a harder material. I use graphite (ground up pencil lead) in nut slots to cut down on wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 (edited) Yeah I use my trem quite a bit. I have a graphite nut, do you think that a little pencil lead might help alleviate the buzz? EDIT: if I were to change the nut what would be the best material to keep it from wearing down faster? I'm assuming brass? Edited June 1, 2006 by L_Z_Nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 (edited) Sorry, I live on the other side of the country. Haven't been to Tee-O since the early 80's its all a blur, . You can do it yourself. Take the old nut off and go hunt down another graphite nut of near the same size/dimensions. Look at string spacing and overall length. It might be a little higher but its so easy to lay it down on a sheet of sandpaper and make it the right height. BTW, only a nut job would charge that much for a nut job. Edited June 1, 2006 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 (edited) LOL Yeah I know it's friggin crazy. It's a strat style guitar and nut that's just slightly wider then 1 5/8" (less then a 1/64" wider)and I have jumbo frets, would it be pretty easy to find a replacement for it. EDIT: Thanks for the help BTW, I think I'm gonna try a little graphite in the slot, if that doesn't work I think I'll just a new nut. Edited June 1, 2006 by L_Z_Nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Strat style nut should pop right in the slot. Will only cost you a couple bucks and you should be able to match it up. Graphite only provides lubrication for easier string movement thru the slot. If the guitar is buzzing then I think its too late for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 YEah I tried it and it didn't do anything so I guess I'll have to pop in to my local shop tomorrow and get a new nut. But I will be putting some graphite in the braided string slots with my new nut. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 SWEEEETTT. After diddling around with my guitar for a while last night I found out that the buzz was actually coming from the bridge. So I remebered hearing about how SRV used to use some kind of string material of whatever to keep it from breaking the strings at the bridge, so I tried it. And HUZZAH it worked no more buzz. I so happy I don't have to waste my money on a new nut, or pay some jackass at my local shop $100 to fix it. Thanks again for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 I should've mentioned this when I saw the thread, but the rule of the thumb is: if it sounds like the buzzing is coming from the nut, it's probably coming from the bridge, and vice versa. Although it was a bit hard to understand exactly where you thought the buzzing was coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 That's good to remember incase I get any problems with present or future guitars. Thanks for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Sheesh, my local guitar shop told me that replacing a nut only costs around $20... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 (edited) See the way they screw you at my shop is they charge around the same price for the nut as yours... maybe just a little more. But then they say they have to change the strings, which for them would be an extra $50-$60, whcih would bring it to around $70-$80, then they said depending on the labour involved it could bring the total up to $100-$120. I mean $50-$60 for a string change, I charge my lazy friends who always do a sloppy job only $10 to change the strings... all they have to do is buy the strings and bring me the guitar, 10 minutes later and I'm done. These people at Long & McQuade keep it for 1-2 weeks depending on how busy they are. Outrageous!! Edited June 2, 2006 by L_Z_Nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox2551 Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Dude, sweet deal, $10 for a string change....... Wish I had friends like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 (edited) I do all that stuff for free, along with setups and the odd repair where it comes to friends. If anything its a barter system, one favor for another. Of course, I get reimbursed if I have to buy any material. One friend brought me a big bag of guitar strings in return for fixing his wah pedal. Unfortunately, 90% of the strings (about 100) are .42 low E's. I'm still trying to figure out how I can use those. I just finished refurbishing a student model Framus lapsteel that I found in my friend's mother's basement. It had been down there rotting for 15 yrs since her husband died. All the tuners were seized, rust was even encroaching into the lining of the case. She didn't want to sell it so I offered to fix it up for nothing, just for fun. All expenses were for new case lining and a set of flatwounds, about $22. Whoever plays it will have to buy their own tone bar, tho. Edited June 2, 2006 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 I charge my lazy friends who always do a sloppy job only $10 to change the strings... Well, you know, we charge only $5 to answer questions around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Hi, I noticed this thread and just thought I'd ask a couple of n00by questions. I recently bought a Sunn Mustang P-Bass. This is basically a cut down Fender from the 80's. I am getting a lot of fret buzz from the 1st fret on the A string as I think its had fatter strings put on it and they have worn the nut down. I have bought a new one but I an unsure how to go about replacing it. Do i get the old nut out using a chisel or something and then how do I fit the new nut, is there any glue involved and if so what type? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Do NOT go anywhere near the bass with a chisel! The nut should pop right out of its little grove. Give it a go with a small screwdriver. It may also be possible to lightly tap it out of the slot. I'm sure standard superglue would be sufficient to hold the new nut in place. The only real purpose of the glue is to keep the nut one while the strings are off. If superglue doesn't work, there is also epoxy, but it is a little more permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Okee dokee, I'll see if I can change it tomorrow. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Before going at it with any kind of tools, trying gently wiggling the nut back in forth in its slot a little --you're just trying the break the grip of whatever glue or finish is holding it in, not trying to rip off the wood. Chances are the nut will come right out. If it doesn't, then try tapping it from the side ...depends on what kind of nut it is...(you might want to protect the rest of the neck area with masking tape or whatever, just in case you slip). Again, you shouldn't need more than gentle pressure. I use ordinary white glue to put the nut back in, you don't need more than that. But if you really don't feel like going to the trouble of changing the nut --because you're going to have to file the new nut, you know that, right? -- why not just take it back to the guitar shop and have them do it? Won't cost that much and you'll get a setup out of it too. Otherwise, you can try filling the old slots to make sure that's the problem. One trick is to take a tiny piece of tin foil and fold it up and place it under the string --if that solves the problem, at least you know that it is indeed the problem. Basically, you're just rebuilding the nut slot. I did that to my guitar a long time ago --someone showed me the trick at a club just before I had to sing-- then I forgot about I'd done it. The guitar played fine for years! There's also the trick of filling the slot a bit with baking soda, then adding a drop of superglue --that'll set up as hard as, if not harder than the existing nut. Use masking tape to mark off the slot you want to fill --that way the mixture will conform to the existing dimensions of the nut. Definitely protect the rest of the guitar, because this stuff gets really hard. And don't breathe the fumes! After that, you can reshape the slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 If it is made to fender specs, I would think getting an appropriate pre-made fender nut would suffice (I wanna say mustangs used a p-bass neck, but I'm not sure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 If it is made to fender specs, I would think getting an appropriate pre-made fender nut would suffice (I wanna say mustangs used a p-bass neck, but I'm not sure). All of the nuts I've bought have needed needed further work to make them fit the guitars I put them on. Which makes sense, it's the same reason why factory-built guitars usually need a setup too--there's no one size fits all. For my Gibson, I had to have the nut made from a blank because the neck isn't a standard width. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Z_Nut Posted June 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 (edited) Jump all over my thread why don't cha! J/K It's better to just post it in here then to start another thread. Maybe there should be an "official fret buzz thread" or something..... IDK. My friends who play guitar (since I only have 3 other friends who play) actually decided to pay me. I did it once for free on one of their guitars cause the way they did it was like a horror show to me (like a million wounds overlapping each other) And after that they all came to me to get it done, I was never gonna charge them but after I changed their strings they just said "here, this is for your trouble" I kept saying "no don't worry about it" and gave it back but I would usually just find the cash later sitting on top of my amp or on my computer. Besides, I always liked changing strings... I don't know why, I just think its fun. The only thing I've always been afraid to try was a truss rod adjustment, I just can't get that thought out of my head that if I mess up,*snap* there goes your rod, and your neck. But they never asked for a truss rod adjustment, nor have I ever needed one. Edited June 2, 2006 by L_Z_Nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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