I recently purchased a 2011 LP studio in wine red/gold hdw (looks and plays beautifully). I replaced the 10-46s that came on the guitar with a hybrid set of 10-52 for standard E and sone occasional drop D tuning. I looked to have to make minor adjustments but have found that the neck is straight as an arrow and the guitar stays in tune wonderfully. I had a concern about the height of the low A and E strings as they sit about a quarter of the string higher that the top of the nut. It does not affect my playing nor the sound of the strings whatsoever but I went to my local guitar shop and was told that I should consider having the nut filled slightly for the strings to sit flush in the slots. I then looked at a nearly identical studio in the shop and a few pics online and found that the bottom two strings sat slightly high as well. Is this common with les pauls and should I have it filed regardless?
HELP WITH STRING DEPTH AT NUT ON LP STUDIO
- Thread starter Glough
- Start date
jrfisher
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,124
Please do not allow amateurs to file your nuts 
I'm glad you sought advice and did research before allowing a modification to your guitar.
It's normal for Gibson's to have shallow cuts on the nut. Here are three examples from my collection. Cheers!
I'm glad you sought advice and did research before allowing a modification to your guitar.
It's normal for Gibson's to have shallow cuts on the nut. Here are three examples from my collection. Cheers!
toxpert
Active member
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- Jul 2, 2005
- Messages
- 3,068
This is where experience/training is required. The critical measures are the gap between the bottom of string and the top of the first fret.
as a rough check....fret the strings at the first fret...if the pitch of the note is ok...you are done. If the pitch is sharper than should be...have a qualifed tech adjust the nut and perform an entire setup for action and intonation. Nut, bridge, intonation and action are interactive.
There are special shaped luthier files made for this job.
Filing too much or at the wrong angle will make strings rattle and buzz when non-fretted strings are played. rhe bottom of the slot too wide or not wide enough also affects tuning stability and buzzing.
You mention the guitar plays well....if so, leave the nut alone. Filing away on the nut of you guitar is a recipe for making the guitar unplayable. Most important, a poorly setup guitar will make you dissatisfied and makes you not want to play the instrument.
as a rough check....fret the strings at the first fret...if the pitch of the note is ok...you are done. If the pitch is sharper than should be...have a qualifed tech adjust the nut and perform an entire setup for action and intonation. Nut, bridge, intonation and action are interactive.
There are special shaped luthier files made for this job.
Filing too much or at the wrong angle will make strings rattle and buzz when non-fretted strings are played. rhe bottom of the slot too wide or not wide enough also affects tuning stability and buzzing.
You mention the guitar plays well....if so, leave the nut alone. Filing away on the nut of you guitar is a recipe for making the guitar unplayable. Most important, a poorly setup guitar will make you dissatisfied and makes you not want to play the instrument.
Don
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2001
- Messages
- 5,732
That's complete nonsense. By your description it sounds like the nut is set up well. The strings can actually sit even higher above the top of the nut but that's not how the action at the nut is determined. It's based on factors like playability, intonation, tuning stability... As long as the strings are not popping out of the nut slots, binding in the nut slots, not being muted, play in tune and stay in tune you should be fine.