Les Paul finally stays in tune/ graph nut

[96 lppp]

My 2001 lp custom has had tuning issues with a creaking nut on g string. I filed slots smoother, and lubed with no real improvement. I installed a black graphite nut and no more issues with nut grabbing. The smooth molded string grooves are 10x smoother than a factory nut will ever be. Does not look stock with black nut but stays in tune for more than 3 seconds, lol. Intonation has improved as has the tone. Finally this LP is useable for big bends with alot of vibrato. The best $6 I spent on gear.

 

[soldano16]

It's that a great feeling, one less hassle.

 

[Markster]

My 2001 lp custom has had tuning issues with a creaking nut on g string. I filed slots smoother, and lubed with no real improvement. I installed a black graphite nut and no more issues with nut grabbing. The smooth molded string grooves are 10x smoother than a factory nut will ever be. Does not look stock with black nut but stays in tune for more than 3 seconds, lol. Intonation has improved as has the tone. Finally this LP is useable for big bends with alot of vibrato. The best $6 I spent on gear.

I put a graphtec nut on my 58RI and never looked back.

 

[Jeff]

I wonder how Tusq would be on a Les Paul...

 

[bluespckr]

There's nothing more frsutarted than a guitar that won't stay in tune, and nothing more orgasmic than to finally put that problem in your rear-view mirror.

 

[JeffF]

I had a new bone nut cut for mine and it's perfect now. The historics are bad, my 54' is absolutely horrible from factory, as soon as my pigtail parts get in I'm getting a bone put in it as well.

.02

 

[Leña_Costoso]

I've used Tusq on <gasp!> Fender's and never had a tuning issue, although the "graphtec" has mo'slippery.

I've seen some really soft nut material on guitars - where you look at the slot with a 7x loup and the slot is formed and filed ok, but once you put the string in the slot and tune it up - the string digs right in and you get binding again. Bad material, I guess it happens. I'm almost sure that G strings are under the highest tension of the set, maybe thats why they have more problems.

 

[dez]

Graphite nuts and saddles have been the answer to almost all my tuning issues. AND it almost completely stops string breakage problems , too. Definitely worth the $.

 

[andreja marovic]

How do you remouve the nut from the guitar?
is there any way of going it Clean???
not breaking and destroying the old one for remouval???is there any "tip" how to remouve the nut on the guitar???
Thanks in answering,
Andreja

 

[Willie Mctell]

the old ones should pop out with a little work, but the historics are superglued, unfortunately. That means cutting it out..

 

[LPMan]

I put a graphtec nut on my 58RI and never looked back.

Hey Markeymark i'm thinking of going the graph tech route as a nut replacement for my Standard Premium Plus. Did you install the new nut yourself? I have never tried a nut replacement but from what i've read it doesn't seem to be that difficult. Could you give me a bit of info as to how you went about it, your personal experience? Did you have to do any trimming for first fret string height, and how about width trimming was it necessary?
Any information you can pass along will be greatley appreciated...

Thanks,

Bryan

 

[Markster]

Hey Markeymark i'm thinking of going the graph tech route as a nut replacement for my Standard Premium Plus. Did you install the new nut yourself? I have never tried a nut replacement but from what i've read it doesn't seem to be that difficult. Could you give me a bit of info as to how you went about it, your personal experience? Did you have to do any trimming for first fret string height, and how about width trimming was it necessary?
Any information you can pass along will be greatley appreciated...

Thanks,

Bryan

Hey Bryan,

Order the preslotted nut. This will eliminate some of the difficulties with string spacing for your first time.

Sand down the base of the nut. (Use the old nut as a rough guide for the overall height of the nut.)

Sand the sides of the nut so its flush with the neck on both sides. ( I string the low e and high e then move the nut to where the strings are equal distance to the edge of the fret board. I mark the nut where the overhang is then carefully sand down.)

Next glue the nut and let dry. (I glue the nut then string loosly so I can make any left right adjustments to the nut. Once everything looks even I tighten the strings a little more and let the glue dry.)

Now file the slots down to proper height with slotting files.

The cheapest place I have found for nut slotting files is warmoth. A set for guitar is 64.00 . Its a great investment cause they come in handy more times than can be imagined. http://www.warmoth.com/supplies/supplies.cfm?fuseaction=files

Here are some links that will tell you what you need to know about nut removal and installation. http://fretnotguitarrepair.com/nuts.htm http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/Nuts/nuts1.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/A-NUTS.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/I-5350.html

 

[LPMan]

Hey Bryan,

Order the preslotted nut. This will eliminate some of the difficulties with string spacing for your first time.

Sand down the base of the nut. (Use the old nut as a rough guide for the overall height of the nut.)

Sand the sides of the nut so its flush with the neck on both sides. ( I string the low e and high e then move the nut to where the strings are equal distance to the edge of the fret board. I mark the nut where the overhang is then carefully sand down.)

Next glue the nut and let dry. (I glue the nut then string loosly so I can make any left right adjustments to the nut. Once everything looks even I tighten the strings a little more and let the glue dry.)

Now file the slots down to proper height with slotting files.

The cheapest place I have found for nut slotting files is warmoth. A set for guitar is 64.00 . Its a great investment cause they come in handy more times than can be imagined. http://www.warmoth.com/supplies/supplies.cfm?fuseaction=files

Here are some links that will tell you what you need to know about nut removal and installation. http://fretnotguitarrepair.com/nuts.htm http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/Nuts/nuts1.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/A-NUTS.html
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/I-5350.html

Thanks for your reply markeymark. Were you able to tap the old nut out of it's slot after scoring the finish around it or did you have to saw across the nut to remove it that way? I am really hoping i can cleanly just tap this thing out and preserve the old one if at all possible. Also i didn't think it was necessary to file the nut slots i was told by one of the techs at graph tech whom i emailed about this and he said really only removing material from the bottom and sides to fit and maybe a little cleanup here and there would be necessary. He said the nut slots were pre-cut to gibsons specifications. I certainly don't mind learning how to do this but i was wanting to avoid this as well. When you say file the slots to their correct height are you saying i need to deepen them if need be. How would i gauge this measurement, by meausuring string height at the first fret for all strings, fileing slots down to stacked feeler gauges or another method? I have never attempted this but i want to learn and work on my own guitars and save money in the process. I'm trying to gather as much information on this procedure to determine if i feel confident to do it, if not then i'm taking it to a tech. I referenced the links you posted and had read most of thm before, the bit of information i don't seem to find is how to determine proper nut slot depth but perhaps i have overlooked this. ANymore info you can pass along to me will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Bryan

 

[Markster]

Hey Bryan,

First, I scored the finish around the nut with a exacto knife. Next I took a piece of wood and placed it in front of the nut and carefully tapped the wood into the nut (towards the headstock)with a hammer. (Be careful to only do it hard enough to loosen the nut or you might chip your veneer on the headstock.) Then I carefully tapped out the nut out from side to side. Nut should come out intact.)

Be careful not to sand to much off the bottom of the nut because you want to file the slots a little to get the proper height of each string. The easiest method I've found for finding proper slot depth is holding the string down on the third fret, then lightly tap the string at the first fret and listen. You want to hear a small ping with the string barely clearing the 1st fret while holding the string down on the 3rd fret. I always give my wound strings a bit more clearance than the unwound strings. I know this doesn't sound very scientific but works very well. Refer to this link for visuals. http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html Remember its better to take off a little at a time then too much at once.

Take your time. When I did my first guitar I was really nervous. It came out perfect. Then I started relizing all my guitars were out a little at the nut and fixed them too.

Peace
Mark

 

[LPMan]

Good Morning Mark,

I noticed your online indicator was green at the time i started writing this email, i wish instant messaging was possible on this forum. Anyway i appreciate all the info and advice you have given me it has been a big help. I'm feeling more and more confident about doing this myself. Another question for you if i may. If i do need to do some additional fileing to this trem nut i'm wondering what size files will be necessary for each slot. I intend of using string guages .10, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 I just want to make sure i buy what i need to optimize each slot for these guages.

Thanks man for all your help.

Bryan

 

[andreja marovic]

This Forum is the BEST.
You guys really try to explain all the subtilities of the replacment of the nut.
I will like to add my experiance: I had a probleme with my Bigsby equiped Les Paul and I filed the holes in depth too much....so the strings were touching the frets when playing a open string.
Please don't play with the nut. I gave the guitar to my friend who fixed the old nut with super glue and bone dust.There was no need of replacing the nut and I will never perform such action all alone.To remouve the actual nut on Gibsons is a difficoult task.
You have to destroy the old one without traces...and this is tricky.
Go to a good tech and pay whatever he asks, this way it will be done by a experianced
hand and professionaly.
You can practice with few hundred dollars guitars but not with Historic reissues.
The risk is too BIG to f... the insrtrument.

 

[Markster]

Good Morning Mark,

I noticed your online indicator was green at the time i started writing this email, i wish instant messaging was possible on this forum. Anyway i appreciate all the info and advice you have given me it has been a big help. I'm feeling more and more confident about doing this myself. Another question for you if i may. If i do need to do some additional fileing to this trem nut i'm wondering what size files will be necessary for each slot. I intend of using string guages .10, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046 I just want to make sure i buy what i need to optimize each slot for these guages.

Thanks man for all your help.

Bryan

Hi Bryan,
I use a file that is slightly larger than the gauge of string that goes into that slot. I know the first time you do this, its a little nerve-racking. The first guitar I replaced the nut on was a 01 58RI. :bug Feel free to call me if you get stuck or have any other questions. 305-801-9742.

Peace
Mark

 

[Lindgren]

To all you guys with a Graphtech nut.
Does it affect the tone of the guitar ?
Can you hear any difference between the original nut vs Graphtech ?

 

[Markster]

To all you guys with a Graphtech nut.
Does it affect the tone of the guitar ?
Can you hear any difference between the original nut vs Graphtech ?

Graptechs Tusq and Tremnut sound great and are a big improvment over what the custom shop uses. I personally prefer the tremnut over tusq because it eliminates any binding issues and sounds as good as the Tusq.