Messed up nut change in JMJM...

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chemattstry
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Re: Messed up nut change in JMJM...

Post by chemattstry » Sat May 14, 2022 11:29 am

I ran into this issue with a CV Tele a few years back. They had that nut WAY over glued into that slot and I did some damage trying remove. A real mess. Best wishes on yours.

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wotsch
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Re: Messed up nut change in JMJM...

Post by wotsch » Tue May 17, 2022 1:18 am

jvin248 wrote:
Fri May 13, 2022 4:07 am
.

You watched the youtube videos where they hammer off the nut ... if you look, those are the Gibson style nuts that have no wood on the tuner side of them. The Fender style nuts are best removed with a saw cut down the middle lengthwise and then collapse the sides into the saw cut kerf with pliers for easy removal. The fret side of the nut slot is the most important surface in the guitar because if that is damaged then all your frets will be out of tune.

However, swapping nuts is an overdone and as you've seen very risky endeavor. They are a popular mod because 'hey that new nut is only $5 and the Internet Forums say it really improves the tone so why not'. It's a very dangerous mod! I've bought a lot of guitars cheap because nuts were 'upgraded' incorrectly. The Internet Forums place so much focus on tone improvement of the nuts while the modders often put new strings on the guitar after swapping nuts and of course the new strings sound fantastic compared to the dirty old strings they removed - the tone improvement was not the nut but the strings...

Set the nut slots on the factory nut carefully/correctly and use dry graphite lock-lube to cut friction at the nut and other points. Graphite impregnated nuts tend to be soft and the strings dig in resulting in more stickiness tuning problems when using the trem.

.
Yes, you're right - I watched a video with a Gibson guitar, but the instructor pointed out that you have to work sideways on Fender style guitars... He says it loud and clear at about 1:10...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-dgr4Wzj4k

I made 3 bad mistakes which I want to share, maybe somebody else can avoid them:

1. I started working pretty late at night, so I was in a hurry "to get this done" without any experience on the subject
2. I didn't have the proper tools to change the nut - no scalpel or exacto knife, just a Stanley knife with an edge not thin enought for the job
3. I got frustrated when the nut didn't move and so I tried to hammer "the wrong way" like on Gibson guitars. The nut moved finally, but not just the nut.

Pretty obvious mistakes, but maybe still helpful

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