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Graph tech saddles & nut


the dog

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So I just changed my saddles on my Signature T to the Teflon impregnated ones from Graph Tech.

The price of the saddles and the short amount of time to replace the factory ones was well worth the benefits I am reaping.

I'm noticing more sustain and much smoother bending..

I am astounded by the amount of change... [thumbup]

 

I also bought a nut also...The saddles were very easy for me to do.

 

Doing the nut is easy also for me but I have one question.

When the nut is fitted and I'm ready to keep it there permanently I want to put the tiniest drop of glue to keep the nut in place when all strings are removed but not too much glue to make removal of nut in future (if need be) difficult..

 

My question is what kind and brand of glue do I use?

 

Thanks

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So I just changed my saddles on my Signature T to the Teflon impregnated ones from Graph Tech.

The price of the saddles and the short amount of time to replace the factory ones was well worth the benefits I am reaping.

I'm noticing more sustain and much smoother bending..

I am astounded by the amount of change... [thumbup]

 

I also bought a nut also...The saddles were very easy for me to do.

 

Doing the nut is easy also for me but I have one question.

When the nut is fitted and I'm ready to keep it there permanently I want to put the tiniest drop of glue to keep the nut in place when all strings are removed but not too much glue to make removal of nut in future (if need be) difficult..

 

My question is what kind and brand of glue do I use?

 

Thanks

 

I have seen many people state tite bond 50, but just a few tiny drops, don't use a ton of it.

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Titebond

Thank you so much for your quick response... Titebond it is..

I'm going to Home Depot today...Would they sell it or do I have to get online?

 

I have seen many people state tite bond 50, but just a few tiny drops, don't use a ton of it.

Thanks, that's two that said that...Titebond it is...

 

BTW you will notice a HUGE improvement in resonance with both the nut and the saddles. It is a night and day difference.

I can't wait till I get the nut on....Just the saddles alone is a huge difference...

 

 

 

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I answered my own question about if I can get Titebond at Home Depot...

The name didn't ring a bell...

I Googled Titebond and when I saw the label I recognized it and I had a bottle on my shelf...

I just new Titebond as wood glue not as Titebond....

well anyway all is good... [smile]

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DO NOT USE PERMANENT GLUE! [thumbdn]

 

Use something that will hold the nut in place but come out easily. I suggest white elmer's school glue believe it or not. It works great and cleans out if you ever need to change the nut again

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  • 2 weeks later...

Doing the nut is easy also for me but I have one question.

When the nut is fitted and I'm ready to keep it there permanently I want to put the tiniest drop of glue to keep the nut in place when all strings are removed but not too much glue to make removal of nut in future (if need be) difficult..

 

My question is what kind and brand of glue do I use?

 

Thanks

I looked into this before I changed mine, and it seems regular Elmer's is fine, but they recommended diluting it down to 50% with water.

That way, it will break loose next time without tearing out the wood.

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I looked into this before I changed mine, and it seems regular Elmer's is fine, but they recommended diluting it down to 50% with water.

That way, it will break loose next time without tearing out the wood.

I always have used Elmer's without diluting it. Just a couple drops is all you need and it does break free easily if you ever need to change the nut again.

I always used water-based paper glue, too, for nuts as well as for Telecaster string ferrule bushings gone loose. By the way, not a single one of the latter ever dropped off again when changing strings.

 

Never diluted the stuff though. Using a smaller amount will have the same effect as dilution and and less impact on the wood's humidity.

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I had mine done by a tech, how hard was it to remove the stock nut yourself?

Also how much did you have to trim the Graphtech to get the correct nut hieght?

 

To remove the nut was a simple procedure. Loosened strings. I took my X-atco knife and scored a line around the nut to get through the nitro.I felt the knife go through.

On each side of (low and high E string) I removed the little piece of nitro from the side of the nut.

I laid a small piece of wood on fret board and I slightly tapped nut towards headstock. It moved slightly. From the high E side I tapped it to push out the low E side. It moved. I grabbed it with my thumb and index finger and pulled it out.

Very little wood came with it. The nut slot was in very good shape.

 

As for the new nut it had about .050 thousandths of material to remove to get the height correct.

The thickness for the slot was perfect.

And the sides were a little long.

 

I had a problem with my stock nut begin to close to edge of fret board.

When I hammer and pull off high E string on second and third fret I could pull the string right off fret board.

My Explorer doesn't do this and none of my past guitars did.

So I biased the low E side a little with nut position to eliminate that issue and there is plenty of material on sides to file nut to be flush with the neck...

 

I'm very happy with the results.

 

I actually bought two nuts when I bought them in case I screwed up. I didn't so now I have two.

I bought the black nut also and their both fitted for my guitar.

I'm really not sure which one I will put on permanently.

I like it with the black but I'll probably stick with ivory color...

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How you doin buddy? I am thinking about trying the saddles on my Signature T I got a hot pickup Searcy wound for me and I am gonna put the Nashville back on it with Graph Tech saddles I think. I am not so keen on a nut though.

 

The nut and the saddles together is where you really notice the tonal difference in the guitar. It is by no means a life changing tone change, but as I have said before it opens up the guitar more, lets it breath better, everything sounds more open and you can hear every note of a full chord. The guitar also seems to resonate much louder. When I strum my LP with the GT's on it, next to my LP without any GT on it, there is a huge difference in volume unplugged. But I understand, some don't like to change a nut unless there is a reason to change it. but for me, hearing the sound of my guitar afterward was reason enough.

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The nut and the saddles together is where you really notice the tonal difference in the guitar. It is by no means a life changing tone change, but as I have said before it opens up the guitar more, lets it breath better, everything sounds more open and you can hear every note of a full chord. The guitar also seems to resonate much louder. When I strum my LP with the GT's on it, next to my LP without any GT on it, there is a huge difference in volume unplugged. But I understand, some don't like to change a nut unless there is a reason to change it. but for me, hearing the sound of my guitar afterward was reason enough.

Did you have to use a sanding block to curve the saddles? I noticed the original tune o matic saddles are sanded to the radius of the neck. Do they come pre-curved?

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Did you have to use a sanding block to curve the saddles? I noticed the original tune o matic saddles are sanded to the radius of the neck. Do they come pre-curved?

 

They are ready to drop and go. I have them installed on all but one of my les pauls, and that one is soon to be converted.

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Did you have to use a sanding block to curve the saddles? I noticed the original tune o matic saddles are sanded to the radius of the neck. Do they come pre-curved?

 

Also if you look at a TOM you will see the curve is not in the saddles the screws are mounted in an arc on the bridge itself which matches the radius.

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