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D string falling out of the nut. Repair or replace?


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My D string is falling out of the nut on my one year old Gibson LP Studio. My options are to take it to a local Guitar Center luthier, or, drive about 8 hours to the Gibson factory and get it repaired there.

 

Should I take the opportunity to replace the nut entirely, or just dress up the D string cavity?

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If the string is slipping out, and the BOTTOM of the slot is cut to the correct depth, there is no fix, as the top of the nut as been dressed down too far. Yes, this might be a warranty issue, but even the out of pocket cost of a new nut does not warrant shipping or driving your guitar to Nashville or Memphis. They do not have a walk-in repair shop, and you risk being without your guitar for months.

 

Any reputable, qualified guitar tech should be able to easily, and immediately, diagnose the problem and propose a solution. If the tech happens to be Gibson certified, you may even still get it covered under warranty. If the slot's just cut too shallow, it may be as easy as deepening it slightly.

 

I mean no disrespect... but there are no "Luthiers" at Guitar Center, only guitar "techs". The word "Luthier" defines a level of education and skill far above what you find behind the counter of most any music store.

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I mean no disrespect... but there are no "Luthiers" at Guitar Center, only guitar "techs". The word "Luthier" defines a level of education and skill far above what you find behind the counter of most any music store.

 

No offense taken, and I appreciate the education. I am a novice with guitars, and made an incorrect assumption.

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has this always happened? have you changed string gauge (going to a heavier gauge)?

 

chances are, the D slot just isn't cut deep enough. I guess you'd need to have it assessed by someone who knew the proper measurements and tolerances for the nut based on your string gauge of choice.

 

It's not all that uncommon that the nuts are cut a tad on the high end, as it's easier for a setup tech to remove nut material than it is to replace it.

 

Don't go to Guitar Center, they are good at is "selling", and that's about it.. so really, I agree 100% with Larry go else where for a setup. check a local music store if you have one... the small mom and pop places usually have someone that they have doing their repairs and setup work. If they don't have one, they probably have people they can refer.

 

 

Factory settings are really a middle of the road ball park that allows a reasonable setup out of the box. To "Get it" right for you, requires a full setup once you have some time to play it and know how it feels and what you'd like to have improved.

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