ItsForrest Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Who here has experience to pass on with Graph Tech (or other) replacement nuts? There has been a fair amount of talk of how crappy the nuts are on most new guitars, even Gibsons. I've recently bought two new guitars, an Epiphone Casino and a Gibson Les Paul, and both of them need nut work. The Casino may be able to be saved by some careful filing but the Les Paul needs a new nut, mainly due to the slot spacing being wonky from the factory. How is the quality of the pre-grooved Graph Tech nuts? Do they generally need a fair amount of filing all around before using or are they good to go with just filing the bottom for overall height? For the cost of having a good local luthier replace one nut, I can buy a set of nut files and a couple pre-grooved nuts. In the week or so that my guitar would sit waiting for attention at the shop, I could spend a few hours learning about nut filing on YouTube and If the radius of the Graph Tech nuts is good to start with, maybe I don't even need the nut files. So, are the pre-grooved replacement nuts any good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Bone is the way my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzep59 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I've put some thought and research into this too. I have heard other guitarists and a couple luthiers complain about Gibson nuts. I know I am a little disappointed, because for the money I paid for my R9, the least they could do is save me the grief of going out of tune and hearing the string get stuck in the nut. I had nut work done once and now the problem is slowly creeping back. As for new nuts, you are better off buying bone like dem00n said because it is something that many luthiers and guitarists are familiar and confident with. Something you don't want to happen is you buy and install some gimmicky nut like a Tusq or the Earvana or whatever and it turns out to be a complete piece of junk. I plan to change out my nut soon (depending on if I try to get a Historic Makeover), and when I do I will probably just have my luthier install a bone nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I've put some thought and research into this too. I have heard other guitarists and a couple luthiers complain about Gibson nuts. I know I am a little disappointed' date=' because for the money I paid for my R9, the least they could do is save me the grief of going out of tune and hearing the string get stuck in the nut. I had nut work done once and now the problem is slowly creeping back. As for new nuts, you are better off buying bone like dem00n said because it is something that many luthiers and guitarists are familiar and confident with. Something you don't want to happen is you buy and install some gimmicky nut like a Tusq or the Earvana or whatever and it turns out to be a complete piece of junk. I plan to change out my nut soon (depending on if I try to get a Historic Makeover), and when I do I will probably just have my luthier install a bone nut. [/quote'] Every nut I've replaced it's been with bone and loved the upgrade to my sound and tuning. You won't be sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 After my doberman pitcher's castration, we purchased him a couple of replacement nuts made from tempered glass. They really looked natural and nobody could tell... oh...sh!t... We're talking about guitars aren't we. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 My Casino came with a toy nut, saying plastic nut does not begin to describe how crappy this thing is. I am going with bone but i am paying to get it done. Fossilized ivory is the way to go really but with trade restrictions you have to be careful not to buy anything illegal. Casinos have a 1.62" nut width, it is hard to find a precut nut that is a direct drop in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsForrest Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 After my doberman pitcher's castration' date=' we purchased him a couple of replacement nuts made from tempered glass. They really looked natural and nobody could tell... oh...sh!t... We're talking about guitars aren't we. Sorry. [/quote'] Tempered glass seems a bit harsh. I can just hear them clacking as he walks. You should have tried these guys for replacements: http://neuticles.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max2343 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 It's Real Easy to Do. Tapped my old one off. Used Carpenters Glue and a Clamp and it Turned out Nice with This Brass one I got off of Ebay for 8.00 Dollars. No More Pinging or Hangin up and it Brightened The Tone up, but I lost Some Lows. I'd Say Get a Few and Try-em out. Just Remember Most are Cut for 9-42's or 48's and Anything Heavier will Require Some Cutting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Tempered glass seems a bit harsh. I can just hear them clacking as he walks.You should have tried these guys for replacements: http://neuticles.com/ You should hear him when he runs' date=' I'm scared they're going to shatter! (PETA disclaimer: No animals have been harmed in these series of jokes.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 For a Doberman shouldn't they be brass? For a guitar, Bone is the only way to go, that's the first and often only upgrade I do to every guitar I buy for myself to play. I cut and make my own and it's not to hard if you can get past the smell of cutting and sanding the bone blanks. Fossilized Mammoth Ivory is legal to own and use, it makes a great nut also but I honestly can't hear enough of a difference to justify the cost of Mammoth in most guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzep59 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 How much more expensive is an ivory nut compared to a bone nut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
met1977 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 hey man mojo makes a bone nut for the les paul that is pre slotted and ready to install. I put one one my les paul standard before i traded it like an idiot and it made a huge difference in sustain and tone. I think total cost for nut and install by my tech was 25.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJustice Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Who here has experience to pass on with Graph Tech (or other) replacement nuts? I just got the nut on my LP Studio replaced. I let my local guitar workshop do it - they're not expensive; I can have maybe four nut replacements for the cost of the required tools. The new nut is a Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL. It's the best thing I could do for that guitar, everything about it is good IMO, sound, tuning stability and looks. Having a black nut makes the guitar look so much better - when I see a white one now, it looks kind of ugly (jarring, disjointed, as if the headstock isn't part of the guitar...). The sound and sustain is, if anything, better than with the original nut. I'll eventually replace the nuts on all my guitars with Black TUSQs. Much as I love my LP, I have to admit that the original nut was absolutely crap. Was far too high so I got a filing job on it, then the slots became too deep, and the high strings were pinched making tuning a pain. The material also felt and looked cheap. Did I mention that it was ugly too? ;-) DJ -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witmer Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 How do I find out what kind of nut my studio has? And is it true that a Graph Tech nut is softer than bone and won't last as long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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