Can this be done?

[JEPI]

TWANG/Forum members: My LP has low action, which I like, but I do have a lot of string buzz, particularly on the wound strings - 4th, 5th and 6th. After reading TWANG'S quote below (I used the search function) I'm curious about the "51% of the string in the slot" etc.. My strings are buried in the nut. My question: Is there a 'temporary' way to refill the slot in order to see if that will stop the buzzing.... (is this a noob question) lol..........J

 

TWANG'S quote from 31Mar08 >>> "nut slots have to be pretty spot on.. it doesn't take much to get funky overtones.. ringing buzzing all sorts of crap!

 

I've said before I like to remove as much off the top of the nut as I can and still keep the string in the slot.

in short.. a little over 51% of the string is in the slot.. the rest you should be able to feel running your fingertip over the nut top.

the prevents any side to side vibration in a lot of cases.. it's easy to twist a nut file, see.. you think you are running it straight, but even a machine can mess up at such small increment.. then the string can vibrate against the edges instead of being held by them".

[RSDx]

T My strings are buried in the nut. My question: Is there a 'temporary' way to refill the slot in order to see if that will stop the buzzing.... (is this a noob question) lol..........J

 

 

Hmmmm, good question .... dunno how practical this might be, but perhaps a short length of each of the same guage guitar strings laid under the string, or might this cause the strings to be too much out of the slot ? If your strings are in that deep, this "might" work, although I have no idea - I've yet to go messing around with my nut, yet (I'm of the "if it ain't brike don't fix it" school of thought, and so far, my nut doesn't appear to be contributing to any problems.

Or perhaps you could try "shredding" toothpicks and laying small pieces in the nut slots to build it up ?? Hopefully someone who knows what they're talking about will come along with a good answer for you. Good luck !!

[garyelcrrt1281733995]

In saw an article, I believe from StewMac, about this very topic. If I remember correctly, they said they use, I think baking soda? as a filler and superglue to hold in place. Haven't tried myself.

 

But, nuts are fairly inexpensive...

[tulsaslim]

Put your finger on any fret and play the 3 offending strings. If you hear any buzz at all then it ain't the nut, is it?

[TWANG]

you can fill a nut slot with bone dust and superglue.. then refile it.

 

if you press on third fret of a string.. and between it's bottom and the top of the first fret. there should be about a hairs breadth.

if you find that there is buzz on the frets of that string, the nut slot can be too low..if the problem is the nut slot, and not uneven frets.

 

So after you check this you want something like a credit card.. or metal.. that's got a flat edge which will span three frets only..

you lay the card on the edge and see if it will rock.. it if rocks the middle fret is high.

you try this up the board three at a time.. concentrating on where it makes noise.

 

If you find that you can rock a couple.. then it's more likely your frets are uneven, though the nut slot may be low.. there are instances where you can have almost no clearance between the bottom of the string and the top of the first fret.. fretting at the third fret.

 

So check those frets really close as you can..

 

I've found this in the lp studio.. the lp 100 and the g 310..

low E and A have several noisy spots from about 2nd to 7th fret.. (not all but some)

this leads me to beleive that however they are building them they are doing them quite the same, and having the same problem spot.

 

On each of mine I levelled crowned and polished just the two low strings.. the rest were fine!

 

You can also use some plastic dust in the nut slots. it just helps the glue dry, stick and harden a little better. Some people just use the glue.

I get a bit on a toothpick and smear it in there.. if not once, twice..

then refile making sure it doesn't slip out in one piece. *hasn't yet!*

 

I like to file or sand all my bone nuts over a piece of paper which I then dump into a little packet and save. That stuff's handy!

 

you don't want any strings or toothpicks in your nut slots.

creative but problematic, RSDx.

 

There's no reason to toss a nut out because the slots are a bit low. We're talking about less than thousandths of an inch.. you can build that up and it will last years if not forever.

Still it seems to me the buzz you're getting IS showing you fret level problems.. the question is simply whether the cause is a low nut slot, or some high frets.

[tulsaslim]

If the string still buzzes when you fret it then you can eliminate the nut (you've eliminated the nut by fretting the string).

[lostindesert]

Mmmmm...low action and buzz ! Sounds familiar, but have you checked your neckrelief ?

Maybe your neck is to straight in combination with low action and thin strings ?

 

Peter

[Ricochet]

Personally I would never try to fill the nut slots. But since you are interested in a temporary solution. How about using a spacer to lift the bass-side of the nut. You could cut one from a thin pick?

[Vic Flick]

My LP has low action' date=' which I like, but I do have a lot of string buzz, particularly on the wound strings - 4th, 5th and 6th. After reading TWANG'S quote below (I used the search function) I'm curious about the "51% of the string in the slot" etc.. My strings are buried in the nut. My question: Is there a 'temporary' way to refill the slot in order to see if that will stop the buzzing.... (is this a noob question) lol..........J[/quote']

 

It's difficult to diagnosis it without seeing it, but it doesn't sound like a nut problem. I think Peter's on the right track, a little truss rod adjustment and set up is probably all that's needed.

 

One word of caution, working on the nut is tricky. You can really mess things up if the neck is not aligned correctly.

[JEPI]

 

It's difficult to diagnosis it without seeing it' date=' but it doesn't sound like a nut problem. I think Peter's on the right track, a little truss rod adjustment and set up is probably all that's needed.

 

One word of caution, working on the nut is tricky. You can really mess things up if the neck is not aligned correctly.

[/quote']

 

Thanks guys.. All good stuff.. I've done the straight edge on the frets( 3 at a time like TWANG suggested; doesn't reveal any high frets. I raised the bridge a tad and that eliminated some of the buzz which is interesting. The relief is something that I don't want to attempt but as Peter suggested, I think that could be the problem. It does look 'slightly' flat. I'm not a tech by any means.

Jerry, as we discussed earlier, I "loaned" this out to a very close friend who says he didn't touch it and I believe him. Maybe just a coincidence but it wasn't buzzing this much before... I'll make contact with you later..........J

[carverman]

In saw an article' date=' I believe from StewMac, about this very topic. If I remember correctly, they said they use, I think baking soda? as a filler and superglue to hold in place. Haven't tried myself.

 

But, nuts are fairly inexpensive...

[/quote']

 

Just pop the nut out and insert a thin piece of wood in the slot to raise the nut up as

much as you want. Maple or walnut is good, but any kind of wood will do will do.

You can glue that in with a white glue.

 

Baking soda and superglue will work but a bit more fiddly

...I use that to repair the beaks/fins too.

[JEPI]

 

Just pop the nut out and insert a thin piece of wood in the slot to raise the nut up as

much as you want. Maple or walnut is good' date=' but any kind of wood will do will do.

You can glue that in with a white glue.

 

Baking soda and superglue will work but a bit more fiddly

...I use that to repair the beaks/fins too.[/quote']

 

Now that I'm 'fairly' certain its not the nut, I'll go the other route. However, I learned something I didn't know before about rebuilding a nut when necessary. This is typical of what I like about this forum..Thanks again guys.......J

[lostindesert]

Hello JEPI,

 

To check the neckrelief put a capo between the nut and the first fret and press the low E-string behind the fret

where the neck meets the body. There should be some clearence between the string and the 7th,8th and 9th

frets. Neckrelief can chance because of the temperature diferences between the seasons.

I think loosening the trussrod a quarter turn (turn counter clockwise) would get rid of some of the buzz.

If you're not happy doing it yourself take it to a tech.

 

Peter

[JEPI]

Thanks Peter..... I did as you suggested and indeed I do have clearance all the way up the neck , not only on the 6th string but on all strings. I'll have it checked by someone who knows what they're doing..............J