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shadowster

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hi all

 

my gibson sj100 extra was needing new strings so i bought a set of coated 12's and they dont fit in the grooves in the nut, so they sit proud rather than fit in the spaces

 

so what do i do change the strings, or butcher the nut

 

cheers

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hi all

 

my gibson sj100 extra was needing new strings so i bought a set of coated 12's and they dont fit in the grooves in the nut, so they sit proud rather than fit in the spaces

 

so what do i do change the strings, or butcher the nut

 

cheers

Depends on whether or not you want to use these strings from now on. Same thing can happen when changing string gauges if the nut slots are optimized for a specific string.

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Depends on whether or not you want to use these strings from now on. Same thing can happen when changing string gauges if the nut slots are optimized for a specific string.

 

 

thats the thing i thought it was fitted with 12's thats how i bought the coated ones in 12'

am not too bothered i'd rather put other ones on than bodge my pride n joy

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thats the thing i thought it was fitted with 12's thats how i bought the coated ones in 12'

am not too bothered i'd rather put other ones on than bodge my pride n joy

 

I assume (but do not know) that the string gauge is the base wire gauge, independent of coating. I don't know if this is a reasonable analogy, but if you put a coat of paint on a 3/4" thick board, it will measure thicker than the same board with no paint on it, but most people would still refer to the base board thickness. Likewise, the mechanical properties of the string, including the amount of tension required to bring to pitch, will not be altered measurably by the coating, but the string will now be bigger in measured diameter.

 

On the Gibson website, they do tell you what strings many of the guitars are designed for, which I assume even carries over to the way the nut slots are cut. I think most Gibson acoustics are designed for 12's. I know the J-45's are.

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If you're intent on using the new gauge/type of string spend the few dollars and have a tech do a simple slot filing. Even a new bone nut wouldn't have a prohibitive cost to it. If you're just testing a new string use the nut work cost to balance your decision. I have certain string preferences for each guitar (or I guess I should say the guitar has certain preferences!) so if it needs nut work I do it. If you want coated strings it would be no big deal to do the nut adjustment for it.

 

Too much of an answer maybe! lol I tend to bloviate!

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If you're intent on using the new gauge/type of string spend the few dollars and have a tech do a simple slot filing. Even a new bone nut wouldn't have a prohibitive cost to it. If you're just testing a new string use the nut work cost to balance your decision. .... If you want coated strings it would be no big deal to do the nut adjustment for it. ....

 

+1

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hi all

 

my gibson sj100 extra was needing new strings so i bought a set of coated 12's and they dont fit in the grooves in the nut, so they sit proud rather than fit in the spaces

 

so what do i do change the strings, or butcher the nut

 

cheers

 

 

 

i'm going to take itback to the shop where i got it, am not happy with the nut, the grooves dont seem big enough compared to other guitars i have

where the strings fit i9n the grooves

 

i went thro the bin and found the olds strings and that one dont fit to well and sits proud rather than flush

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The aim is to reduce the height of the nut until the wound strings are sitting halfway in and halfway out of the nut and the plain strings are just inside the nut.

 

^^^ The above is correct and proper information.

 

A properly cut and filed nut cradles the string, and should not clamp or engulf the string. When you run your finger across the nut you should be able to feel the top of each string. The slots should be cut ONLY deep enough to keep the string from popping out during hard strumming or bending, and should be angled downward towards the headstock, so the string rests only on a pointed "fulcrum" at the fingerboard side of the nut. This will maximize your tone, sustain and intonation. A nut that is too tall (from the bottom of the slots), or slot bottoms that are cut too flat, will mute your tone and sustain, and cause tuning and intonation problems.

 

There was another recent thread with a nut complaint (among other things). The photo posted looked to me to be the best dressed nut to ever leave the Gibson factory.

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I suggest you have a read of the following from another forum., it might help you

 

fitting and cutting a replacement nut

 

From the above....

The aim is to reduce the height of the nut until the wound strings are sitting halfway in and halfway out of the nut and the plain strings are just inside the nut.

 

Madman_Greg

 

cheers guys thats the exact discription of mine, i'll just leave it the way it is an leave the strings on

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