Any real need to glue a nut in place?

[Sprikitik]

Originally Posted by wrench68

I don't want to glue in a nut because I want to maximize downforce through the nut to the neck.

[Degenerates]

Reviving a very old thread. Just restrung a learner's Ozark acoustic. When I took the old strings off the nut fell out so it's not glued in place. Put new strings on and it stays in place and intonation is alright.

Should I glue it in though? It's not my guitar so I don't want to mess with it too much. The nut isn't moving as it sits snugly in place.

[Alan Carruth]

I'd love to know how those folks measured the changes in sound from glued vs unglued nuts, and so on. 'Sounds like' is simply not reliable.

What you need to do will depend on whether and how the nut is retained without glue. String pressure tends to hold them in place, of course, but if the nut is just sitting up on the headstock, rather than down in a slot, it can tip forward in some cases. Violin nuts sit on the head surface, and are retained with a tiny drop of glue on the end of the fingerboard, and lute nuts are similar, iirc. A tap on the fingerboard side of the nut pops it off.

I was taught to set the nut in a slot, and to taper it very slightly so that it slides in from one end; usually the bass end is wider. You trim it to length when it's jammed in tightly, and it should not move sideways in use. With the strings loose enough to lift from their slots it's easy to get the nut out, and you run no danger of making a mess because some 'repairman' got carried away with the glue. I would not glue a nut into a slot; if it's loose you need to make one that fits.

[colins]

Originally Posted by Degenerates

Reviving a very old thread. Just restrung a learner's Ozark acoustic. When I took the old strings off the nut fell out so it's not glued in place. Put new strings on and it stays in place and intonation is alright.

Should I glue it in though? It's not my guitar so I don't want to mess with it too much. The nut isn't moving as it sits snugly in place.

If it's not your guitar and it's not really a problem anyway, I'd leave it the way it is.

[mawmow]

I changed some nuts on my acoustics and tried to glue the new bony ones with one drop of nail polish
I was suggested to use : It did not work.
So, I left those loose : They do not move when the string are tuned to pitch.

I take care to avoid the nut to drop (and break on the floor !) when I change strings.
And I make sure it is well placed while winding the new strings.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by AGnut

I put a drop or two of Titebond on my nuts to keep them in place. It is just so annoying to change strings when the nut slides around.

Exactly. Just a drop keeps it in place, but a slight tap on the end will let you remove it if you need to replace it.

[dave42]

I received a custom build earlier this year and when replacing the strings for the strings of my choosing, the nut hit the floor. Half a drop of white glue smeared on the bottom of the slot. Strong enough to keep it in place, weak enough to tap out in the future if needed.

[hubcapsc]

>>Just a drop

>>>Half a drop

A guitar I brought to the luthier that ended up needing a new
nut had the luthier kind of rolling his eyes about how well
the builder had glued the old one in... I bet the amount suggestions in
this thread are spot (pun ) on...

-Mike

[redir]

May the down force be with you.

And also with you.

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by wrench68

I don't want to glue in a nut because I want to maximize downforce through the nut to the neck. Gluing to the end of the fingerboard with hard glue diverts some of the downforce. If someone really wants to secure the nut, I use very thin rubber-based PSA.

I don't glue to the fingerboard, I glue the bottom of the nut to the top of the neck with a clamp. The clamp should give similar down force which I assume would be kept up by the string pressure.

Wouldn't a rubbery glue absorb absorb some string vibrations being transmitted to the neck, however minimally?

[redir]

Originally Posted by Fathand

I don't glue to the fingerboard, I glue the bottom of the nut to the top of the neck with a clamp. The clamp should give similar down force which I assume would be kept up by the string pressure.

Wouldn't a rubbery glue absorb absorb some string vibrations being transmitted to the neck, however minimally?

But what about the rebound up force?

If you glue bottom of the nut to the neck slot then the next time a repair tech knocks the nut loose it will probably tear out some neck wood. That's why most glue to the face. AR glue is fine and it's not rubbery when dry. Even if it was it would make absolutely zero contribution to tone, string vibration power, and so on.

I'm not picking on anyone in particular but it's truly amazing what acoustic guitar players think

[Fathand]

Originally Posted by redir

But what about the rebound up force?

If you glue bottom of the nut to the neck slot then the next time a repair tech knocks the nut loose it will probably tear out some neck wood. That's why most glue to the face. AR glue is fine and it's not rubbery when dry. Even if it was it would make absolutely zero contribution to tone, string vibration power, and so on.

I'm not picking on anyone in particular but it's truly amazing what acoustic guitar players think

Where would this upward force come from?

I have never had any wood come with a nut, the drop of titebond has little shear strength. If I did have wood tear out, I would rather it came from the neck where the repair will not be seen, rather than from the finger board, which being thinner than the neck, might even split though doubtful.
I do not use rubbery glues, as I stated.

[redir]

Originally Posted by Fathand

Where would this upward force come from?

I have never had any wood come with a nut, the drop of titebond has little shear strength. If I did have wood tear out, I would rather it came from the neck where the repair will not be seen, rather than from the finger board, which being thinner than the neck, might even split though doubtful.
I do not use rubbery glues, as I stated.

There is no downward nor upward force

[DickHutchings]

We are talking about tiny dots of glue, barely enough to hold it in place. Right in the center of the end of the fretboard, even if it did take some wood, it wouldn't be noticeable or need repair.

[Degenerates]

Originally Posted by colins

If it's not your guitar and it's not really a problem anyway, I'd leave it the way it is.

He's not had any issues with it since getting it back. The nut seems to be holding in place so far.