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  #1  
Old 09-12-2019, 07:06 AM
jpbrooks jpbrooks is offline
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Default Nut issue advice

I recently purchased a Martin 000-15 on reverb. It was listed as excellent condition. I was extremely disappointed to see a significant dent where the previous owner damaged the guitar changing the nut from bone to tusq. There is also a smaller dent on the headstock on the other side. No mention of the nut change was made in the item description.

The nut does not fit. It is too thin. My question is #1 can it be played with the current nut (what issues if any would that cause)?

#2 where can I get a replacement slotted nut?

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Old 09-12-2019, 07:11 AM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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Such a badly cut nut, see a local luthier, get it fixed right

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Old 09-12-2019, 07:11 AM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
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I would file a claim with Reverb on this to either return the guitar or have the seller pay for the repairs.
If it were a guitar I wished to keep I would get it fixed by a qualified tech. I would not pay for the repairs. You could take it to somebody and get an estimate first and then proceed.
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Old 09-12-2019, 07:15 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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It cannot - should not - be played that way. The intonation is based on a string length that is defined, at one end - on guitars without a zero fret - by the position of where the strings break over the nut, usually coincident with the end of the fingerboard. By moving the breaking point away from the end of the fingerboard, the intonation will be inaccurate.

Martin has historically had heads that intersect the neck at the end of the fingerboard. That results in the nut sitting on the head but abutting the end of the fingerboard. To accomplish that, the bottom of the nut is not 90 degrees to its face.

On some more recent models, Martin has changed the geometry of the head so that the nut sits on the neck, rather than the head, the result of which is that the bottom of the nut is 90 degrees to its face.

The nut that is currently installed on that guitar is the wrong one - a non-90 degree nut, when a 90 degree nut is required. The correct nut can be purchased from any of the standard luthier suppliers, including stewmac and lmii.

As pictured, the guitar is not "in excellent condition".
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Old 09-12-2019, 07:16 AM
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RP RP is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rokdog49 View Post
I would file a claim with Reverb on this to either return the guitar or have the seller pay for the repairs.
If it were a guitar I wished to keep I would get it fixed by a qualified tech. I would not pay for the repairs. You could take it to somebody and get an estimate first and then proceed.
I agree with rokdog. This is clearly a case of an item that was not as described...
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Old 09-12-2019, 07:28 AM
Athens Athens is offline
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Default What a nut job!

My first inclination would be to reject the guitar. That's a terrible job on the nut. The damage to the guitar is an indication that whoever replaced the nut shouldn't have attempted the job.

If you REALLY like the way the guitar sounds and plays, then go the route of getting an estimate and having it repaired at the seller's expense. If he's not willing to do that, return it.

BUT.... as mentioned above, the intonation is going to be off, maybe the action as well.

Let us know what you decide and good luck.
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Old 09-12-2019, 08:00 AM
GuitarLuva GuitarLuva is offline
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As others have already stated, that's a horrible job on the nut install and will impact your intonation. If you like the guitar and want to keep it I would get the seller to cover the cost of having a luthier fix it properly, fix it yourself if you know how to and still ask the seller for a discount.

If you're really unhappy with the situation, which nobody would blame you for, send the guitar back for a full refund.
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Old 09-12-2019, 08:50 AM
jpbrooks jpbrooks is offline
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Thank you for the replies. Very frustrating when buying used when the guitar is not as described. I'm going to get a couple quotes to fix and then make a decision. I feel like the significance of the dent deserves a partial refund in and of itself.
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Old 09-12-2019, 08:59 AM
redir redir is offline
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If you really like the guitar then perhaps you can negotiate with the seller to pay the price of getting a new nut. Else return it. Keep in mind that some people are just plain dumb and could innocently think there is nothing wrong with that. It's also equally possible that he knew it was wrong and was hoping that you would not notice. You are looking at a $50-100 dollar repair depending on where you live.
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Old 09-12-2019, 09:00 AM
B. Adams B. Adams is offline
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Wow, I wouldn't trust anyone who would do that to a guitar! Or anyone that would allow that kind of work to be done on their guitar. That's absolutely hideous. Mickey Rourke's plastic surgeon could do a better job!
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Old 09-12-2019, 11:14 AM
maxtheaxe maxtheaxe is offline
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+1 on replies to the effect that this is not acceptable, especially if it was not disclosed. Hard to say from the picture, but it also looks like it could have a headstock crack/whiplash...or maybe just a bad gouge, but still...
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  #12  
Old 09-12-2019, 08:31 PM
Larpy Larpy is offline
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That's the worst nut job I have ever seen. Off the charts bad.
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