How to raise one string at the nut

[Montesdad]

Originally Posted by Tico

Thank you zhunter.
I'm the overly cautious type and really appreciate you bringing up these issues and concerns.
The Internet is amazing for reaching people all over the world with specialized expertise.

No hurry.
I'll keep learning and if I proceed I'll buy the right file for the job.

Anyone gotta recommendation/link to sites that sell such tools?

check out the tools section, nuts and saddles - - -
http://www.stewmac.com

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Tico

Reminder:, I have some real ivory I could sand to get ivory dust if that would result in more-original tone.

I make my own bone saddles and keep the bone dust.
I've tried the super glue/bone dust thing and it is amazing.
Be aware the reaction is instant!
No second or two to harden, it is instant.
The moment that glue hits the bone powder it sets rock hard.

[gimme789]

I did the baking soda in the slot, a drop of super glue, and re-cut. Fixed it nicely, and I think it will last a long time.

If you are going to replace the nut, be sure to watch a bunch of on-line videos first. You need to go around the nut with an ex-acto knife before you tap on it with a block of wood so that you do not chip finish or wood with it.

[darylcrisp]

i've used the superglue/bone dust mix for years to fill in the odd nut slot that is too low, all fixes have lasted for years and none that i know of that have needed further repair.

if you do this, practice a few times away from the guitar. i find a toothpick with just a small drop of superglue(drip it on the toothpick about midways down)gives you added control-practice on a sheet of paper how big the drop should be-it doesn't take much. pack the slot with dust/baking soda, soon as you touch the toothpick the drop will saturate. let it sit for a some minutes before you do anything else, then simply recut the slot.

be sure to mask off all around the nut and along the headstock and fretboard in such a way that any stray glue doesn't touch any other part.

your string slot should be rounded at the bottom. find a correct tool to do that with.

here is an excellent website with sage advice-lots to read here-(although Paul prefers a different method to fill in a bad slot)
http://www.lutherie.net/nuts.html

many in the mandolin world will raise the nut(as someone mentioned in a reply) and then recut the slots to desire-i've used the single slot glue/dust fill on mandolins also with excellent results.

take your time, study, practice on something of no value, then do the job
d

[KenL]

Just FYI, I recently replaced the original nut on my '78 Guild, and it was man-made. The tech that did the replacement thought it was micarta.

[elcapitan]

tadol's advice is good. I've used a slice from a saddle or bridge pin.

[Mirosh]

To raise a string, I have put a small piece of clear plastic "blister pack" material into the nut slot. Many products are packaged in that material, in various thicknesses. It's easy to do, undo, redo, and glue in place if desired.

[keypicker]

Late to the game, but I pulled a piece of braided copper from an old cell phone charger, folded it over a bit, and crammed it in the nut slot for my BUZZING G string, wallah, fixed! The action was perfect other than that one open G buzz, and this fixed it....

[Monsoon1]

I made a thread on this some years back, and after reading all the suggestions, I filed the slot a little bit wider and deeper.
Then I got a block of lignum vitae and I sanded off some wood powder.
I then mixed that powder with small amount of JB Weld, and filled in the bottom of the slot.
Then I took the nut file and started over, and it worked out perfectly.

[ruby50]

What seems to be the ultimate, short of replacing the nut, is to use dentist enamels that are set with UV light. Large color spectrum to pick from and it takes just a couple of minutes to make a permanent fix

Ed