Nut Slot too low I think. Any ways to raise without Q tip / baking soda method? What would a professional luthier do?

[ProgLog]

Hi,
I've had my nut slots filed to fit:
15 20 30 40 50 70
for Drop G# by a luthier,
But I've decided to change strings for Drop A with:
14 19 28 38 50 68 which I thought wouldn't be an issue considering the thickness change is minimal, but I'm running into the same issues I had before taking it to a luthier:

The open 000 powerchord especially rings out uneven with string noise and fretting the 3rd and checking string distance between 1st fret is almost touching which is a sign of nut slot being too low.
Would you think I would need to take it to the luthier again, I didn't think I would have to for only minimal string gauge change...
I don't want to ruin the nut as it's a left handed multiscale which means I would have to buy a blank for the luthier to file down, thank you

 

[MaxOfMetal]

A new nut blank and like half an hour work shouldn't be that expensive. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. All the "quick fixes" I've seen take longer and that usually means costs more too.

You could always jack the whole nut up with a shim and lower everything, but again, you're not usually saving much.

A lot of folks keep multiple nuts for a single guitar just in case they make changes like this, if you like the guitar and feel like it's sticking around for awhile it's worth it.

 

[ProgLog]

A new nut blank and like half an hour work shouldn't be that expensive. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. All the "quick fixes" I've seen take longer and that usually means costs more too.

You could always jack the whole nut up with a shim and lower everything, but again, you're not usually saving much.

A lot of folks keep multiple nuts for a single guitar just in case they make changes like this, if you like the guitar and feel like it's sticking around for awhile it's worth it.

i figured it would be the most sensible option, I just didn't expect to need to do it for what I assume would be minimal adjustment.

I can't trust myself to do it on a custom guitar so I'll have to take it in, should I worry at all about the new nut not lining up perfectly or having little scratches in the process or is it a nice and simple, easy job?

Never had to do this and I only ask because the locking nut of another guitar was installed slightly off allignment and had a scratch on the neck below it upon arrival. (Bad QC I know, but it always gave me an impression swapping out nuts is tricky because of it)

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Swapping, and even making, nuts is super easy. Any tech/luthier who bungles that is either very unlucky (mistakes do happen) or not qualified.

It should be a job they perform somewhat regularly, as modifying, swapping, and making new ones is some of the most common tech work needed on guitars and basses.

 

[nickgray]

An easy ghetto method is to fold some aluminium foil, cut it to a tiny piece that'll fit in the slot, and fit it there. It will move, however, when you tune up, so you have to insert it with this margin of error in mind. So it's a fiddly method, but it does work pretty well.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

I'm an amateur dope and I've done dozens of nut swaps and a few shim jobs at this point. I have had the best success using simple adhesive-backed paper labels to shim up nuts. Put the (clean) bottom of the nut on the adhesive side, cut out with a razor, glue back in with two little dabs of superglue.

I've also used a strip of dense plastic as a shim on a particularly low nut and it totally worked, but honestly after all the gluing, waiting, and sanding it was more work than it was worth.

As someone else mentioned, I generally keep extras around. If I'm ordering one nut for a guitar, I order two. That way I have insurance if I fuck it up, and I have a backup if I want to change the setup later.

It's worth learning to do yourself eventually IMO. The tech will never get it just how you like it.

Regardless, filling nut slots individually is madness.

 

[cardinal]

But I do think that if the string doesn't touch the first fret when you fret at the third: good chance the nut slot is not too low. Might just need to loosen the truss rod a touch.

 

[ProgLog]

Thanks for the suggestions and reassurance guys. When I mentioned when I strum 000 power chord repeatedly, that's when I get this weird excess string noise, like buzzing but not when I play the open single strings individuallty. This was the case before I had to taken to a luthier to adjust the nut but could this be an intonation thing also?

 

[wheresthefbomb]

Thanks for the suggestions and reassurance guys. When I mentioned when I strum 000 power chord repeatedly, that's when I get this weird excess string noise, like buzzing but not when I play the open single strings individuallty. This was the case before I had to taken to a luthier to adjust the nut but could this be an intonation thing also?

If I understand your earlier posts, you're saying when you fret at the third and check relief under the string at the first fret, there's still some room. Based on that, I'd guess your nut slot is probably high enough but it really depends on your setup and play style. I've cut slots lower than flush-with-fret-1 using the above "hold at fret 3" method, you just have to compensate with truss rod and bridge height.

It's also possible some of the strings are simply sitting loose in the nut. .002" isn't much tolerance but it's likely that the tech went a thousandth or two over the measurements whether on purpose to give the strings some breathing room or simply because a human isn't a robot. Those thousandths could easily add up to a barely-too-wide nut slot, which might not buzz every time you hit it. I've had almost the exact same issue moving to a barely-lighter gauge on a guitar I'd setup myself and the solution was simply a new nut with correctly-sized slots.

It kind of sounds like the nut is the issue either way, but ultimately it's impossible for any of us to say without physically inspecting the guitar. If you're still unsure I'd take it back to the tech. You can totally do a nut job though. Try it out on a beater guitar first if you're nervous, it's not rocket appliances. I, a random person on the internet, believe in you.

 

[slavboi_delight]

It might sound stupid, but i have the same problem with one of my guitars. so I cracked the tip of a toothpick under the slot which is too deep. Works perfectly. Of course not a permanent solution.

 

[MaxAidingAres]

most luthiers i know if the nut is low, for example like after a refret. they shim the nut underneath with wood veneer.

 

[swimrunner]

most luthiers i know if the nut is low, for example like after a refret. they shim the nut underneath with wood veneer.

I would personally go with this option. Wood veneer + super glue, trim it down with craft knife/razor, and then sand flush. Takes minutes. You will have to lower the nut slots again slightly.

That said, making a new nut isn't a big deal, and either way you're going to have to do some filing with the same tools.