Shimming my nuts

[nightsprinter]

The nut slot on one of my warmoth strat necks is super deep to the point that the strings will buzz off the first fret with a pre-slotted black tusq nut that I haven't even taken a file to yet. I guess I have to shim the slot. I had a bone nut on it, but I prefer using the black tusq overall. What are some recommendations for shimmimg the slot- is there a particular hardwood veneer one would recommend, or is the old business card/sandpaper routine still in vogue?

 

[ArtDecade]

Can you do a refill with superglue and baking soda?

 

[TheDandy]

Two minutes ago I would've bet my entire life savings that a post from @ArtDecade on a thread titled "shimming my nuts" would not have been serious advice. Life truly is a wonder.

 

[ArtDecade]

You don't superglue things to your nuts?

 

[CanserDYI]

Two minutes ago I would've bet my entire life savings that a post from @ArtDecade on a thread titled "shimming my nuts" would not have been serious advice. Life truly is a wonder.

Duuuude I shit you not same thing, I double took at the username.

 

[nightsprinter]

Well it's one of those things where the pre-slotted nature of the tusq nut wasn't deep enough to have the string rest at relative spec anyway. They always cut those things down just a hair. I typically have to deepen/angle the slots for proper seating. So in this case with this particular pre-slotted tusq nut, I don't think that will work and I think shimmimg the shelf makes sense. I know slot typically relates to the slots on the nut itself but since a strat "shelf" is recessed, I call it the "slot" for the nut.

 

[nightsprinter]

Two minutes ago I would've bet my entire life savings that a post from @ArtDecade on a thread titled "shimming my nuts" would not have been serious advice. Life truly is a wonder.

I thought about going a little harder on the thread title but this more conservative title really edged it out.

 

[odibrom]

... I first read this thread's title as "Trimming my nuts"... I'm so sorry...

 

[nightsprinter]

... I first read this thread's title as "Trimming my nuts"... I'm so sorry...

Nothing like getting a nice bone blank rubbed down to size and shape in a mini-vise with ascending grits of sandpaper

 

[nightsprinter]

Alright alright I gotta reel my own nonsense in here - I'm thinking of using a thin hardwood maple veneer cut to size with an xacto knife to raise the nut shelf enough that a stock black tusq will fit with first fret clearance room to spare. I'll take some pictures of the current situation tomorrow and go from there.

 

[Xaios]

There's a "D's Nuts" joke in there somewhere.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

If you have a hardwood veneer conveniently available I'd go with that. I reckon anything sufficiently dense will do, though. Last time I shimmed a nut I used some dense plastic I cut from some random crap I had around the house, don't even remember what it was. I didn't have any comparison but I don't reckon it affected the guitar's tone all that much.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Anything solid will work. I usually use scraps from either other nut blanks, pickguards, or wood.

I tend to stay away from stuff like paper which will eventually disintegrate depending on use and conditions.