The nut broke when changing my strings

[sbhikes]

The nut broke when I changed the strings. I've had the same strings for 8 years. I did not know you are supposed to replace them now and then. I thought you only replace them if they break. Instead now the mandolin is broken. Is this an expensive repair? The mandolin is a low-cost mandolin to begin with, but I like it a lot. Any advice?

[texaspaul]

Your nut was probably plastic. Did you or someone do a setup after it was bought? You might be able to remove the broken nut. Be sure any glue or plastic is cleaned out of the space between the fret board and headstock. You can get an unslotted bone nut and shape it to fit or perhaps a pre-slotted nut will work. YOU WILL WANT TO ACCURATELY MEASURE THE SPACING OF TGE STRINGS ANS SLOTS ON YOU EXISTING NUT BEFORE BREAKING IT TO GET IT OFF. Measure the distance from the edge of fingerboard to the outside strings
Check out some repair videos to guided you along. Cutting the nut slots the right size can be a challenge without a nut saw and nut files. Not sure what is would cost to have it done.
I paid $200 once but that included a new bridge, new nut, work on truss rod opening new string and final set up.

[allenhopkins]

Eight years on the same set of strings? A-mazin'! I'm sure that they got thoroughly imbedded in the nut slots, and when you pulled some of them out part of the nut came with 'em.

Not really an expensive repair; any good instrument repair shop can install a new one. Make sure that the installer knows how to properly cut the slots in the new nut -- depth, width, profile, location. Ain't rocket science, but new nut blanks often come un-slotted, so an experienced person would be preferable. Even someone with mainly guitar experience, could probably do a decent job.

Cracked nuts can be glued back together, but in your shoes I'd go for a new one. If you fancy yourself handy, you can buy a mandolin nut blank and try it yourself -- I'm too chicken to do that, so I take it to someone I trust.

Don't know how often you play, but I'd consider changing strings twice a year, minimum.

[Barry Wilson]

dear lord I can barely go a month without changing strings. I am doing my guitar and mandolin tonight.

my mandobird had a plastic nut. it broke while I was playing it. nearly hit the drummer in the head haha

[Bertram Henze]

the same strings for 8 years.

[Johnny60]

As others have said, any experienced luthier will be able to sort this out for you. Go for a bone nut and makes sure string spacing, slot widths and nut depth are all properly done.

And yeah, 8 years?! I'll bet, that once the new nut is in place and you've changed your strings, your mandolin will sound a lot louder and will have a lot more tone. 8 year old strings will sound deader than a dead thing, and they'll be harder to tune up and more difficult to play on.

[lenf12]

Send a PM to Rob Meldrum to request his mandolin set up e-book. It's a great read and easy to follow. If you still decide to take it to a pro luthier, at least you'll be able to speak knowledgeably with him/her.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[CES]

I heard our local Martic certified luthier give a quote to someone over the phone for $75 for a new guitar nut yesterday. Price will vary by region, instrument (more slots to cut/file on mando), and choice of material (bone vs tusq vs pearl). Ask around, this should be something any compete tent luthier should be able to do, esp if you can piece the old one together enough to use as a template.

Oh, and if just one of the outside corners of the nut chipped without affecting the slots, you may be able to play as is. My eBay disaster KM 675 came that way but is still playable with that chipped nut 11 years and running.

And, 8 years is phenomenal!!!

[CES]

Oh, and, fwiw, my brother had a plastic nut break and got a Stew Mac slotted blank that only required a little filing. He has fairly minimal woodworking skills, just for reference...

[allenhopkins]

Of course, I have a couple Zimmermann Autoharps that haven't had strings replaced since before 1900, so who am I to criticize?

Those strings don't get fretted, however.

[Tom Haywood]

Somewhere between $45 and $60 to make a new nut for it. Not a big deal, but it takes some experience, or else a lot of time and luck.

[DHopkins]

I have a hammered dulcimer that I made. It'll be a cold day in (pick your location) before I make another one. And, I can't see ever changing strings in my lifetime.

[Jim Adwell]

I have an ukulele I made 22 years ago with the original strings... 'course they're nylon and apparently unaffected by climate. It hasn't been played all that much, but the strings sound as good as when they were new, as far as I can tell, and the instrument never seems to go out of tune.

I don't think I'd let steel strings go anywhere near that long without changing.

[sbhikes]

I really didn't know you should change them periodically. I thought you only change them if they broke. I've never changed strings on anything. I think my fiddle also has had its strings for about 8 years, maybe less since I've broken more of them.

The nut broke right at the slot for the last E string. I have superglued it but I'm pretty sure if I tighten the string it'll probably break again.

Anyway, it doesn't sound like too expensive a repair. I'll see if someone can do it. It will be sort of like my fiddle where all the repaired plastic bits are up to par and worth more than the rest of it.

[dhergert]

Ahem, some of us like the sound of old strings. If you keep them clean, they can last a long time.

My F9 strings are probably about 4 years old now, I changed them when this mando came into my possession because I wanted DA flat-tops on it... My old tater-bug mando is wearing strings that are about 40 years old, but I'm not playing it often, bridge needs work.

My main playing banjo strings are probably about 10 years old now. Some of my other banjos are wearing strings that are older than my children (26 years).

I do routinely change strings when it is time to re-fret, my luthier demands it and his work is worth putting up with the sound of new strings for a few months.

I'm obsessive about cleaning the strings, so that they can last a long time.



-- Don

P.S. Back on topic, I also had a mando nut break at the E string location, due to an argument with a Hercules instrument stand. I replaced it with a nice bone nut and threw away the Hercules. I think you'll be happier with the tone of bone than with plastic.

[CES]

Don,

Not knocking the string life. I really don't like changing strings (I'd just rather spend the time playing), and I'll let mine go to the point that either the A-strings are a royal PITA to keep in tune or the intonation gets off from string wear. I've made it past 6 months with Elixirs and EXPs on instruments that I don't necessarily play everyday. I can usually stretch uncoated strings out to 3-4 months on my regular players without issue. I don't dislike the sound of old strings, but just don't want to deal with the tuning and intonation issues. More power to those of you who can ride them out much longer! Though I don't like having to change strings, I've never been disappointed after doing so (except once when I put some really cheap strings on that were like playing a cheese grater...they lasted about a week before I chucked them).

To each his own, just keep pickin' 'em!

[avaldes]

One of the A string slots on mine cracked the day after a string change. Not all thw way through, but enough that the string would not clear the first fret. I did the crazy-glue-bone-dust repair, and it has held over a year and several string changes. I got one of the absurdly expensive nut files from Stew Mac, which was easy to use to cut the slot at the right width, depth, andangle. I also got a pre-slotted Tusq nut, which has very close string spacing to my current one, so I suspect if the nut cracked all the way through, the new one would go in with minimal filing for height. All materials and some instructional videos at Stew Mac. NFI.
About the same time, I chipped a front tooth, and my dentist did a repair with some sort of resin composite cured with UV light and who knows what else. I described my mandolin repair to her, pointing out that she was doing something similar to me, and if the nut needed to be repaired again, I might bring it to her dental office.

[Tobin]

About the same time, I chipped a front tooth, and my dentist did a repair with some sort of resin composite cured with UV light and who knows what else. I described my mandolin repair to her, pointing out that she was doing something similar to me, and if the nut needed to be repaired again, I might bring it to her dental office.

If you do take it to her, see if she'll cover it on your dental insurance. Assuming, of course, you have a family dental plan. Your mandolin is your child, after all, right?

[sbhikes]

I've been gingerly slowly tightening the string against the crazy glue. I haven't gotten up to an E yet. We'll see if I can get it there by tomorrow and if it can hold through a night of playing. I think I screwed up putting the strings on anyway. I don't really know how to do it since I never do it.

[sbhikes]

Ooops. Pop! Not gonna hold. Guess I'll torture the catgut (fiddle) and everybody's ears tomorrow.

[dhergert]

That's a tough area to successfully glue. That nut area under the 1st E string has a lot of tension on it.

If you want to try again, try a spreading bit of baking soda in the area of the joint (both pieces), hold it together, then drip the cyanoacrylate (crazy glue) over the joint. Hold it tight for about a minute. Baking soda + cyanoacrylate = a very strong filler adhesive.

-- Don

[sbhikes]

I got it fixed. Turned out I had put the strings on backwards on the right side. I've got a new bone nut and new strings. It's like having a new mandolin.

[Johnny60]

Sorry, I'm being a bit slow here (obviously it's time for a morning coffee!). Please can you explain what you mean by "putting the strings on backwards"? Not 100% sure what you mean?

Glad you got it sorted, though, and that the mando plays and sounds good!

[Bertram Henze]

Please can you explain what you mean by "putting the strings on backwards"?

Is don't understand it either, but it must be something that breaks a nut slot - a G string where an E belongs?

[Tobin]

I was thinking he accidentally put the A strings in the E slots and vice-versa.