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Thread: Nut slot fix.

  1. #1
    Registered User Jim DeSalvio's Avatar
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    Default Nut slot fix.

    My inexpensive Loar has a low nut slot on one of the E strings. Most likely my doing, when I "touched up" the slots during a string change. In all fairness to ME, I am familiar with using the nut files, and go very easy. When I play the string open, it buzzes on the first fret. I am looking for an easy fix.

    I keep this mandolin at work, and only visit the location where I have it once a week. It is very dry here right now, and I do keep a humidifier in the case, but it is dry when I return each week. It did not buzz when I brought it to this location, but now it does, and if I look carefully at the nut, I can see one of the 2 E strings sits just a bit low compared to the other. I would like to keep bridge at its present height if possible.

    Thanks in advance for any advice.
    Jim D

  2. #2
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim DeSalvio View Post
    ...I am looking for an easy fix...
    Easiest "fix" is the "traditional" corner of a match book, chewing gum wrapper, or whatever sheet of paper or plastic happens to be handy. Put a little 'shim' under the string, ignore the unsightliness of it, and play on.
    Next easiest is a very small and controlled (getting less easy...) drop of superglue in the slot, let it fully cure, then re-cut the slot.

    Gluing in a well fitted piece of bone and re-cutting is a better fix, but not easy, so...

    ("Easy" and "good" are pretty much mutually exclusive on this.)

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    To add to John's superglue fix, a little bone dust in the superglue will make it stronger. I would, after it dries, run a lead pencil in the slot to lubricate. The superglue, even with dust, has less glide when tuning, unlike the bone. It can get quite hard and last for years tho.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  5. #4

    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Take it from one who has not known when to quit. Most of my nuts are bone, so I have little bone pieces and old nuts laying around. I run them across a ####### file and knock the dust onto a piece of printer paper I've creased sharply. Take some blue tape or masking tape and tape the headstock and fingerboard surfaces on either side of the nut. you can feed the tape under the strings with some fiddling. Then tap the paper to funnel the bone dust into the offending groove. Level it to the top of the nut and saturate with a drop of high viscosity super glue. It must be the thin stuff hardware stores don't always have. You don't want glue dribbling down the side of the nut. The tape is just a precaution.

    I've done this with hard plastic too, and baking soda is also used. I hit it with a blast of accelerator so I can file right away.

    Addendum: one of those common flat files everyone has in their toolbox.LOL
    Silverangel A
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  6. #5
    Registered User Jim DeSalvio's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    OK!! Thanks much for the suggestions and technique. Since this is an inexpensive mandolin, I will give it go. I have to find the correct superglue.
    Jim D

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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Tape off the headstock and fret board.
    I'd use gel super glue and some baking soda mixed. Fill it into the slot with a toothpick. Recut the slot when dry. You can clean up any that got out of place on the nut with a file

  8. #7

    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Really simple get you going, knock the nut out, superglue a piece of paper to the bottom and put the nut back on, instant 4 thou lift to all strings, as permanent as you want it to be as well

    Stveve

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  10. #8
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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Br1ck, don’t you mean “low viscosity”? That’s what the “thin stuff” is.
    Don

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  11. #9
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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    You want the thin stuff.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  12. #10

    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Duh, yeah.
    Silverangel A
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    1913 Gibson A-1

  13. #11
    Registered User Jim DeSalvio's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut slot fix.

    Just as a follow-up to my nut slot problem, the super glue/bone dust fix worked a treat! I was able to raise the height of the one E string that was too low by using the technique suggested here. No need to raise action or adjust anything, and I never even had to remove any strings. I'm a happy guy!! Thanks to all for the assist.
    Jim D

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