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Hi Sonic, sorry just caught up with this build diary, you've been ripping through it.
First, that Is a great kit. the two toned fretboard is very unique.
Second, as Simon says if the humbucker tests fine there wont be any issue. I've got a few humbys spare if its no good as I am sure a number of us in Brisbane do.
Third, the grain is great, but if its a solid colour you want, its your baby no one elses.
What colour is that? I dig it
Thanks Andy. The blue is actually the hi fill primer. But I agree, it does look pretty nice. I'm going for a mica, pastel mint green for the top coats.
Question time. I ordered some new Graphtech nuts for the guitars I currently have in pieces. I measured a couple of time and settled on the strat style ones - that seemed most logical. So the black nut is off my Washburn and the replacement one (middle) is perfect - correct height and string spacing.
http://i.imgur.com/lUNPtaKl.jpg
The white nut here is off the JMA neck. Its quite a bit taller (I think this is normal though for adjustment??) and is just slightly wider with ever so slightly wider string spacing. I don't think it will be a problem, there is maybe .75mm overhang either side of the fret board, but it looks like the strings will still locate over the board. Is this normal? Or is there a particular nut that isn't the strat style I should have ordered?
I feel like I might end up having to put a shim under it -obviously a little way away from being able to check that properly....
I also ordered a new one for my bass, that looks like it'll need a slight shim as well, I will probably be able to have a proper look at that this afternoon.
Hey Sonic, some time you should grab a bunch of chinese bone nut blanks and outlay for some nut slotting files...well worth the practice
Um yep, I probably will. For now I'm just going to trim and shim this one as I can't work out what the replacement I should have ordered is, and these ones weren't exactly cheap.
I recently ordered a Camel bone nut off ebay.
There was an option for either flat bottom or convex.
Seems like it should have been an option in this case.
cheers, Mark.
I just went back and checked, no option for the flat base. I got these from Australian Luthier Supplies.
I measured the existing one with my verniers and this was the only one I could find that even came close. Previously I've gone into somewhere like Bandland with the old nut and matched it up. But I wanted to try these TUSQ versions and not just put another plastic one on.
Just seems odd that it is a perfect replacement for my Washburn nut, but not the JMA one - the size difference in negligible, but noticeable. I was actually fully expecting to have to file it down, not shim it up.
Anyway, I'll see whats what after I've done some more finishing work. I think it can be made to work. I was just wondering if someone knew exactly what I should have been looking for as a direct replacement in something other than plastic. Bone is fine, but I have a graphite nut on my Hagstrom and its just so nice to fine tune as the strings slide through it so well, I wanted similar on my other guitars.
I always assumed that you only removed the tag in the middle if it wasn't flat, but otherwise the tag was for a flat channel?
The bottom of a Fender-style nut all depends on whether you've got a 'slab' (flat bottomed) or 'veneer' (curved base) fingerboard.
Attachment 21979
The nut base follows the fingerboard profile. On most (but not all) veneer-style necks, the truss rod channel is exposed at the bottom of the nut slot, and the tab on the curved-bottom nut fits in the slot to help locate it. You don't need the tab in order to glue a curved nut in place, and a lot of replacement nuts do come without the tab.
If you've got a curved nut slot but no exposed truss rod slot (especially if it's a thick fretboard so the nut slot doesn't go all the way through), then you need to remove the tab or the nut won't fit.
The issue is not the curved base. As Andy said, it has a tang at the bottom so could be used for either.
What is puzzling me is the difference in width and string spacing and the question I am asking is what should I have ordered if these are not a fender strat style nut?