Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano
Buy the proper guaged nut files - you won't need that many, you'll use them more often than you think, and they'll last a lifetime - geez, we spend hundreds if not thousands on our guitars, what's another $50 to $100 on something you'll use forever? I just don't understand the huge urge to save a few bucks on nutfiles - yer just making more work and trouble for yerself AND your guitars.
|
An interesting and thoughtful post, Rob - of course you are right (well, you SHOULD be - that's your job!) about buying the right tools.
But look at it from the "non-tech's" viewpoint - as pointed out by someone earlier, replacing a nut is a REPAIR rather than basic 'set up' work.
On my lower-end guitars, I have had superb results with my "jerry rigged" nut slotters made from my ground down hacksaw blades. Of course, I would never attempt to carry out such work on my more expensive guitars - that's why we pay people like yourself who are PROFESSIONALS and who already have the proper tools.
Let's be honest - shelling out $100 for a set of nutfiles that you MIGHT use 5 times is without doubt wasted money. Money that would be better spent on a professional job from someone like yourself. I mean, how many times would you change the nut during the life of any guitar? Most of my guitars have NEVER had a new nut, and may never ever need one.
I want to be able to carry out a basic setup on most of my guitars; some of them will never be touched by anyone other than a professional tech. I've taught myself to cut, fit, shape, slot and polish a new nut just in case I can't get the guitar to a proper tech for any reason. The quality of MY workmanship (with my jerry rigged tools) against yours? Nowhere near. No contest. The cost of my work fitting the new nut? Zilch. The cost of yours? The going rate (around $75?).
But the KEY point is.... the cost of MY workmanship IF I foul up? $75 for a pro to do the job, plus all my own wasted time. The cost of YOUR foulup? Zilch - you're a pro - you don't make foul-ups. 8)
My advice to anyone wanting to fit a new nut who isn't 100% sure of what they are doing - don't bother, just take it to a tech like Rob and have it done RIGHT FIRST TIME.
