Nut moves just a bit, this ok?

Hey Guys,

I am in the process of building my first telecaster and i was making my nut last night. I think I may have sanded it just a couple of passes too much. It fits into the nut slot well, except that i can move it back (neck) and forth (fingerboad) ever so slightly. It will not fall out if I turn the neck upside down. I figure this will be fine since I will be gluing it at the end. Will it be fine? If not I do have a blank where I can make another one. Thanks for your help, I have learned so much from this forum so far.

That's probably gonna give you problems later on. I'd make a new one and get a snug fit. If it rocks back and forth you're likely to have tuning issues.

You might see if slipping in a piece of paper will stop the movement. If you have a bone nut, and the paper stops the rocking, then just glue the paper to the nut.

Put some yellow glue against the fretboard and in the slot bottom... that's how Gibsons are made, they sit on a flat surface at the bottom against the fretboard.

Thanks guys. I will try the paper trick and see if that works. If not I will start from scratch. I just figured I could put some tight bond on the back of the nut to make it a little tighter at application time.

Forget the paper shim. You said it doesn't fall out when you hold the neck upside down, right? If that's the case, just run a toothpick through some Titebond & run a small bead of it across the bottom of the nut slot. Maybe get a little on the sides of the slot too. Put the nut back in, string 'er up & you're set.

Bob

It is not normal practice to glue in a Fender nut.

It should be a snug fit. You should just about be able to move it sideways with the strings on. It is also important that it is seated across its entire length to the bottom of the slot, not just at each end and a bump in the middle, full connection because that nut is thin.

If you are needing to use it now! then go with it as it is because the strings will hold it tight. Problem with a really loose nut is they can vibrate and/or sound funny. A new nut can follow on when you receive a circular tuit. Indeed it is strange how long some of these temporary measures last.

If you must use any glue then choose one that is easy to remove, to break the nut free when the times comes, without damaging the fretboard or the slot.

If you have a spare nut blank (I always buy a few extra) then I would make another. You might want to experiment on this one with getting the slots just right.

One dodge is to fatten up the back of the nut with a bead of CA Superglue, let that set thoroughly and then sand it down to fit the slot snugly. That way the glue is set before putting it into the slot, and it /will/ come out whenever.

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Nuts,_saddles/a-nuts.html

Notice how it says remove the glue residue in the " clean out the nut slot" section and to use 2-3 drops of titebond later when you are ready to string it up.

On a maple neck the original nuts are sealed in with the ploy-wotsit, and a real pita to remove.
You have to saw the length of the nut and crack it with pliers.

Too much "cleaning out the nut slot" can result in a widened or deepened slot requiring an oversize nut blank (been there). You must not remove wood on the fret side of the slot.

If you use a tiny bit of Titebond, it just takes a slight tap to remove the nut, should you ever need to & the slot stays pretty clean. FWIW, I generally do not use any glue in the slot unless I have to.

Bob

i would give the fret slot a little oil on a cotton bud - i am talking just a hint - just a little more than a smell - that will stop the glue sticking to the nut slot

then a whisker of glue on the sides only of the nut and drop it in the slot
the glue will go off and hold the nut tight - make sure you clean up around the nut if any glue residue gets on the fingerboard - a little sqeezing out is a good sign it is well seated

DON'T get any glue on the bottom of the nut
it will pop out with a bit of a tap once the glue goes off

ideally the nut should sit in the slot firm enough to be pushed in with your fingers but has to be tapped out - no need for glue
this is in the ideal world which it is mostly not

If you use titebond. It is removable with warm water on a rag or paper towel. No need for filing, scraping, or chiseling down the road after you knock it out.

That depends on the Titebond, some is waterproof when set. I usually use a small drop of gel CA to set the nut and have never had an issue. A quick tap on the side with a small punch and the nut pops right out if I need to remove it. A few swipes with a sanding stick, or a sharp xacto blade and bob's yer uncle....

That depends on the Titebond, some is waterproof when set. I usually use a small drop of gel CA to set the nut and have never had an issue. A quick tap on the side with a small punch and the nut pops right out if I need to remove it. A few swipes with a sanding stick, or a sharp xacto blade and bob's yer uncle....

Nobody said use Titebond ll or Titebond lll :-). just kidding... point taken.