Any idea how to fix this?

The high e slot on the nut is hardly carved but I was looking for some advice on how to fix this before I do something I may regret...

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb382/MartinEddie1/Stringjumperror.jpg

http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb382/MartinEddie1/Stringjump2.jpg

Strings are sitting on compensated graph tech saddles stringed through schaller locking tuners.

What do you think is the best way to fix this?

Cheers

Pick yer self up a set of needle files,they will do the trick and the some...I posted a link below to give you an idea.



http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/Special_tools_for:_Nuts_and_saddles/Needle_Files.html

You think I should put a string guide on there and also file? This is a huge learning experience for me.

Swiss needle files are too thick, especially for the top E. You need a 0.010 nut file there.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/Special_tools_for:_Nuts_and_saddles/Gauged_Nut_Slotting_Files.html

And it is very, very easy to go too deep.
Which is why nut slots are cut with strings on at concert. The string is tested, lifted out, filed a little, tested again, and so on ...


You need a string tree -
because the break angle over the nut will not be enough, you can get the top strings "singing" on the headstock if there is not enough pressure to keep them firmly seated in the nut.

Thanks for the help Jefrs,

To the tech it is ! I don't trust my hands doing the rest of the work on this bad boy :/

Cheers!

That looks OK to me but the E-string is wound the wrong way around the peg.
that will make it seize due to the angle. The depth of a string slot should ideally be
approximately 1/2 of the string thickness.

Cheers
L-zr

Did you check to see if the slot is the right depth for the frets?


The depth of a string slot should ideally be
approximately 1/2 of the string thickness.

That's not true for the higher strings, which will easily pop out of the slot if not deep enough.

This is also a purely aesthetic practice, and though I know some luthiers see it as a mark of good work, it doesn't look secure to me and I prefer the walls of the nut slots come up to the top of the strings.

If you're gonna start filing, do it carefully, gently, a few strokes at a time, checking as you go along. Learn from my mistakes!

Looks like Sperzel staggered height tuners.

Did you check to see if the slot is the right depth for the frets?




That's not true for the higher strings, which will easily pop out of the slot if not deep enough.

This is also a purely aesthetic practice, and though I know some luthiers see it as a mark of good work, it doesn't look secure to me and I prefer the walls of the nut slots come up to the top of the strings.

Wrong, this is true for all strings. If the slots are too deep they will sieze
and go out of tune. If the slot is deep and too wide they are like to move
at bending. You should go really crazy to make em pop out...

I agree It is less important on the higher strings but a perfectly cut nut
is ~1/2 string deep on all slots.

Well if you wound the peg correctly and used a string tree, it would be less likely to pop out...

But if the nut slot is too high, go ahead and file it down to correct height.

Wrong, this is true for all strings. If the slots are too deep they will sieze
and go out of tune. If the slot is deep and too wide they are like to move
at bending. You should go really crazy to make em pop out...


I'm sorry, Lazer, but that's simply not true. The depth of the slot has no effect on whether or not a string binds in the slot. As long as the slot is a couple of thousandths wider than the widest point of the string and angled properly, the string won't bind at the nut.

Where is the widest point of the string? Half its thickness, obviously. As long as the walls of the slot are not narrower than the widest part, it won't bind.

And unless the walls of the slot have a hell of a horizontal slope, they're not going to move up and down, either.

Wow, I didn't even notice I did that :shock:
I have someone checking it out tomorrow, but he isn't an instrument builder so it may have to be taken to Nuremberg for serious modifications.

Thanks for all the help thus far.

The slot for the plain top strings must be at least as deep as the sting itself or it will indeed pop out, especially that top E.

Best to have a little too much slot there.

You can have half the diameter of the wound strings showing if you have a big break angle over the nut. But a Fender headstock doesn't do that, shallow break angle. Which is why I like my wound strings just "buried" to the surface of the nut, and the plains a little deeper, top of nut parallel to fretboard.

A narrow Vee shaped slot cannot bind. Provided the bottom of the slot is suitably narrow and rounded then the string will not move about, which makes odd pinging noises.

Filing a nut slot is not actually difficult. It does take a bit of practice. It is very easy to go wrong, that can be guaranteed.
I learnt to do it because I couldn't find a shop locally that could do it properly. I started doing them maybe 40 years ago when I had better eyesight, and I'm still learning.

I played for 35 years, always do my nuts ( :-) )the way Dan Erlewine recommends
maximum 1/2 string diameter on ALL strings. I have not popped one yet...

Cheers
L-zr

I played for 35 years, always do my nuts ( :-) )the way Dan Erlewine recommends
maximum 1/2 string diameter on ALL strings. I have not popped one yet...

Cheers
L-zr

The string doesnt touch any part of the slot past its half way point so why would it matter how deep the slot is?

The string doesnt touch any part of the slot past its half way point so why would it matter how deep the slot is?

Really, this is one of those old-wives' tales of instrument setup: something about the walls of a slot that will never touch the string having an effect on the string. We will not eliminate this myth in our lifetime, I don't think.

Don't forget either: when changing strings, only change one at a time or the precision-tensioned instrument will be damaged,

Greg