Strings in metal nut making clinky noise

[Boreas]

Well, I had thought about that. The reason it took me so long to get around to doing this is that I've been looking into replacing the fret altogether. But then it dawned on me that the strings are sitting in the grooves and not buzzing at all, so smoothing down the fret to at lowest the point where the strings are anyway, shouldn't really screw things up. And it didn't

There's still a tiny bit of that plinking, especially on the g-string, and I'll do some more erasing tomorrow.

I ordered the tusq blank from Thomann, should be here in two days, then I can start messing around with that next project.

None of this stuff is going to affect the guitar in any fundamental, irreparable way, so I'm not worried about trying stuff out

I think you will be OK, but just don't get too carried away with that big-ass eraser!

While you are at it, it might be a good time to polish the rest of your frets with it.

 

[Les Paul lover]

It’s part of having a zero fret guitar. Play louder.

It really isn't.

I had this issue with my vigier but solved it.

The plain string (G,B,E) would roll in the too wide nut slots. Strings aren't perfectly round, and emit a pretty loud ping noise when rolling in the tiny gap of the nut (especially when doing bends).

I've since replaced the old nut with a nut cut specifically for 10-46 gauge strings that I use on my zero fret vigier, and the noise has disappeared ever since.

 

[effzee]

I think you will be OK, but just don't get too carried away with that big-ass eraser!

While you are at it, it might be a good time to polish the rest of your frets with it.

Haha it's really not that big the seller did a nice fret polishing before the sale, but he didn't do anything about the zero fret I don't mind, I need projects anyway, and none of this is audible except acoustically. Plugged in, the guitar sounds amazing, my first experience with a thinline + p90s and I'm really digging it, a great counterpart to my Telecaster tones.

 

[effzee]

It really isn't.

I had this issue with my vigier but solved it.

The plain string (G,B,E) would roll in the too wide nut slots. Strings aren't perfectly round, and emit a pretty loud ping noise when rolling in the tiny gap of the nut (especially when doing bends).

I've since replaced the old nut with a nut cut specifically for 10-46 gauge strings that I use on my zero fret vigier, and the noise has disappeared ever since.

Sounds good the nut needs to be secured in some way, since it isn't being held in place by string pressure. How did you solve this?

 

[Boreas]

Sounds good the nut needs to be secured in some way, since it isn't being held in place by string pressure. How did you solve this?

Isn't your nut held down by the two Phillips screws??

 

[effzee]

Isn't your nut held down by the two Phillips screws??

Yes, that's right, I was wondering what kind of nut LPL used. There aren't many available specifically for this and if it's cut specifically for 10-46, it sounds custom made to me, or homemade, same difference. I have a couple ideas what to do with my tusq blank, starting with a wood mock up

 

[hopdybob]

Maybe a wrap of something soft & spongey between the nut & string guide.
A mute for those distracting noises?

that was my first thougt

 

[Boreas]

Yes, that's right, I was wondering what kind of nut LPL used. There aren't many available specifically for this and if it's cut specifically for 10-46, it sounds custom made to me, or homemade, same difference. I have a couple ideas what to do with my tusq blank, starting with a wood mock up

Without seeing your neck with the nut off, I am guessing a simple Gibson-style nut, glued in place, would work fine. If there is no nut slot present, you could make one. You can use a Tusq blank or even bone, micarta, ebony, or rosewood, since this nut will not be under a large amount of pressure. Even a chunk of white nylon should work. You could likely use the screw mounting holes depending on the material you use. The trickiest part is always getting the string slots the way you want them - not binding, and not too sloppy.

 

[effzee]

Without seeing your neck with the nut off, I am guessing a simple Gibson-style nut, glued in place, would work fine. If there is no nut slot present, you could make one. You can use a Tusq blank or even bone, micarta, ebony, or rosewood, since this nut will not be under a large amount of pressure. Even a chunk of white nylon should work. You could likely use the screw mounting holes depending on the material you use. The trickiest part is always getting the string slots the way you want them - not binding, and not too sloppy.

This is the "nut", I guess that's the only word for it, but it's really just a guide for the strings. A little chromed bit of angle steel, with two screws holding it in place, it butts up against the end of the fretboard.

Btw, just a little trivia this is the neck I've seen these on other guitars in the past but never really looked into them until I got this one. Calling it "plywood" is misleading. It's many thin layers of Franconian beechwood (we live in Franconia). The darker stripes are aged glue. It's light and unbelievably strong. It was an expensive process and eventually the companies that were using them for their necks gave it up and went to more traditional woods.

They were made by the company Fritz Kollitz and the same construction was used for airplane propellers. Kollitz is still in operation. It's only a short distance from where I live.

Kollitz Tonewood - Tonholz für Streichinstrumente, Akustik-Gitarren und E-Gitarren Necks & Bodys

Kollitz Tonewood - Ihr Tonholz-Spezialist für Streichinstrumente, Akustik-Gitarren und E-Gitarren Hälse & Bodies

www.kollitz.de

 

[Boreas]

This is the "nut", I guess that's the only word for it, but it's really just a guide for the strings. A little chromed bit of angle steel, with two screws holding it in place, it butts up against the end of the fretboard.

View attachment 1039282 View attachment 1039283 View attachment 1039284

Btw, just a little trivia this is the neck I've seen these on other guitars in the past but never really looked into them until I got this one. Calling it "plywood" is misleading. It's many thin layers of Franconian beechwood (we live in Franconia). The darker stripes are aged glue. It's light and unbelievably strong. It was an expensive process and eventually the companies that were using them for their necks gave it up and went to more traditional woods.

They were made by the company Fritz Kollitz and the same construction was used for airplane propellers. Kollitz is still in operation. It's only a short distance from where I live.

Kollitz Tonewood - Tonholz für Streichinstrumente, Akustik-Gitarren und E-Gitarren Necks & Bodys

Kollitz Tonewood - Ihr Tonholz-Spezialist für Streichinstrumente, Akustik-Gitarren und E-Gitarren Hälse & Bodies

www.kollitz.de

View attachment 1039287 View attachment 1039288

I would probably be bashing my hand on the treble side of that nut because it is so high. If I were to keep it, I would have to knock down the height considerably. But that would ruin the chrome.

 

[Les Paul lover]

Sounds good the nut needs to be secured in some way, since it isn't being held in place by string pressure. How did you solve this?

Actually, in the case of a zero fret guitar, the nut is just a guide for the strings, the string tension is enough to keep the nut in place in its slot.

I bought the newer type of Vigier Teflon nut, so it was a drop in replacement.
Vigier have designed their guitars with easy zero fret and nut replacements in mind, you can literally just slide the zero fret out if needed, and buy a fairly inexpensive replacement and slide that back in.

It's amazing really, neither of my new zero fret or new Teflon nut are glued in....but with the string tension, they just don't move.

 

[Boreas]

Actually, in the case of a zero fret guitar, the nut is just a guide for the strings, the string tension is enough to keep the nut in place in its slot.

I bought the newer type of Vigier Teflon nut, so it was a drop in replacement.
Vigier have designed their guitars with easy zero fret and nut replacements in mind, you can literally just slide the zero fret out if needed, and buy a fairly inexpensive replacement and slide that back in.

It's amazing really, neither of my new zero fret or new Teflon nut are glued in....but with the string tension, they just don't move.

I find string downforce does a pretty good job of holding any nut in place if the slot in the fretboard is reasonably snug. I don't always glue them, and when I do, just drop or two.

 

[ping-ping-clicka]

Hmmmm did you use brass?