Nut needs replacing , Any quick fixes?

[markdavid]

On my main bass the nut is a little worn (grooves are a little wide for the strings) ,although its not causing a problem at the moment I can see that it may cause problems if I wanted to go with a lighter string gauge or different string type. As it approaching christmas i can't really afford to fork out £40 to have a pro fix it. What I was wondering is if there is anything i can use to fill the slots and then file them out to the correct thickness? Any ideas?

[BB2000]

[quote name='markdavid' post='94354' date='Nov 26 2007, 12:16 AM']On my main bass the nut is a little worn (grooves are a little wide for the strings) ,although its not causing a problem at the moment I can see that it may cause problems if I wanted to go with a lighter string gauge or different string type. As it approaching christmas i can't really afford to fork out £40 to have a pro fix it. What I was wondering is if there is anything i can use to fill the slots and then file them out to the correct thickness? Any ideas?[/quote]

Clean up the slot, fill with baking soda and add super glue (the low viscosity kind). This is what a pro would do. (Some people advise adding ground plastic or bone to super glue and using that - whatever you do don't try that.)

[Mr. Foxen]

I got a large bone from the butchers, left it to the chickens and ants for a while, took a saw to it, dried out the piece and filed it into a new nut. Course I was unemployed sotime wasn't much of an issue, just get a new plastic nut from the shop, about 50p (my local shop sold me two Graphtec ones for that, think they didn't twig what they were), and a needle file. Is it a sit at the end of the board nut, or a sit in a groove sort?

[markdavid]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='94399' date='Nov 26 2007, 08:49 AM']I got a large bone from the butchers, left it to the chickens and ants for a while, took a saw to it, dried out the piece and filed it into a new nut. Course I was unemployed sotime wasn't much of an issue, just get a new plastic nut from the shop, about 50p (my local shop sold me two Graphtec ones for that, think they didn't twig what they were), and a needle file. Is it a sit at the end of the board nut, or a sit in a groove sort?[/quote]

Its a sit in a groove nut , unfortunately. Otherwise I would just replace it myself

[markdavid]

[quote name='BB2000' post='94374' date='Nov 26 2007, 03:10 AM']Clean up the slot, fill with baking soda and add super glue (the low viscosity kind). This is what a pro would do. (Some people advise adding ground plastic or bone to super glue and using that - whatever you do don't try that.)[/quote]

Thanks for the tip , any particular brand of superglue you would recommend using ?

[BassBod]

The superglue method works fine. You can also shim the nut slightly higher (superglue a strip of veneer to the bottom) and cut the slots down to improve the fit, but it depends if they are way too wide or just a bit.

If its a P or J type you can get shaped and pre-slotted (and curved, if needed) nuts for a few £, using this interweb thing so I wouldn't spend too much time fettling to perfection if the original is a lost cause. Whatever method you use, decide on the strings first and take it from there?

BB

[BB2000]

[quote name='markdavid' post='94479' date='Nov 26 2007, 12:19 PM']Thanks for the tip , any particular brand of superglue you would recommend using ?[/quote]

Shouldn't matter, just get the low viscosity stuff.