Replace nut or just shim it?

[eyeball987]

The nut on my Epi Del Rey is cut too low so I bought an All Parts graphite nut last nut and was going to try to replace it with my very limited knowledge. The nut that I bought is not as tall as the nut in the guitar now so it won't fix my problem.

Can I place some type of shim under the nut to raise it a little bit? Should I do something else to fix this? What kind of glue should I use to keep the nut, nut/shim in place?

[doublee]

Get the correct nut, correctly cut for height. I dont like shims they can dull the tone unless done just right. I dont think any glue is needed as the string pressure will hold it in place.

[Dana Olsen]

Doublee's right. If you like the guitar and play it a lot, get a properly cut nut on it. If it's just an experiment, shim it until you have the prob worked out, and then eventually replace it.

I use thin mahogany veneer for nut shims.

Thanks, Dana O.

[AndrewSimon]

Shims are OK when done properly but a well done nut is very important.
Even thought I'm handy, I always have my tech do the nuts.

:rolleyes:

[Dana Olsen]

Shims are OK when done properly but a well done nut is very important.
Even thought I'm handy, I always have my tech do the nuts.

:rolleyes:Also true - to me, making a nut is like rebuilding a carbuerator; even if you're mechanically inclined, they just come out better when someone who does several per week makes it than it does when I do it, like once every two years.

Thanks, Dana O.

[eyeball987]

The All Parts nut that I bought isn't as tall as the one that is on there now which is why I ask. The guitar is not worth a lot of money but I like how it plays and I could use the experience fixing things like this so I may give it a shot anyway. If I screw it up then I can always have it done "right".

[walterw]

a hardwood shim under there is not going to hurt the tone, considering that the nut is resting on mahogany anyway. also, a little glue is necessary to keep things from sliding around. i like superglue, because it dries fast and brittle, making the nut easy to knock back out again if need be.

[Chiba]

I dont think any glue is needed as the string pressure will hold it in place.
A couple of small dabs of glue ensure the nut stays in place when you restring your guitar AND prevents it from "wandering" under pressure.

--chiba