Strangest rumor ever?
OK...I've been documenting here my efforts to get my Ibanez to behave well enough (by staying in tune) to become my front-line ax. The big issue lately has been sticking at the nut. :shock: Ouch.
Annnnyway...Once 'tou suggested this problem I began fiddling with it and after some barn-job slot work on the cheap plastic nut, the tuning problems have eased quite a bit. I also habitually put graphite (yes, from a pencil) in the nut slots to ease friction.
So today I read the weirdest thing ever...and I want to ask all you ax-masters if you've ever heard anything like this, or even tried it. Does/would this work?
The suggestions was to use lip balm - like chapstick, etc - in the grooves of the nut to eliminate friction on the strings. Is that weird? Or does/would it actually work??? :shock:
Annnnyway...Once 'tou suggested this problem I began fiddling with it and after some barn-job slot work on the cheap plastic nut, the tuning problems have eased quite a bit. I also habitually put graphite (yes, from a pencil) in the nut slots to ease friction.
So today I read the weirdest thing ever...and I want to ask all you ax-masters if you've ever heard anything like this, or even tried it. Does/would this work?
The suggestions was to use lip balm - like chapstick, etc - in the grooves of the nut to eliminate friction on the strings. Is that weird? Or does/would it actually work??? :shock:
Comments
I have only been using this on my FR locking trem knife edges. I haven't needed it on anything else. It last longer than my ear wax, and it takes just a tiny amount.
Personally, I would stick with graphite on the nut, Shredd. This stuff will collect valuable belly button lint. :?
Save yer pencils for signing autographs, get one of these...
http://www.graphtech.com/tremnut_info.php
Dude, I have these nuts on three of my fiddles, including a vintage strat and they're awesome. I can whale on the trem of my strat, and it actually stays in tune ALMOST as well as my floyd equipped fiddles, the stuff is truly awesome, they also make string saddles outta the stuff. No need to re-apply that nut goo everywhere. BTW...No I don't work for 'em.
HTH,
Dobb.
This is exactly what I wanna to do this Ibanez...put a really good quality nut on it. Other than the tuning problems - which I'm blaming on the cheap pseudo-plastic nut - it's a peach of a fiddle...thanks for the link, Dobb.
'Course, there ain't anough pencils in the world for me to sign all those autographs for my adoring fans... :roll:
SO. Can one of you guys lend me a micrometer for about ten minutes??
Forget that trem nut, Shredd. As it's name implies, it's for nonlocking tremolo gitfiddles. They are designed for allowing the strings to glide through the nut, without binding, and causing tuning problems, for when you whammy dip and wang and make all those guitar God faces.
First, try massaging your nut a little more, before you give up on it. Sounds like you almost have it. Any particular string still causing problems? Rub there more.
I agree...it would be sweet to have a set of the pro tools to pretend you are a Luthier. But \"if patience was pain\" you'll still get the job done. Yer a Mountain Man...you can do anything!
If you decide to replace the nut, there are guitar specific nuts available in Bone. Actually, replacing the nut is still a decent undertaking, but most of the sizing is done. I'd help you, but I just will not touch another man's nut. :evil:
Seriously though, I highly recommend bone for any fixed bridge. That is the best. If you are planning to go through the trouble of replacing the nut...That is your best choice.
Thing I wanna know...is How come you get BIG avvy's?
Nice av BTW
...but what's your trick? You gotta clear 2000 posts or wut?
Upgrade...
Anyway - thanks 'tou, that's good advice. I imagine a bone nut would be better - a harder material; but it'd probably still need some kind of lube or something to help the strings not bind.
It can be a drag being a mountain man and having to make do with what you have (eat my dust, McGyver! :P ) but what I've done so far has improved the nut binding, so I'm going to keep up with that. Unless I can get my nut replaced with something better. :shock:
Anyway, I get to post a big avvy 'cuz it reflects my enormously huge desire for a woman of my own...who'll love me truly and not disappear with all my money after she's gotten her green card.
Well, actually I'm sure about your police work there Norm...er...Manitou. I'm not sure I understand you logic there on this one. Thats like saying you can't use a gig bag unless your going to a gig :roll: If string binding is your problem, I challenge you to find a better permanent, no maintanence solution than this.
They make trem nuts for acoustics, basses, ukeleles and mandolins too, Now, granted I live in Canada, but I've never seen a Floyd Rose for ANY of the aforementioned instruments. Out of the three fiddles I've installed them on, only my strat has a trem. In fact one of them is an acoustic.
Your affinity for bone only shows your age
Those are my thoughts, not yours :P
Dobb
Nut dimensions might be a hassle (it usually is for me :oops: ) but I'm pretty sure you would get a graphite nut to fit your Ibanez. It should be relatively standard in size....
8) I'd rather use lube for the more important things in life.....um, like oiling the chain on my roadbike. Get ya minds outta the gutter ya dirty buggars!!
It's not that expensive and wouldn't take a good shop long to do. Usually if the strings are binding in the nut, The grooves are cut to narrow for the string or the angle of the cut is wrong. Could be I supose that if this a plastic nut that it is to soft for the tension of the string at which point it will continue to dig into the nut no matter what you do. I'd replace it.
Typical of manufacturers reducing costs by using cheap parts.
Jamminmj
Now - on to a new topic: pickup alignment.
I put a pair of D/M PAF Pro's in this axe...they sound STELLAR. However, the git'r came with EMG's; & the pole pieces of the D/M's are not precisely lined up under the strings; it's as though the entire pup is about 2mm off center, even though they're properly mounted in the pup ring.
Can any of you guyz suggest what might be wrong, or think of a way I can align them?
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html.
Mostly info on acoustics, but the same principles
will apply to electrics. There are lots of other sites
out there to find info on do it yourself repairs.
Good info on how to remove it without chipping the
finish.
Jamminmj
Really tho, I'm not too concerned with removal of the old nut or install of the new one; my real challenge seems to be getting the exact right nut, or modding it to fit exactly. I don't have luthier tools, but I don't want to change the string spacing or height.
Plus, if it doesn't fit, I'll sound terrible and Cameron won't lust for me anymore. :roll:
Well, at least I know Cameron is...
Anyway you can just type frets.com if your interested. You'll be happier with a better nut. As for your question about centering pickups, That comes down to changing the string spacing on the bridge and the nut if the pickup is centered in the cavity with the neck. That is one of the problems with replacement pickups with pole pieces as different guitars are setup with different width necks and string spacing. If all your strings sound balanced between each other I wouldn't worry about it. You can mess with the height of the pickups and even the poles if they're threaded. You said they sound steller. Don't fix it. Quit tinkering and start playin. As far as your standards, different strokes for different folks.
Jamminmj
I don't really want to mess with moving the strings via the bridge or nut...the strings are perfectly centered on the fingerboard.
But...they do sound terrific, and the string balance sounds fine, and could surely be adjusted with the individually adj'l pole pieces on each coil.
I guess I just thought the sound would be better, or purer, or hotter, if the pole pieces were exactly under the strings....
My standards? Well, apparently I'm a bit choosier than a lot of the guys here - I'd rather hold out for a more desirable woman than 'settle' for a hag. My new avatar is just to poke fun at all those dudes who think I should give up thinking about Cameron and Elizabeth and Shania and Anne and so on, and start thinking about women like...well, human women, anyway. :shock: :shock: :shock:
Jamminmj
Anyway...I think it must just be one of those odd little incompatibilities. The pups are perfectly centered in the pup rings, like the originals were, and the strings are perfectly centered on the fingerboard. If I'd used non F-spaced pups, they'd probably be even farther off. So...life goes on. I guess I won't be lending this ax to Satriani anytime soon...
From Kate to ... hmmmm NATE? I can't tell
Good choice, you won't be dissapointed! As long as you ordered the right nut (i.e. not blank) it should be a snap. Drop another post (hopefully you'll have a new avatar by then...yeeeuuccchhh!!) when the nut shows up, and I'm sure between yourself and all of the geniuses on the site, you should be able to git 'er done. I think there are even directions on the graph-tech site. Anyway, good luck on the nut thing, and sorry about your newly lowered standards :shock:
Peace,
Dobb.