Guitar Setup Nut Adjustment

In this tutorial we take your through one part of acoustic guitar setup and show you how to improve your guitar's action through guitar nut setup. See more at http://GuitarPlayLearn.com

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• acoustic guitar setup
• guitar setup
• guitar setup nut
• nut adjustment

[shockalotti]

Sounds like it could be broken. But try this... try screwing it in clockwise. Only screw in until it is firm. See if it moves now. If it still does then it most probably is damaged, and you need to take it to a Luthier.

[DrOrphious79]

nice vido mate, good explanation for what i need but could do with some advice, i was told i should keep the strings on the guitar so as to keep the neck at tension, is this nessecary as clearly you dont do that.

also i have a crack running from behind the back of the head under the peg of the fat e string running down to the edge of the nut, under where the thin e string is (almost an inch long)

should i even attempt this?  am i likely to see my guitar head snap off or should i be ok.

Thanks

[shockalotti]

@DrOrphious79 @DrOrphious79 You know what man? I've read every guitar instruction manual on the planet. OK maybe not the chinese ones. But hype aside, you know what I mean.

At the end of the day, yes it will be better for the tension of the neck if you kept strings on. But have I EVER seen anybody do this? NOPE. Not ever.

I've been playing for 26 years. I've never ever left alternate strings on whilst I changed the others. And it has been fine.

[shockalotti]

@DrOrphious79 re - cracked neck. See a Luthier. They can do some amazing things with wood. Once I had a friend borrow my $3000 guitar for a major gig - i.e. 15,000 people. And you know what? Mistake. Came back with a hole in it.

But my good Luthier took that hole and made it perfect again. Admittedly it cost me ~$100. But at least my baby was whole again :)

There's just some things you should and should not attempt. In this case see a pro.

[DrOrphious79]

@shockalotti Thanks man, appreciate the reply, im prety skint and dont have a car to get it anyplace either, in your experience do you think it would be a stupid thing to try myself? was wondering if keeping the strings at tension would make it less risky for removing the nut without disturbing the crack.

if not ill have to wait for the oportunity to get a pro on it.

Cheers

Ed

[shockalotti]

@DrOrphious79 I'll tell you the truth. The advice I'm giving here is assuming you're skint. I'm giving advice based upon my painful experiences in the past.

Regarding a cracked neck. Not a newbie thing to try. But then it depends upon how much the guitar is worth. If it's $50 then go for it. If it's $3,000 guitar - nope. Based upon your risk, you be the judge.

Neck tension. Ignore that stuff people say. Just make sure to take off light string, and then heavy string, and alternate

[shandjam]

the nut on my guitar is loose and when i bend it moves out of place how can i fix this

[wizardwithguns1]

Good job!

[DrOrphious79]

I made the crack prety soon after i had it, about a month or 2. it was resting nicely against a chair and it just seemed to gravitate towards a door handle, the peg made contact with a loud slam.

I realy appreciate the replys and all the advice mate. and no fear, if all goes wrong i wont be blaming anyone but myself. if/when i do something ill let u know how it went. maybe even record it.

Cheers

[DrOrphious79]

@shockalotti light then heavy. thats a good tip, wouldnt have thought of that. nice 1. the guitar was a gift. worth about 500 - a grand. so im not in a rush to do anything too risky, but the thing has been gathering dust for some time now and its getting a real shame every time i see it. i just cant make any decent chords at open pos.

hmm i might start to take them off 2 at a time and just see if the crack makes any noises or creaks. slowly slowly like.