Standard and Tuning

[Russ]

Maybe I'm a moron. Maybe this is common knowledge.

A couple of months ago, I acquired an incredibly gorgeous 2008 Standard Custom, bound, crowned, inlaid logo, and honey finish. The thing looks and sounds incredible...Thing is, I've attempted to gig with it a couple of times, and I just can't use it in its current state. I am of the belief that "something" needs to be done with the nut slots, ESPECIALLY for the B and E strings, as I cannot for the life of me keep them in tune, I'm assuming because of the massive downward angle they go through the nut at. I'm a 10 to 46 guy. When I tune the B and E, I'll occasionally hear that little "plink" from what I'm assuming is the string pinching and/or releasing in the nut slot...

I guess the questions is:

What is the best way to deal with or correct this?

(and no, selling it to one of you guys for $350 is NOT an option)

[Steve Haynie]

You can try a nut lube available at a local music store or Stewart MacDonald. If that does not work you can try widening the nut slots.

If you do not have nut files it is possible to sometimes wrap a piece of fine sandpaper around a thinner string to widen the a slot. Be careful not to deepen the nut slot.

If you have a mechanical pencil with thin enough lead to reach the bottom of the nut slot you can make a mark at the bottom. On a dark nut you will need a bright light to see the reflection off the graphite. As long as you are not totally taking the lead off of the bottom or taking it away from one end or the other you will be all right.

[Russ]

Thanks much. Will give the lube a shot...

[David B]

Thanks much. Will give the lube a shot...

It worked on mine. The new Hamer nuts are not as good as the old lubritrac nuts they used. Try this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Big-Bends-Nut-Sauce-Gr...id=p3286.c0.m14

[Ethan]

if it's a guitar you're real into i would have a nut made for it, taking the strings and setup you prefer into consideration. a good tech can make a nice nut out of bone to these specs. i like using lube on guitar nuts myself too, but i think if you are having that bad of trouble then the nut might need to be replaced (optimally) or at least re-worked a little like others have suggested

[BubbaVO]

Similar problem with one of my Daytonas. Followed BCR Greg's advice, lubbed the nut with some chapstick. No more problem.