Nut dressing question

[RockinProf]

First, get your mind out of the gutter... not a question about wedding tackle.

I have a gem of an old Ibanez (1981 AS100) with the hybrid brass bone nut. The action is perfect, plays like a dream but ping, ping, ping goes the nut. Being that I don’t want to take away material and get open string buzz, does anyone have tips on a nut dressing that is safe on nut height? Considering folding say 800 grit sand paper and smoothing... unsure if that’s course enough to have an effect or going to take more material than I think. Advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Nut dressing question

Have you tried taking a fine tipped pencil and colouring the bottom of the nut slot with it? The graphite from the pencil will let the string slide more easily back and forth in the slot.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Nut dressing question

Well, using sandpaper can work, but you will be taking material from the nut. There are other specialized lubricants (like Big Bend's Nut Sauce) for a guitar nut, but that generally works the best for a properly cut nut. I think you'll eventually have to take some material away, even if just a tiny bit.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Nut dressing question

I suggest having a competent and experienced luthier cast a discerning eye over the offending nut. I suspect that over the decades your strings have worn some grooves in the brass part of the nut, and that's what is catching and causing the ping. A bit of judicious polishing should then handle it. Or, it might be time for a new nut. The bone/brass combo is still available if you desire.

 

[RockinProf]

Re: Nut dressing question

I suggest having a competent and experienced luthier cast a discerning eye over the offending nut. I suspect that over the decades your strings have worn some grooves in the brass part of the nut, and that's what is catching and causing the ping. A bit of judicious polishing should then handle it. Or, it might be time for a new nut. The bone/brass combo is still available if you desire.

Thanks all,

I think I’m going to take it to my luthier. The guitar sounds too good and plays too well for me to screw it up. ICTGoober is likely right that the nut has pits in it, and a luthier likely has smoothing files that can do the job far better than I ever could.

Thanks all