How much does it cost to replace and cut a new TusQ nut?

[daryle]

I have a tele copy with a poorly cut cheap plastic nut. I have an uncut/blank TusQ nut from AllParts UK.

I'm looking for a luthier to help me:

1) Remove the old nut
2) Put the new nut on
3) cut it to suit ernie ball 9 - 42
4) (if possible) help me get my intonation or at least advice me on how to get the intonation reasonably correct

how much does it cost, roughly, to do that? and where would you guys recommend?

Right now i'm considering StandardValue, or KC from maestro.

But i also have no idea how to contact KC? i don't even know what KC stands for... could someone tell me?

 

[relinquish69]

look around the $50 - $100 region depending whether you are the one supplying the nut.

Contact maestro directly. KC stands for Kai Chin.

 

[fgl]

d.i.y

NOT THAT TUFF

 

[daryle]

cutting a nut myself?

I'm not sure that cutting the nut slots on my own would result in a better nut than the cheap plastic one that is currently on my tele copy? From what i read, cutting the nut slots requires skill, and precision mostly derived from specially made files with specific dimensions.

if i screw it up (which is highly likely), i will almost definitely spend more money on new TusQ nuts that i would probably screw up again. And if i don't replace the screwed up nut, i will see no end to my tuning problems.

Perhaps, fgl, you could prove me wrong, and enlighten me on how d.i.y is not that tough....?

Relinquish69, if i supply the nut myself, would it be closer to the $50 region?

 

[fgl]

ah read it wrongly - though you had the precut one ...

sell the uncut blank - get the precut one ..

sand off a little off both ends - cut of the tab (if your neck nut cut slot is curved)

Glue in and wahhlah ....

btw wat model is your copy tele?

 

[daryle]

It's a J & D telecaster copy. I wanted to experiment with modifications, and see how much string trees, nuts and bridge saddles affect tuning stability. Also wanted to experiment with fret leveling and other wiring modifications.

So far i'm having quite some fun! Just leaving the nut, which i have completely no confidence in executing.

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Can send to techie. Guitar Workshop as well as SV(if i'm not wrong, i think i saw it on their list of services) do it. Guitar Workshop, the nut goes for around 60 bucks without installation. Precut.

 

[fgl]

It's a J & D telecaster copy. I wanted to experiment with modifications, and see how much string trees, nuts and bridge saddles affect tuning stability. Also wanted to experiment with fret leveling and other wiring modifications.

So far i'm having quite some fun! Just leaving the nut, which i have completely no confidence in executing.

ahh J & D - probally straight nut slot bottom. so if you use the precut tusq nut no need to remove the botom tab.

still have to sand eiter side as well as front & back to make it fit.

Its easy enuff to do - for newbies ... work slow & test fit often

I just did one for eieo last week w/o him even passing me his neck ...

Also to check tuning stability - try getting better tuners ... gotohs are a very good yet cheaper alternative

 

[daryle]

$60 for one nut? it is hard to believe that local guitar stores would charge that kind of price when an AllParts UK pre-cut or blank nut costs 13USD. Even if i ship one single nut on my own, that would probably cost 25USD at the most, which is around $35.

Are you sure those are Tusq nuts? Perhaps the $60 ones are actually ivory or even exotic bone nuts? Sorry, i'm not taking you down here. I'm just shocked that one nut without installation can set you back $60.

Also to check tuning stability - try getting better tuners ... gotohs are a very good yet cheaper alternative

i wouldn't do it yet. at first, i thought that locking tuners or better tuners would magically solve all my tuning problems. Then i learned how to string my guitar properly. it made all the difference.

i'm now very convinced that with a combination of:
1) Roller string trees
2) A well cut, and properly installed nut
3) Proper stringing around the tuners

My guitar shouldn't be going out of tune like some of the badly setup guitars owned by some of my friends.

 

[fgl]

Yeah lockin tuners do add stabiliyt - elimates the need for string trees if you get the staggered type - I just bot a set of spurzels for my new project.

The nut - yeah its a lot cheaper - I think they selling around sgd 20 in the shops here - even the all pats precut nut all actually tusq but under diff packaging.

Or try Davis - they have precut nuts (in their showcase - gotta ask) ... i black graphite too ..

Im seriously thinking of getting an lsr roller nut my exisiting project
http://www.wdmusic.com/fender_parts_099_0812_000.html

 

[daryle]

regarding roller nuts, perhaps if you would allow me to share this with you:

yeah, I can relate, that's kind of the same thing I was looking for when I went searching for info on the lsr nut. However, after talking to a lot of old timers on the Fender Forum, the general consensus was they were more gimmick than actual tone shapers. Same for the brass nuts. I guess they got really popular in the 80's, but they really didn't do that much for your tone. Now this is all second hand from those guys, since I never tried one myself, but we're talking guys in their 50's who have been playing Strats for 30+ years. I took their advise.

anyway, i'm going to make a few more calls to a few more guitar shops before i begin. Hopefully, a Tusq (pre-cut or not) doesn't cost $60 like earlier suggested.

good luck on your project! and thanks for the advice!

 

[fgl]

yeap being metal - the tone will be affected subtly ... like as if using f rose nuts .... which I never liked but when used with locking tuners and a non locking strat bridge - mite help a litle wt tuning stabilty ... but its the tone factor which i am afraid off and holding me back from getting one

Bro - good lux in your quest ... can also try Beez ...

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

I'm pretty sure. I was at GW just the other day. I was looking for some hardware and chanced upon the TusQ nut. I initially planned to buy it, but backed out after looking at the price. Exotic bones or Ivory? Bro Jarvis over at G4C does it. It will cost around 100 bucks, it's called Fossilized Mammoth Ivory (FMI). So that's about the price you're looking at. If i'm not wrong, though, it's only for acoustics as it will help with their tone and resonance.

 

[fgl]

the norm tusq U can get at GC under all parts ard $20, davis also shud have. Ze Guitars under tusq brand around there too...

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/String_nuts/Tusq_Nuts.html - stew mac prices in usd

 

[eieio]

lsr is good.. can bend like hell!
of course body & neck tone must be good in the firsr place la
if basic wood tone not happening, put dinosour fossil also sound like kuku.. heheh

 

[daryle]

lsr is good.. can bend like hell!
of course body & neck tone must be good in the firsr place la
if basic wood tone not happening, put dinosour fossil also sound like kuku.. heheh

yeah but too much talk about wood tone will severely mislead beginners.

on working class guitars (what i mean is guitars that cost $1200 and below), wood tone doesn't affect sound and overall performance of the guitar as much as:


Most important: Tuning Stablity
1) Quality of the bridge
2) Quality of the nut
3) Quality of the tuners

Next most important: Performance
4) Neck (whether the neck is twisted, whether it was made perfectly straight)
5) Frets (whether the frets are leveled and properly crowned
6) Neck again (whether the saddles can achieve desired action height and still achieve desired intonation)

Least important: sound
7) Pickups
8) Nut (again)
9) Bridge (again)
10) Least important of all, Wood Tone


I have long held the opinion that a guitar lacking good tone is a bad sounding musical instrument, but a guitar that can't stay in tune isn't a musical instrument at all

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Definitely. But still, it is taken for granted that a good guitar MUST have the first six qualities. And for me, i definitely expect them from each guitar i buy.

 

[relinquish69]

Relinquish69, if i supply the nut myself, would it be closer to the $50 region?

That depends on the person doing the filing. Should be around there but please don't quote me haha!

Btw, better not to get pre-cut nuts in my opinion. I believe (IMO again) that not every guitar has the same spacing. again, please don't quote me!

 

[daryle]

And for me, i definitely expect them from each guitar i buy.

me too. well at least now i do that is.

that's why i bought that $230 tele copy to see if i can get near-perfect tuning stability and intonation out of it, without having to spend the same amount of money that the guitar cost.

let's see if i will succeed!

 

[fgl]

Went to davis yesterday - bought a tusq q pre cut nut $15

went home - worked on it (slightly shortened both ends and removed the tab)

Its now ready for use...

THEN

I farked up the redrilling of tuner holes on my new neck .... sianz ... project delayed again