Tuesday Lunch Report: 16 April 2013

First, I hope all the G&LDP members and their families in Boston are still all in one-piece, and that the American people and government will react rationally to this latest outrage.

Second, today's lunch was actually a lamb kebab. I forgot to photograph it, but we've all seen one of those, right? So as many of you back home in the States are eating your breakfast, I was eating a traditional Japanese dish called niku-jaga (lit. meat & potatoes, aka Mick Jagger) with sesame-spinach, miso-soup and rice sprinkled with beefsteak leaf for dinner. This stuff is all pretty typical home-cookin.



Third, it's time for me to replace the nut on my Legacy again. The last time was four years ago with the same plastic (micarta) nut, but this time I'm going to try bone. And as long as its in the shop, I'd like to have them re-route the claw screws so I can try five springs. Unfortunately I can't afford it this month 'cause I'm renewing my apartment lease. So the G&L topic for today is have you replaced your plastic nut and why? For tonal reasons or wear'n tear? (Sorry if this topic has come up before on the Forum, but then we never get tired of discussing things like this, do we...)

Fourth, the estimate for this is about $120. For Japan, I think that's reasonable, and I always get a discount and fast turnaround at Guitar Lab. (Not because I'm a special customer as much as an annoying one who asks too many questions in bad Japanese.) Last month I took my GB-10 in to have the new brass bridge saddles slotted, and they did it in an hour for $30. Not a week later, I tripped walking up a flight of stone steps and dropped the guitar in its gig bag. I didn't see any damage at the time, but later I noticed a hairline fracture along the fingerboard binding and neck. Terrified that the fingerboard was now coming off the neck, I took it to Guitar Lab for an expert opinion. He told me it was just the binding cracking, like it is everywhere else on this 30 year old guitar. Even if it were coming off, he probably wouldn't have told me because he knows I couldn't afford the repair!

So, what's the most you've ever paid for a repair?

i use delron 500 cl for the nut on my guitars, and especially on trem equipped ones. sounds and looks like bone and slipperier that graphtech.

Last edited by bassman on Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I have never worn out a nut. I have broken a few from falls and other guitar trauma but I don't see where a well slotted nut wears out.
At least not on bass. Now to be fair and in full disclosure, I probably have more instruments in the rotation than the average player so my opinion comes with a caveat.

I like delrin, too. i have made some of my own bass nuts out of it and its great. I leaned about it from a friend who worked in a machine shop that did work for PRS back in the 80's. He actually cut their nut blanks out of Delrin. It gets more slippery as pressure is applied to it, a very good characteristic for a nut.

and rice sprinkled with beefsteak leaf for dinner.

This I must know more about! Is it a leaf that takes like beef or a leaf made out of dried beef? What's its Japanese name? I want to get some from the Japanese grocer next time I'm there!

I've never worn out a nut nor ever had any serious problems with a guitar, and have never paid for a repair. I bought an old amp last year that needed a fair bit of attention, and that cost me $450 to get up to scratch. I was very happy with that price - its a 100W amp, and I had all of the filter caps and each of the ~10 tubes replaced, the reverb repaired, an IEC socket installed, a few jacks replaced and the output transformer rewired to provide different load impedances. It was a total bargain!

GB, I had my favorite, chicken noodle soup for lunch.

I haven't replace a nut yet but the price you paid is about standard for here also. I am going to replace some at a point but will buy the files and do it myself. I believe that I will also try Delrin. My favorites are the Fender LSR and I am not sure why more people don't use them. I have Ervanna and some others and they all do the job. Even the plastic on the earlier G&Ls work fine. I do not pay for guitar repairs as I have always done my own and for a lot of others. I also do my own tube amps so I am fortunate. I love working on guitars and it keeps me out of trouble!-- Darwin

and rice sprinkled with beefsteak leaf for dinner.

This I must know more about! Is it a leaf that takes like beef or a leaf made out of dried beef? What's its Japanese name? I want to get some from the Japanese grocer next time I'm there!

The Japanese name for beefsteak leaf is "shiso." It has a taste similar to cilantro but milder and sweeter, and is often served with sushi/sashimi.

I remember seeing Louis' post about Delron 500. Can someone tell me how to say "Delron 500" in Japanese?

Bassman, I was a bit surprised my repair guy said the nut needed to be replaced so soon, but I only own two guitars. (not counting Bill Lawrence bass I inherited from a repatriating friend and the 1/2 size Sponge Bob guitar I bought for my kids.)

The Earvana nut looks really interesting, too. Thanks, Darwin.

and rice sprinkled with beefsteak leaf for dinner.

This I must know more about! Is it a leaf that takes like beef or a leaf made out of dried beef? What's its Japanese name? I want to get some from the Japanese grocer next time I'm there!

The Japanese name for beefsteak leaf is "shiso." It has a taste similar to cilantro but milder and sweeter, and is often served with sushi/sashimi.

I remember seeing Louis' post about Delron 500. Can someone tell me how to say "Delron 500" in Japanese?

Bassman, I was a bit surprised my repair guy said the nut needed to be replaced so soon, but I only own two guitars. (not counting Bill Lawrence bass I inherited from a repatriating friend and the 1/2 size Sponge Bob guitar I bought for my kids.)

The Earvana nut looks really interesting, too. Thanks, Darwin.

you want the delron 500 CL. cl stands for chemically lubricated.

Louis, what type of vendor would I go to for some? Looks like the kind of material only sold in bulk. Do you have any extra?

Louis, what type of vendor would I go to for some? Looks like the kind of material only sold in bulk. Do you have any extra?

i have my guitar tech make the nuts, i can ask if he has a blank's worth. it costs me about 40 bucks for a new nut. 120 seems steep, and i don't know why it would cost that much in minnesota.

Bulk may be the way to get Delrin or Delron. I don't know the spelling, but I bought my supply from a plastics supplier.

I bought a 6"x6" square of black Delron that is about 1/4' thick and I cut my own nuts from that.

I have bought a number of used instruments with poorly made nuts or missing nuts and it has worked out to be a very good material for this purpose.

The cost I quoted would be for the cutting and installation. -- Darwin

The cost I quoted would be for the cutting and installation. -- Darwin

yes, 40 bucks here.

Actually, your're right. I think just the nut work itself would be $40. Add a full set up and the additional work for the claw-screws and the total comes up to about a C-bill. I probably could and should do the set up myself...