Graphite?

[chedwerks]

So my style of playing includes quite a bit of bends and such. I was wondering if graphite in the nut really helps tuning and overall smoothness. Also, can I just shave a pencil with a knife or do I really need a product specifically for this..in other words is it really the same thing. Also, how much to be effective and not over do things.
On a side note I've been through the forums enough to understand that no locking tuners fit the G&L headstocks, bummer..I love em not just for the tuning but the breeze of changing strings. Anyway, will puting the tuners on the USA models on a Tribute help and or are they available. By the way we should update each other if locking tuners are ever introduced that fit G&L headstocks (or if they already have and I'm just an oblivious idiot.)

[Muleya]

You can just grind pencil lead in the slot to get some graphite in that way...I know that's what Eric Johnson says he does...at least at one time. Recently, on the advise from a number of folks, I bought some Big Bends Nut Sauce which works really well, but obviously costs a little more than pencil lead!

I'm not sure what you mean in saying that no locking tuners fit G&L Headstocks. Do you mean a drop-in replacement that requires absolutely no modification? That may be, but you might want to check Schaller's options, as they make the G&L tuning machines, including the locking tuners available as an option on their USA models. You could also try e-mail the G&L store to see if they can either sell you a set or point you in the right direction.

But even if not, the only real modification is drilling a small hole for the screw that holds the tuner in place. I put a set of Planet Wave Auto-Trim Locking tuners on my Legacy with no problem...I just had to drill a small hole for the screw, but that was easy.

[Philby]

It's funny you should ask this. I just paid $100 to have a bone nut made for my S-500 (the old plastic nut had been massacred by the previous owner). And do you know what? The G, B and E strings would NOT stay in tune after bends. I took it back to the luthier and he widened the slots slightly and put some graphite in. No improvement. He blamed the saddles and string trees. I tried a small dab of lip balm in the nut slots and there was a slight improvement, but it was still not good enough.

Last weekend I saw a pre-slotted Graph Tech nut for $10 at a music store and thought what-the-heck, I'll give it a try. So I put the graphite nut in and now I have a guitar that stays in perfect tune! Even after major tremelo abuse.

I'm a graphite evangelist now and intend to put graphite nuts/trees on all my guitars. I didn't notice any loss of tone between the graphite and bone. In fact I was prepared to lose some tone to have a guitar that stays in tune. The big thing I noticed is that the guitar feels less 'stiff' than before. It's like the strings are a gauge or 2 lighter.

[chedwerks]

Cool dude about the graphite nut. Is it pretty simple to replace? I ask because I'm pretty crafty but have never really done much to any of my guitars other than set up..mostly out of fear of doing something I cant fix. This leads into my question about tuners..I didn't realize it was only a small hole to drill. I gathered, obviously incorrectly, that it was some kind of crazy process that would require modification not worth the trouble imo so thanks for the clarification on both. Lastly as far as tone goes, I know that every little bit matters, but on an electric I wouldn't see a nut making that huge of a difference so hell yeah on solving your tuning issues man.

[Philby]

The graphite nut couldn't have been easier to install. The packaging had step-by-step instructions on the back. Getting the old nut out is potentially the hardest part. Just a tip - if you're going to do it yourself, don't buy the Graph Tech nut until you have the old nut out. Then you can tell if your nut slot is flat or radiused. Graph Tech sell nuts to fit both types of slot.

The slot on my S-500 was radiused so I bought a nut of approx. the right width and with the radiused bottom. I think it was described as for USA Stratocaster. I had to do some light sanding on the bottom and sides of the nut to get a perfect fit and height, but it wasn't difficult at all. Fiddly, yes. Difficult, no. I'm sure you could do it!

[sirmyghin]

Graph tech nuts are not graphite, they are a teflon impregnated material. As the material wears teflon is 'let out' of a lattice type structure which keeps it lubricated. All my axes have graph tech nuts on them, and they hold tuning just fine now that I have them strung nice (the ASAT was iffy as the dealer didn't put any wind at all on the locking tuners and they were not stable effectively direct pull).

[Philby]

Graph tech nuts are not graphite, they are a teflon impregnated material.

Thanks for pointing that out. Who would have thought that a carbon looking black nut made by a company called Graph Tech would not contain any graphite?

But so it seems..... you learn something every day.

[MrFretman]

In a case like this Chedwerks, I'd have to say that I highly recommend having a qualified guitar repair tech do the job. I'm a repair tech and I've seen way too many botched attempts by owners who opted to install a new nut on their own. You may be able to successfully install the new nut as Philby did, but the critical part is cutting the nut slots to the correct spacing, width and depth. This requires specialized tools (nut files) and skills, and if done incorrectly may leave you with strings that buzz at the first fret, or action at the nut that is too high resulting in poor intonation and poor playability.

That said, I highly recommend GraphTech replacement parts. Simply put, they're excellent products and that's why many manufacturers use them on their stock (or custom) guitars and basses.

If you have any doubts about your ability to do this mod, please don't attempt it yourself. Better safe than......well, you know!

Stephen

[Muleya]

In a case like this Chedwerks, I'd have to say that I highly recommend having a qualified guitar repair tech do the job. I'm a repair tech and I've seen way too many botched attempts by owners who opted to install a new nut on their own. You may be able to successfully install the new nut as Philby did, but the critical part is cutting the nut slots to the correct spacing, width and depth. This requires specialized tools (nut files) and skills, and if done incorrectly may leave you with strings that buzz at the first fret, or action at the nut that is too high resulting in poor intonation and poor playability.

That said, I highly recommend GraphTech replacement parts. Simply put, they're excellent products and that's why many manufacturers use them on their stock (or custom) guitars and basses.

If you have any doubts about your ability to do this mod, please don't attempt it yourself. Better safe than......well, you know!

Stephen

My fear, exactly, doing this myself. In fact, I'm not sure how many of the local guitar repair places I'd trust to do that. There is a guy about a 30 minute drive away that has done some nut work for me in the past...he works for Huss and Dalton, if you've ever heard of them...they're a boutique acoustic shop here in the area that have a higly respected name in the folk and bluegrass circles. One of their employees does repair work on the side...does good work, but he's not especially speedy!!

Anyway, this is one reason I'm psyched to get a Graph Tech nut installed at the Factory, and Plek'd to boot!!