Graphtech Nut

[legacy_player]

I purchased a Legacy Special back in October that I ordered with a graph tech nut. I'm noticing that the strings are binding when I use the vibrato arm. Is some binding normal on a graph tech nut? I could put some lubricant in there I guess but I thought that the point of having one of these nuts was so you didn't have to do that...Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks

[KenC]

Have you changed the string gauges at all since it was delivered? Or could the dealer have re-strung it before delivery?

Ken

[legacy_player]

Thanks for the reply Ken...

No, I haven't changed the string gauges at all. It came to me with .10's on it and the build sheet specifies .10's as well. It is perfectly setup for them and that's all I've been using since I got it. My '94 Legacy with whatever nut that it came with back then stays in tune better using the trem.

I guess maybe I could use a little bit of very fine sandpaper in there....

[Craig]

Thanks for the reply Ken...

No, I haven't changed the string gauges at all. It came to me with .10's on it and the build sheet specifies .10's as well. It is perfectly setup for them and that's all I've been using since I got it. My '94 Legacy with whatever nut that it came with back then stays in tune better using the trem.

I guess maybe I could use a little bit of very fine sandpaper in there....

It might be worth checking your setup before doing any nut work. Here's the factory setup: Current Factory setup for G&L guitars with vibrato bridges.
And one key item is to make sure that the bridge plate is parallel with the body.

Just a thought.

[Fumble fingers]

could be the temp/weather conditions tightened the string slot up in the nut ..... it probably doesn't need much to loosen up

[legacy_player]

Yeah, I've checked the setup and it seems to be ok.

That's a good point with regards to the change in temp over the winter...I didn't think of that but it might be a possibility. I guess I'll see when the weather turns warmer.

Thanks for the replies.

[Elwood]

could be the temp/weather conditions tightened the string slot up in the nut ..... it probably doesn't need much to loosen up

I don't think the graphtech material swells with humidity increases .
I'd guess that it just needs a light touch with a nut file in the right place.

[bloodied_fingers]

I think sandpaper would be pretty difficult to use in a nut slot.

If you don't have the tiny nut files then you can take the cut ends of strings and work them back and forth like a file in the slots. Wound strings work better than unwound.

[legacy_player]

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

[meowmix]

graph tech nut....... but I thought that the point of having one of these nuts was so you didn't have to do that...Anyone have any thoughts?

Sorry, you fell for their marketing jargon. They say "permanent lubrication".
What exactly does that mean? What is the science? Can we prove there is a permanent lubrication?

I'll cut to the chase. Graph Tech is plastic. Over priced plastic. "permanent lubrication" is junk science until proven it is so.

[legacy_player]

Well, it's not junk science in the sense that different materials have different coefficients of friction between themselves and guitar strings. It is plastic but not all plastics share the same characteristics. I'm not defending Graph Tech in any way as it is clearly binding, but that could also be the way the nut is cut. I guess I could set up a high school physics experiment to measure the friction between Tusq, bone, plastic, etc. and then call them out on it haha, but I don't care enough about it to do that.

Whether I fell for their marketing jargon or not, I can't research every single claim by every single company I buy a product from. I probably won't buy another but the black color matches the pickups on my guitar and looks cool so for the extra $15 I'm happy with that