Question: What to do about a loose nut

nuke_diver

nuke_diver

Riding Solo
Yeah :grin:

I changed strings on my acoustic Wed night and the nut came out. I'm not sure how long it's been like that and since I was in mid string change I didn't reglue it but just used the strings to hold it in place which seems to be ok...for now

What's the best approach...leave as is or glue it in place. If I glue it what is the preferred glue to use?
 
I always just used 3 SMALL drops of super glue across the length of the nut. You want it attached, but not impossible to remove in the future.
 
I will respectfully disagree on the superglue. A little bit of Elmers should do the trick, and if you ever want to take the nut off will be a lot easier to deal with than the superglue.
 
Tiltsta said:
I always just used 3 SMALL drops of super glue across the length of the nut. You want it attached, but not impossible to remove in the future.
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This is what I do. Don't know if it's the best method, but it works. I've removed super-glued nuts before as well, so they're not impossible to replace.
 
smurfco said:
I will respectfully disagree on the superglue. A little bit of Elmers should do the trick, and if you ever want to take the nut off will be a lot easier to deal with than the superglue.
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I forgot to add that my advice came from the "oh fuck, my nut just fell off and I don't know anything about fixing guitars" school of lutherie, so super glue may not be the preferred method.
 
The three small drops of superglue probably wouldn't be an issue, however it's real easy to overdo it with superglue unintentionally. At least if you're a klutz like I am. Elmer's is strong enough to hold the nut in place, especially given the tension of the strings.
 
I don't discount smurfco's elmers comment, but yeah, I super glue em. Removing them tends to never be an issue with a screwdriver and a razor.
 
Instead of 3 drops of super glue, I prefer a little tight bond II. It gives you time to slide it in the slot to get your spacing correct on either side of the E strings. Super gluing a nut is too right now.
 
Tiltsta said:
I forgot to add that my advice came from the "oh fuck, my nut just fell off and I don't know anything about fixing guitars" school of lutherie, so super glue may not be the preferred method.
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smurfco said:
The three small drops of superglue probably wouldn't be an issue, however it's real easy to overdo it with superglue unintentionally. At least if you're a klutz like I am. Elmer's is strong enough to hold the nut in place, especially given the tension of the strings.
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A dab of Elmers white glue is my preference but I've used superglue in the past but like any adhesive that's going to bond stronger than the wood, you need to be somewhat deliberate with your application & removal. A couple really small drops of superglue is pretty much all you need to hold the nut in place. I've seen nuts installed w/everything from no adhesive to JB Weld but I like to consider that you never really know who's going to have that guitar down the road; easier removal is better in my perspective.
 
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Tralfaz said:
I've never bothered to reglue a loose nut. The string tension holds it place.

Am I doing it wrong? ???
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Nope. The glue is a compromise, ideally a luthier wouldn't use anything but glue makes sure the the customer doesn't deal with a hassle every string change.

Just about every guitar book you'll find will recommend white glue or wood glue. Sand any old glue off and prep the surface correctly.
 
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