How to fit a preshaped guitar nut

Tips for fitting a shaped and slotted nut.
Dan Erlewine tries a preshaped nut in his own Fender Strat: it's so easy "it's almost like cheating!"

[theroomshakers]

this guy is a legend and a great teacher

[miscellaneousstuffandnonse]

I would never have thought that replacing the nut on a guitar was something that I could do myself, but I'm about to order a TUSQ XL pre-slotted nut (from StewMac) for my Telecaster, as the open G has started sounding strangely muffled while the fretted notes are fine. Thanks for such a detailed and informative video - the knowledge packed into four minutes is incredible and invaluable.

[billbazer]

how could one possibly dislike this video. it was quite near perfection in all aspects

[WJasper]

Watched a few StewMac videos on making a guitar nut. Took a deer antler and made an awesome antler bone nut, for my Harley Benton SC 550. Used a bone saw, dial caliper, micro files and a polishing wheel. I never had a grandpa. I wish Dan was my grandpa because I could listen and learn from him all day long. Thanks for the lesson

[chrisp]

I love the Pickups on this guitar, they sound So clear

[proveout]

Total master. Anyone who disliked this, keep in mind, the old guys are the ones with experience. If you're young and think you know more than this guy, you're kidding yourself.

[mrfester]

Notice at 3:43 Albert Collins' autograph on the guitar he's working on here with a dedication to Dan.

[guitartec]

Ol' Dan Erlewine is certainly a Master of Luthiere. Kudos to his entire life of making guitars playable and teaching the craft!

[Boldfacechimp]

Stewmac videos for some reason relax my anxiety ... always great, chilled lessons

[FrozenHardrive]

1:34 is why I mostly watch stewmac. Its always great Learning something new about guitars you didn't know and have fun while doing it,

[dpatrick]

Dan, I am fully convinced that you have forgotten more about guitar repair than i will ever know. But this is one thing that i have learned from trial and error and many many replacements over the years. It is a good idea to hold the nut against something that is a 90 degree angle while you sand the bottom radius on the nut. A small block of wood or a shelf corner bracket holds it perfectly upright while you sand. This insures that the bottom surface will fit completely flush with the wooden radius you are fitting it into. Even a slight out of angle on the bottom surface will keep more of the nut out of full contact than you expect. You can check it with old carbon ink typewriter paper to see how much stain it is leaving on the bottom of the new nut by stringing it up. I think you will be surprised. I know i was. I also use it to hold a new saddle correctly when i am sanding the bottom and ends to make sure it will make full contact with the wood too. It definitely increases volume and sustain if fitted to full contact with the wood.

[tomaskey]

Now this is good advice! Just before this video I watched one by Fender and the expert with years of experience said, "When filing nut slots, you don't want to touch the wood. Oh, it looks Iike I did." Here is a true professional who said to tape the area and he did just that. I appreciate that. Got to be careful who's advice to take. Dan is the man!

[j.jester]

Best video I have seen on installing a strat nut. This man really knows his trade! Thankyou for the tips.

[DrZirta]

Not gonna lie, sometimes i watch these videos just for Dan Erlewine.... fucking legend.

[philcose]

Its always a pleasure to watch a pro work and Dan is certainly a pro. If I want to be certain about a procedure I check how Dan Erlewine does it.

[danielcgomez]

I have had to replace all 3 stock nuts on my MIM fender Strats because they were junk! I went with the TusqXL preslotted nuts and am VERY happy with them! Great video here! Thanks!!

[LeahyGer]

Thank you so much for putting this up as I am waiting on a Preshaped nut to arrive in the next few days. Much appreciated!

[ZOAGraphics]

I used a pre-sloted Tusq nut on my first guitar and it sounds great

[JackstandJohnny]

Wow. I could literally listen and learn from this Man all day every day. I am a musician of 16 or 17 years but as far as a job goes, I think this could be my calling.

[sherriandalan]

Love Tusq, on my Art and Lutherie, Ami and my Tanglewood, HD 15hb. The Art came stock with Tusq and the Tangle I did myself. Thank you StewMac and Dan your book is great, my parts Strat rips because of you. Next is a CBG or OOO from scratch.