How much should it cost to have a nut slotted and replaced?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Whoopysnorp
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Whoopysnorp

Whoopysnorp

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I'm interested in replacing the nuts on two of my guitars (a Peavey Predator Strat clone and an SX Les Paul clone) with bone nuts, as I hear you can get some extra sustain this way. I can get the blanks pre-cut from www.stewmac.com, but not pre-slotted. Getting the tools necessary to slot a nut myself would be on the pricey side, and even then I'm not sure whether I have the skill to do it well. How much should a guitar shop charge to slot the new nut and install it for me?
 
I had it done for $20.00. including the bone nut. But I knew the guy pretty well, so I don't know if this the going rate.
 
Hmm...I just called my preferred local music shop (Chicago Music Exchange) and the luthier there quoted me $40 per nut. With two guitars to do at the very least, I may as well buy a basic set of tools from www.stewmac.com and learn to do it myself.
 
If you've never done this before I would suggest having the shop do it. The $40 may also include a setup. If not, check with them. For a small amount more you can probably get a complete setup including the nut installation.
 
$40.00 probably does include a "set-up". It's worth it not to deal with the hassle. Cutting a nut properly takes practice. Getting the spacing, depth and width for your string guage is all crucial. If not done right you'll wind up with buzzing strings, or an action that's too high. If you really want to take on the task, get extras because you'll probably have to do it a few times to get it right.

PS: Removing the old one can be a chore in itself. Good luck either way!!!
 
re: How much should it cost to have a nut slotted and replaced?

Shouldn't topics of this nature only be discussed in the cave? :D
 
hixmix said:
re: How much should it cost to have a nut slotted and replaced?

Shouldn't topics of this nature only be discussed in the cave? :D
Click to expand...

:rimshot:

If that price includes a setup, I'll probably go for it.
 
Yeah I had mine slotted when we decided not to have any more kids. I never got it replaced though.;0
 
Im a machininst and have been for 35 years. Have been playing guitar for forty years. Allways though of building my own but the techincallity of if all turned me off. I finally got around to ordering a book on guitar building an looking into it in detail. I have discovered what luthiers call precision is for me a mile, so I am not so worried anymore and am going to go for it. :)
 
Well, I'm just an advocate of being able to do all that stuff yourself. There are a plethora of resorces to teach you how to grind, seat and slot a nut. You should be able to pick something up at a good book store. Getting the old nut out and cleaning the nut slot is a bitch though. If you just take your time and be carefull you should be able to do it for the cost of the nut. I personally would go for a piece of brass instead of the bone, but that is just me.
Then again, if you are changing the nut for some mechanical reason you might want to make sure that is what your problem is. Going through all that or paying $40.00 or so just to find out that you needed a fret job instead would suck more.
As far as pricy tools, that is all BS. Sure you can get some stuff from Stuart-Macdonald that you can't get from True Value hardware, but trust me, everything you could possibly need can be puchased from Wal*mart. Just 'cause something costs a lot doesn't mean it is the best.
 
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