ffrankwhite Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 OK, so i got this guitar (looks just like Keith Richardses, cool!!). ahhh i dunno, its like a copy of the 50s one i think...made in Korea, ooooooooh but anywayz right i got this guitar and im left handed so obviously i strung the bitch backwards. now on my last guitar or one of my last guitars (a shitty little yamaha) the string usta always pop out of the fuckin...the grooves on the nut i believe its called. now whilst stringing this one i noticed that each groove is designed to accomodate the proper string its meant to be on so if you string it backwards the low E is on the groove for the high E and it shouldn't fit and it doesnt really, it sort of rests on top of it yet, amazingly enough, doesnt slip or pop out of the groove but at the same time (i think, i dont have a good ear for this shit) it sounds fucking dulled.my question basically is should i just get a fucking file and fix the grooves on the nut up or is there some proper guitar tech do-it-this-way-or-you-will-fuck-up-your-guitar way to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max™ Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 You need to completely redo the nut to acommodate the complete change in string thickness. New nut would mean taking it to a guitar tech. You can get away with filing it but the guitar would end up playing like a pile of crap.Why not buy a leftie Tele? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxlisOld Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Fuckin flip the nut...derr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max™ Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Fuckin flip the nut...derr.The nuts on my Les Pauls are arched towards the headstock though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffrankwhite Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 You need to completely redo the nut to acommodate the complete change in string thickness. New nut would mean taking it to a guitar tech. You can get away with filing it but the guitar would end up playing like a pile of crap.Why not buy a leftie Tele?it was sort of an impulse thing, i had the money, the guitar was relatively cheap and i thought fuck it n got it and like...i dunno, i hear Hendrix etc all like just switched the shit around and i asked people and all they said was "just string it backwards" so i did and here i am Axlisold said "flip the nut". so how would i go about doing that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyDeeds Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Keep everything how it is supposed to be and just play the guitar upside down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffrankwhite Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Keep everything how it is supposed to be and just play the guitar upside down.shit man, thats like learning to play all over again, it took me long enough to get where i am (and even that aint very far ) i'd rather just save up and get a leftie or "flip the nut" even though i dunno what that means and it sounds like it could be potentially painful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidlook Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Easiest way to go would probably be to just flip the nut (assuming a standard Fender nut that can be installed either way). You should be able to tap it out sideways and then reinstall it the proper way around. After taking the nut off, make shure the groove is clean, and there is no residue left in the groove or on the nut. Then install the nut the other way with some CA glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sphere79 Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Keep everything how it is supposed to be and just play the guitar upside down.That's how Doyle Bramhall II does it. Righty, flipped and NOT restrung. I remember watching an audience bootleg from a Roger Waters show zoom in on a solo and seeing that it didn't quite look right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxlisOld Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 frank, take off the strings, get a pair of pliers, and rip the nut out. I assume you know what the nut is. Now turn it 180 degrees, so that the small groove is where the big groove used to be. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcalldp Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 (edited) I'll go with the knocking the nut out from the side bit as opposed to using players to rip it straight out. Protect the surrounding wood as you do this. Also, remember that depending on the type of strings you use and the gauge, the nut may need to be slightly tweaked. For a new guitar (weather NEW or used but new to you) eat the cost and take it to a GOOD tech, have him flip the nut and file it (if needed) and at the same time adjust the neck, set the intonation and polish up the frets (almost always needed). Having a good tech do the once over makes a big difference. You can then do the intonation and neck adjustments yourself through seasonal changes a few times a year and be fine. I do this with every guitar regardless if it's used or new. Even my Eric Johnson Strat I got recently (NEW) had the high e string slightly too close to the the fret board edge which meant re-seating the neck better, nut was slightly adjusted for larger strings, intonation and frets done and it plays 10X better than it did form the factory! I also have a 52 reissue tele...same deal.A badly slotted nut can lead to tuning issues and lack of sustain; an overall deadening of the sound. Edited September 2, 2008 by mcalldp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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