Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: Ian Price on December 10, 2008, 11:00:04 PM

Title: Nut Sizes
Post by: Ian Price on December 10, 2008, 11:00:04 PM
If I strung my guitars with different gauge strings do I need to worry about nut size/shapes? i.e. my strat and tele are strung with 9s - I want to give them a go with 10s.
Title: Re: Nut Sizes
Post by: Philly Q on December 10, 2008, 11:46:06 PM
Should be no problem at all, the nut slots are almost certainly going to be wide enough to take 10s.  If you went to much heavier strings the slots would probably need widening.

You might need to tweak the setup though - if the Strat has a floating trem you'll definitely need to tighten the springs a little, the intonation will probably need a slight adjustment and you might need to tighten the truss rod a weeny bit. 

All very minor adjustments though - it'll play OK if you just stick the 10s on and leave everthing as it is, for now.  :)
Title: Re: Nut Sizes
Post by: rohlfo on December 10, 2008, 11:47:24 PM
I can't claim to be a pro, but I really doubt a change from 9's to 10's should cause you to change the nut at all.
(yeah, as mentioned, you'd need to do a set up since 10's will bring more tension into play)
Title: Re: Nut Sizes
Post by: the guitar repair workshop on December 12, 2008, 07:40:23 AM
Hi,
if its a little sticky and catches in the nut and you dont have guaged nut files you can use the individual strings to burnish the slots, otherwise do what Philly Q says and you should be ok,
cheers
steve
Title: Re: Nut Sizes
Post by: gwEm on December 12, 2008, 01:16:00 PM
i play with 11s and do find i occasionally need to widen the slots a tiny bit, which i do with gentle use of a small needle file and old strings. i reckon 10s should be ok too