Nut Problem on Bernie Marsden SE

[radiomatts]

Hey guys,
No pics of this problem yet, but hopefully later this week. I talked to someone at PRT (Won't name them) who told me that a Wide Fat Core nut should fit a Marsden. So, I bought a pair (They're sold in pairs in the PRS Store. Finally took it to a tech who said that the width of the nut is 3/32" shorter than the neck. How the hell is that? On top of that, the original nut is also a bit too narrow for the neck of the guitar. I honestly didn't see it whenever it got restrung.

Anyone else hear of this? I was going to use the second nut for a Santana SE that has the Wide Fat neck too, but now.. meh.

Thoughts?

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

For whatever reason the following isn't advertised by PRS, but...

Although called Wide Fat the Bernie neck is a unique carve based on his '59 Les Paul. It's a touch wider and possibly deeper than the standard WF.

When I had my nut changed the tech took an oversized Tusq nut and sanded it down to size.

 

[radiomatts]

Thank you, Mike. I didn't know that the carve was that precise. If I'd known that I'd have saved my money and had my tech do the same thing. Damn.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Thank you, Mike. I didn't know that the carve was that precise. If I'd known that I'd have saved my money and had my tech do the same thing. Damn.

I think my tech likely used this:

http://www.graphtech.com/products/brands/tusq/product-detail/pq-3000-00-tusq-nut-jumbo-blank

It's more work for the tech as he/she has to sand the whole thing to size and cut the slots but techs usually have a set price for nut installs so it doesn't matter.

Not sure about the PRS nuts. I know the ones you buy are a set size as you have found out but I'm not sure they do blanks. I think the Tusq or a fresh bone nut is the way to go on your Bernie.



On a side note...

Even though the Bernie is a unique carve some people have found the necks on SE's to be bigger or smaller than advertised. I've heard a few people say their Bernie's where smaller than their SE245's which do have a traditional WF. I guess it depends how vigorous they are in sanding!

But yours is like mine which is definitely larger than WF.

 

[radiomatts]

Well, I don't mind the pre-cut nuts, as I believe I read somewhere they were cut for 9's, and that's what I use. I will likely have my tech create one out of bone sometime next week. Oh well, I'll be hitting the store up for a refund.

 

[dogrocketp]

The wide/fat, wide/thin nuts are always shorter than the SE nut. They are the correct width for every SE guitar except the Bernie. A quick swipe with a magic marker before nut installation hides the shorter length.

 

[radiomatts]

Like I mentioned earlier.. I wish PRT had told me that before I spent the money.

 

[pac90]

The wide fat is drop in, as in same radii and don't have to sand for height of nut. Plus its cut for 10's unlike the plastic cut for 9's that the supplied with 10's bernie comes with (?)

Its just a 'ball hair' narrower, I caliper about 42.8mm with the tusq at ~just over 43mm (have both here). Close enough for me, but I'm not too fussy...at least its not the other way and strings dropping off the fret board

 

[Boogie]

Oh, *whew*. By the title I was afraid Bernie was battling testicular cancer. Glad that's not the case. :biggrin:

 

[radiomatts]

Pac90, my neck is wider than that. The gaps with the US nut is noticeable.

 

[pac90]

That was the wide fat nut installed I did the measurement on, not the neck (sorry if mislead you) and there is a little wee gap but I don't notice it myself. Maybe there is a manufacturing tolerance in necks

I do know that I first tried getting a tusq nut that needed sanded down for height, and royally screwed it up....so I was stoked that the USA one just worked for height and radius

Interestingly enough the original SE nut was a little different in string spacing (more cramped), and less wide...I took this photo at the time, the top is the original SE, the middle is USA wide fat and the lower one a cream Tusq nut

I really like the Bernie, in process of putting bareknuckle mules in it

Couple other contrast/compare