Need to file my nut? And how?

[BlueSky]

I got a new SE 24 and I love it. I restrung the guitar with 10-46 strings and re-adjusted neck and bridge with no problems. The two tremolo screws needed quite a bit of adjustment. Plays like a dream now except that the G and D strings go out of tune rather quickly when using the whammy bar. It may have done that before with the old 9-42 strings but I didn't play it long enough to notice.
The strange thing is the note goes higher, e.g. G# rather than Gb. When I pull the string quite hard afterwards, it's almost back in tune. Could it be that the nut slots are too narrow for the thicker strings and the new strings get stuck? What is the best way to widen the slots without causing major damage?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

File the width of the nut and leave the depth alone.

 

[BlueSky]

Thanks Sergio -- what would I use? A nail file is too wide. At closer inspection I see there is a 'u'-shaped space where the string sits, whereas the slit where the string goes down is much narrower. Somehow I feel I shouldn't file that part off. Is this a job anyone can do or should I take the guitar to a luthier?

 

[markintime]

This is a good one, and I hope I can provide a solution which worked for me.

I changed my SE 24 up to PRS's 9.5's, which is, of course, not as big a step as yours, but. One of my hobbies involves using ivory for scrimshaw, and I use successive, extremely fine grades of sanding fillms to get a glass-like finish which repels the oil paint I use for my images except for where I make my scrim. Enough of that. I have found 15, 5, and .3 micron (yes, micron, almost like smooth plastic) sanding materials here: http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/store.aspx?id=560, at Woodcraft in Greenville, SC. They also carry exotic woods in differing sizes for all sorts of projects. What I did was to cut a small piece of the 5 micron and fold it in half, making a sharp crease at the fold. Then using the old string, I placed it in the fold and went back and forth in the nut groove to widen the slot. That not only does the widening, but the super fine grit polishes the slot to minimize any friction. You might start with the 15 micron first as you are going to a slightly wider gauge string set than I did, and then go back to the finest grade for polishing. These finishing films are much, much finer than, say, even like 1200 grit paper. It has worked so well for me that my SE stays in tune beautifully and does not need retuning, except for perhaps minor tweaking due to atmospheric changes.

You are right, of course, in saying that a nail file is unsuitable. Nut slots are typically done using a special set of files sized for the particular string diameters. You could probably get a set from someone like StewMac, but I think the above solution is more cost effective. If you are not comfortable trying this, I'd say take it to a luthier. Shouldn't be too expensive and they are professionals, after all.

Hope this is of some use...

 

[Shawn@PRS]

If you plan on doing this to several guitars, it might be worth investing in a set of nut slot files. They are available from Stew Mac, All Parts, or other online luthier supply shops.

If you're just looking for something to quickly getting the job done, use a folded piece of sandpaper

 

[andy474x]

On the other hand, if you have a local shop with a tech in house, it would cost a lot less to just have them file it, rather than buy files - they're quite pricey to buy, but it's a job that wouldn't cost much to have done. If you're not confident you can do a good job on your own, don't - a poorly done nut will make your life a living hell!

 

[BlueSky]

Thanks for all the responses, much appreciated. The method using micron sandpaper and an old string sounds great.

 

[Rookie]

I got a new SE 24 and I love it. I restrung the guitar with 10-46 strings and re-adjusted neck and bridge with no problems. Could it be that the nut slots are too narrow for the thicker strings and the new strings get stuck? What is the best way to widen the slots without causing major damage?

Yes.
Files are expensive, as in $100/set. My luthier charges $20 to replace the nut. That's another problem with a "new SE" the nut they use is plastic and with the 9's it's likely at best to be quirky to tune. Mine would be flat, flat, flat, flat, sharp, Aaaaugggghhhh! I chose a Graph Teck 6/43 mm? Tusc. It worked out well, except I didn't know the tusc is white. But it still looks nice in place.
He showed me his nut files, and he didn't have a set, rather he had a tiny triangular set. Seemed to work well. He said, "Man that tusc is HARD!"

 

[Dave Horch]

What I don't "get" is why PRS allows this to be a known and ongoing issue with these guitars!? Out of the box, the trems are *worse* than useless. And don't tell me to go get a Floyd. My strats, with a "standard" strat style trem, work great. The PRS SE trem is more like a POS. Sorry Paul, but true, dude (and only YOU can fix it, please?).

 

[JMintzer]

Who says it's "a known and ongoing issue"?

 

[Shawn@PRS]

What I don't "get" is why PRS allows this to be a known and ongoing issue with these guitars!? Out of the box, the trems are *worse* than useless. And don't tell me to go get a Floyd. My strats, with a "standard" strat style trem, work great. The PRS SE trem is more like a POS. Sorry Paul, but true, dude (and only YOU can fix it, please?).

Exactly how many "out of the box" SE's have you tried? I find the stock SE set up to be great and the trem design is identical to the US trem, the only difference being the US trem is brass and the SE bridge is steel.

 

[Dave Horch]

Who says it's "a known and ongoing issue"?

Hello? Like, everyone. The SE Custom 24 trems are the worst! Play a crappy Squire strat and the trem is useable. SE 24? POS. Useless. Worse than useless because it de-tunes the whole guitar. So, um, Mintzer, do own or have every played the guitar in question?

 

[Dave Horch]

Shawn, my out-of-the-box 2014 SE Custom 24 is serial O00561. And - good news - the 2014 SE trem is brass now too! Still useless compared to a crappy $199 Squire trem. Shameful for PRS.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The PRS SE trem is more like a POS.

SE 24? POS. Useless.

Shameful for PRS.

This is entirely untrue. Calm down and file your nut slots, if done properly you'll be able to use the guitar without a locking tuner upgrade unless you're doing dive-bombs. I personally own most of the trems PRS has offered from the lowly SE trem all the way up to an ultra swanky limited edition 1980 spec MannMade trem... they all stay in tune if your nut is properly cut for your preferred string gauge.

 

[Dave Horch]

they all stay in tune if your nut is properly cut....

Thank you for making my point again. It should be properly cut at the factory or during the set up at Kent Island. Disappointing.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Shawn, my out-of-the-box 2014 SE Custom 24 is serial O00561. And - good news - the 2014 SE trem is brass now too! Still useless compared to a crappy $199 Squire trem. Shameful for PRS.

A couple things.

Your SE did not ship from the factory with a brass trem, so if there is a brass trem on your guitar it was changed after it left the factory and it could have been installed incorrectly.

You're basing your opinion on the one SE you've played? I've literally played hundreds of SE's (thousands maybe?) and my experience has been quite the opposite. I find the PRS trem the most usable trem bridge on the market. YMMV

 

[sleary]

I've got an s2 cu24 with the Korean bridge on it. You can't tell the difference between it and my core dgt. Just my 2 cents lol

 

[MOBirds]

Why is there such hostility in this thread? I understand the term POS is a bit harsh to start with, but it's not like nobody has ever called out issues with SE nuts. A quick search of this section of the forum of the terms "SE Tusq" returns 81 threads where folks have questioned/recommended replacement of the stock SE nut with a Tusq nut - often as the first suggestion of things to mod on an SE. That may appear to some as a "known ongoing issue", since it's a common recommendation on the official PRS forums.

I'll probably get added to a bunch of ignore lists for this post - or I'm already being ignored, so it don't matter. I just get a bit surprised at times at the backlash against any negative post. Even Apple forums are filled with posts critical of their products and the infamous "fanbois" base there isn't has harsh as this site gets at times.

To the OP - If you're not really comfortable with slot filing, and don't really have the tools to do it properly, you may make things worse. I'd find a luthier - especially one familiar with PRS guitars if you possibly can. A couple of years ago, I had an incompetent chain store "tech" completely destroy the nut on a 12 string acoustic guitar I had (he was only supposed to change the strings). Cost a good coin to get a new nut cut by another more qualified luthier.

 

[kes7u]

I'm sorry, but please correct me if I'm being naive.

Isn't it to be expected that you may have to alter the nut if you change to larger gauge strings? Is it not also a possibility that the guitar may not stay in tune when using the trem if you have upsized strings and NOT altered the nut?

Are these issues with the nut and trem, or known possible issues with string upsizing?

Kevin

 

[László]

I'm sorry, but please correct me if I'm being naive.

Isn't it to be expected that you may have to alter the nut if you change to larger gauge strings? Is it not also a possibility that the guitar may not stay in tune when using the trem if you have upsized strings and NOT altered the nut?

Are these issues with the nut and trem, or known possible issues with string upsizing?

Kevin

Absolutely the nut often needs adjustment after changing to larger gauge strings. No issue there!