Replace Your Guitar Nut - Tusq 

I just installed the white manmade ivory Tusque nut on my 98 American Strat. What a game changer. The nut was simple to install. I just needed to sand off the bottom nub and take a little off one side to make it fit. The height was much better and as result, I was able to get my action lower than from the factory! Plus string clarity and sustain is much improved. Highly recommended!!

I'm replacing the nut on my Made in Japan Les Paul copy with a Tusq nut. Thanks for the video. Jim

Use a feeler gauge when fretting at the 3rd fret, between the string and 1st fret. Clearance should be .010 on the low E and .006 on the high E.

Hopefully a helpful hint : With a felt tip pen mark a line on the edge of the nut on both sides of the end that sits in the neck slot. You now have a reference point to sand the nut down to i.e when you can only just see a bit of colour on both edges stop! Of course you can vary the line thickness to do what you want eg more or less off. I have found this useful especially when adjusting an existing nut. You can also (for example) adjust the treble end down only by only sanding to the mark on the treble end. It also means that you can do one bit of sanding that will lower the 3 treble strings instead of increasing the depth of 3 slots.Just think about the line thickness you need and mark it well before you start.Enjoy watching your videos, there is always something to learn and/or laugh about.Cheers

I love the delivery on your videos so down to earth and 100 percent BS free

Pro tip: when sanding the bottom of your nut to size, put some tape over the fretboard between 2 frets to protect it and then place your sandpaper over the tape and use the fretboard as a base to sand. The bottom of the nut will then match the radius of the slot perfectly!

I used a Tusq XL on a Squier Tele I have. Unbelievable what difference it makes. Listen to the sound of it when you drop it on a fret. I will continue to use these when I replace nuts.

Good video! Boo to super glue. Nuts need changed a lot over the life of the guitar. Super glue just slows the changing process big time

Just stumbled on your channel not long ago, very entertaining, informative and genuine stuff man. :) Subscribed!!!

I've bought several things from Tusq/Graph Tech and they make great stuff......Except for their acoustic string end pins and their picks. I love their String Saver saddles.

I did one on an epi SG. Was very happy with the result..

Just changed the nut on mine and had the same thing - nut sliding to one side. That was due to the strings not being at equal tension. Couple of quick twists of the tuners, and right back into line.

One of my first guitars was a Hamer. Nice entry level Les Paul wanna-be. Man was it heavy. You could have maimed someone with that thing.

Thanks Dave. I wanted to do that to a few of my guitars and was kind of afraid to screw up. Very well explained. I'll just have to do it now. Keep making those videos, they're great.

A little trick is to get the nut nice and toasty with a heat gun before knocking it loose, then you stand much less of a chance of knocking off a chunk of your finish.

The TUSQ stuff is great, but its not self lubricating unless its the TUSQ XL

Thanks much for the video, i'm planning on doing this on my Epi. My Gibsons are good lubing slots with graphite , but that Epi plastic nut gotta go!

Dude , how do you knock your nuts off ? That’s crazy. Definitely a strong guitar. I love the Blackstar hat. Great video brother .

Great video on this subject

Ty for sharing! But some important specs were left out. The radius. Are those slots graduated in depth from hi E to low E to match the fret board radius? Thanks!! Jim

My strat has a painted headstock with urethane finish, it feels like it’s buried in epoxy and can’t break it loose

so easy.lay i back and push down n sand a sec. then lay on but push down on flat surface in sandpaper and sand a sec and done. and the dam tusq nuts do sound so much better and play way better on an epiphone

P.S, the Tusq nut might be better than the original plastic but brass is superior to all. Also, as I've said before. The Tusq saddles will DESTROY your tone but I've never installed a Tusq nut so I can't say for sure about that.

excellent job, thanx

That was kinda easy! 👌

every one seems to have such an easy time installing these . I tried installing mine in my Les Paul custom and the high strings buzzed a lot especially the G. they buzzed for a while then I let the nut sit in there for a day and the buzz kind of went away but the strings sound super dead and muffled . which is strange because the nut is the same height and size minus the length . the biggest difference I see is that my old nut has longer and deeper string slots . I don't think I'll be trying to install one again . I either suck at this or my guitar won't accept this nut

I had the same problem with a les paul. I raised the stop bar behind the bridge by two or three turns, that fixed the sticking problem at the nut. It seems to decrease the tension of the strings, even at pitch. An old geezer in a workshop gave me the tip. What do ya recon?

I've got about thirty one guitars, I think, plus two pedal steels. I've put bone nuts on all the ones that hadn't got bone nuts on. except the pedal steels of course. I'm an old player who just likes bone nuts. oh I've got a couple I tried with aluminium and brass nuts.

8:51 holy fuck magic trick

Hi Dave maybe you could help me. I have a Epiphone ZW 2003 model the problem is the the hex nut for the truss rod has stripped and I was wondering if it can be replaced. I couldn't find any information on this subject at all so I thought it would be best to ask you as you a lot about guitars.

No nibs on your LP fret ends Dave ? Thx for the vid, gonna tackle this on a Tele.

If something just seems like it's getting a little easier......... I start getting suspicious.... lol.

Hi Dave! Do you have a video about how to setup the nut for bigger gauge of strings for example? What I have to care? How should look like? I put some heavier gauge on my tele. 0.58, 0.48, 0.38 and so. Btw very useful videos you do! Actually I also have Irongears in it :-) Thanks very much!

Thanks Dave.Ever try A Brass nut ? I have it on several and I like it a lot.

Am afraid to do this myself to my les paul, should I go to the luthier?

For a bone nut what would you suggest ? I have a Les Paul guitar

Hi Dave how is the nut going mate have you been happy with its functionality? Also what grit sandpaper did you use? Cheers

I know the nuts come pre-slotted but isn't it recommended to file each slot even more so your strings fit snugly and flush?

Is it necessary to intonate the guitar after you've replaced the nut?

My but has just come loose. What do I stick it down with?

Love your accent are you British or austrailian

What equipment are you using for your opening theme?

Les Paul better than Stratocaster, you just showed us another reason 👍

Just like others have suggested. If your going through the trouble of replacing the nut, use a brass nut! The tone and sustain will be greatly improved. I put those Tusq saddles on my Stat one time and it DESTROYED the tone! It sounded so generic that it didn't even sound like a Strat anymore. Especially on the clean channel. Of course I returned those shitty Tusq saddles and got my money back.

Did anyone else cry when he applied superglue to the nut?

WHY YA YELLLLLLLIIINNGGGG ??????

you in Canada?

Put a s pacer

You super glued a nut to your guitar? Why not have a luthier sand and cut string angles? It’s not expensive and done properly. Never super glue a nut to your guitar

Super glue! Fail.

Super glue??? Sorry, you lost me there. Blaphemous