Replacing nut on bound neck

[Beedster]

A small piece has chipped off the treble side of my Jazz Bass neck (might be wrong but it looks to me like it might have happened befpre as there are hints of what looks like glue on the binding?). I usually install and set up nuts on my basses as I like my action a certain way, especially on fretless. I've not done it on a bound neck before however, anything I need to know re either removing the existing nut or installing the new one? All help gratefully received. Chris

 

 

[3below]

Apologies if this is what you already know. About 3:00 this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGuNhXlX4a4&t=646s has a an explanation of nut removal on a maple neck.  Looking at yours, I would cut through (length-ways) between the nut end and the binding to stop the binding being damaged if glue has got in there. If that proves difficult you could get a small drill (Lidl micro drills this week) and carefully drill a series of small holes in the nut close to the binding (I would do these by hand rather than power tool).  Get the nut out and then clean up the binding with a scalpel.

 

 

[Beedster]

9 hours ago, 3below said:

Apologies if this is what you already know. About 3:00 this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGuNhXlX4a4&t=646s has a an explanation of nut removal on a maple neck.  Looking at yours, I would cut through (length-ways) between the nut end and the binding to stop the binding being damaged if glue has got in there. If that proves difficult you could get a small drill (Lidl micro drills this week) and carefully drill a series of small holes in the nut close to the binding (I would do these by hand rather than power tool).  Get the nut out and then clean up the binding with a scalpel.

 

 

 

Many thanks @3below, looks like either a long and tortuous process or a pro repair! Annoyingly it still plays fine, at least with heavy flats, as there's just enough of the groove left, but I suspect one these things start to go further degradation is never far away  

[3below]

The complication is the glue repair that has been made before. A bit of a known unknown, the more I look at it the more certain I am that I would be micro drilling the glue line to prevent damage to the binding. Calling @Andyjr1515 or @Manton Customs for the serious advice.

[Beedster]

12 hours ago, 3below said:

The complication is the glue repair that has been made before. A bit of a known unknown, the more I look at it the more certain I am that I would be micro drilling the glue line to prevent damage to the binding. Calling @Andyjr1515 or @Manton Customs for the serious advice.

 

Agreed @3below, might be nothing but don't want to pull that nut out only for find half the board comes with it 👍

[Manton Customs]

I’d try lifting it out first which often works. Using a scalpel I would score around any areas of the nut which may have finish joining (edges and headstock side). Also pay special attention to scoring the edge where the repair was. Typically rosewood fender necks have the nut installed after finish, so should be reasonably safe, but you can’t be too careful! Then I would get some pincers/fret pullers on it. Grip it from above and try to wiggle it towards the headstock and back (towards fretboard). Usually there isn’t much glue holding them in place and it isn’t very resistant to flexing/movement.

 

If that doesn’t work you’ll need to collapse the nut as mentioned above and remove it in pieces using whatever tools you’re comfortable with…obviously don’t tap or put pressure towards either bass or treble direction or you’ll pop the binding off. Here’s one of my videos (around 2:00) where I did something similar on a neck without binding. As you have binding at the edges you won’t be able to extend the slot used to collapse the nut all the way down, but it should still be enough. 
 

 

 

Obviously fitting the new nut is a little

more challenging too, as you’ll want it to drop in from above and fit nice and tightly.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Manton Customs

[Beedster]

Thanks so much @Manton Customs, I'll take. a look ASAP

 

Assuming I can get the old nout out OK does anyone know whether I'm going to need to file down a standard Jazz nut or whether shorter nuts for bound instruments available, haven't found any yet?

 

 

[3below]

Probably need to file standard to fit, the bonus is they are easy to file.

[Beedster]

Phew  

 

[3below]

Result

[Beedster]

8 minutes ago, 3below said:

Result

 

Tell me about it! It resisted for a while - I was using nail clippers to avoid applying too much leverage - but I followed @Manton Customs advice on moving slightly back and forth and it popped out a good'un! There's a little glue residue in there as you can see from the pic, but a little gentle action with a craft blade and it's coming away nicely. Relief for me was that the nut hadn't adhered to the binding 👍

[PaulThePlug]

Good Darts!

16 hours ago, Beedster said:

...there's just enough of the groove left... 

Jazz Club Right There...

[Beedster]

Needs a bit of cosmetic finishing around the edges but all done in terms of function. If anything action is improved over previous nut. Thanks for the advice guys 👍

[Beedster]

On thing that's clear from installing this nut is that the binding means that the distance between the two outside slots (E and G) are very close to their respective ends of the nut, which means that there must be a far greater chance of a brake simply because there is only around 50% of outside edges of the original nut remaining. I can't help thinking that it makes more sense for the binding to be cut away to allow a full size nut to be installed? I guess the other option would be a custom nut with slots slightly closer to the midline but that could really cramp up the available space, or possibly a nut that sits inside of the binding while also sitting on top of it at the edges (i.e., it would need essentially a small square cut out of the bottom at each end, which would be VERY fiddly to do)?   

[3below]

I would go for the small notch at the ends of the nut (in the same way that frets are cut for a bound neck). Fiddly but less chance of serious damage when trying to slot the binding. More skilled (than me) operators may have other solutions.   Quickly looking at jazz bass necks, they seem to be done like yours. 

[Beedster]

On 01/10/2023 at 13:40, 3below said:

I would go for the small notch at the ends of the nut (in the same way that frets are cut for a bound neck). Fiddly but less chance of serious damage when trying to slot the binding. More skilled (than me) operators may have other solutions.   Quickly looking at jazz bass necks, they seem to be done like yours. 

 

Thanks @3below, I was tempted to do the notch approach but as you say, most bound necks appear to be done the way I eventually decided on. I might try another with a notch though, I suspect it'll look better and be stronger 👍