Top 3 string so sharp. Wtf already?

[Sea Chief]

I have a 2014 LP Melody Maker and I'm Not happy with the nut. Switching to 10's from the original 9's (I think) probably doesn't help but what the video guy says about the sharp angle matched my suspicions. I'd like to see it curve from the angle of the fretboard to the string angle behind the nut. That seemed to work well on other guitars.

Whether this nut angle is so important Im not sure; the extra vibrations spilling over makes logical sense, but whether any affect the sustain or harmonics or anything of the strings is open to Q. One thing is evident to me tho- if even my Takamine G-series acoustic (£95 from those warehouse gtr shop www place) the nut angle perfectly matches the string angle (sustain on this gtr is excellent too). So, reluctanlty it does make me question gibson, albeit on 'minor' quibble points. The Takamine QC is top notch btw- if so for a chinese cheapy them it bodes extremely well IMO for the make in general.

[Steve A.]

I have a 2014 LP Melody Maker and I'm Not happy with the nut. Switching to 10's from the original 9's (I think) probably doesn't help but what the video guy says about the sharp angle matched my suspicions. I'd like to see it curve from the angle of the fretboard to the string angle behin d the nut. That seemed to work well on other guitars.

Some people like to "aim" the backside of the nut slot towards the tuner but what I think is really important is that the front side of the slot has a sharp enough break angle for a good clear tone. (If the nut slot has no slope the string may have a "sitar" effect.)

I just ran across an Epiphone ES-339 Pro with strings getting hung up in the nut slots. It was unplayable because the top 3 strings would go very flat as soon as you bent them. Making the nut slots wider with the acetylene torch tip cleaners took care of that quickly. Unlike the 2013/2014 LPJ series the nut slots were not cut too deeply (thank God!) so I was able to set the depth properly with my nut files. (These are really nice guitars if you find a good specimen.)

••• For less than the price of two nut files from Stew Mac you can get this kit on eBay which includes 3 double-sided nut files...



New 1x Packet Guitar Luthier Tools Kit Nut Files Stainless Steel Ruler Winder | eBay

••• One listing suggested that the nut files were for an acoustic guitar so you might need to order an .010 file from a different source...



Guitar Nut File Single Replacement Size 010 | eBay

••• And here is one source for the acetylene torch tip cleaner nut slot "files"...



Cigar Box Guitar Tool Extra Long Shaft File Set for Easy Nut Bridge Slot Filing | eBay

••• Last but not least here is the lubricant I've been using...



Amazon.com: Planet Waves LubriKit Friction Remover: Musical Instruments

Steve A.

P.S. Those 2014 Melody Makers (actually a LP Junior Special with a maple neck and a carved mahogany top) are really nice! I'm planning to add a dummy coil to mine to eliminate the 60hz hum from the P90S pickups (a low profile P90 with alnico slugs instead of bar magnets.)

[Sea Chief]

Well Im pleased to say my sharp woes are a thing of the past now- 2 hrs of playing nr unninterrupted by retuning!

great help again chaps- cheers.

[Richard]

Yeah, the 2014 LPMM is a pretty cool axe. Will the dummy coil work with the RWRP pickups?

[Richard]

Like you, I'm not sure that the angle itself is that important but I think a longer "bearing length" in the nut slots may stop the strings from hanging up, although that would seem more relevant on the wound strings.

[Steve A.]

Yeah, the 2014 LPMM is a pretty cool axe. Will the dummy coil work with the RWRP pickups?

Very good question! I bought a second 2014 MM to do a pickup swap so that one will have two neck pickups and the other will have two bridge pickups... BUT it looks like I should be able to flip the P90S pickup and carefully push the alnico slugs so that they poke out of what used to be the bottom of the pickup. And I will need to reverse the wires in the plug.

Did I already say how I am going to fit the dummy coil into the very limited space in these guitars? I going to wrap 32 gauge magnet wire around the 4 pots mounted on the PCB (after putting a layer of first duct tape and then electrical tape around pots for insulation. With the PCB out I can shield the control cavity- something I see on $100 imports but not $2000 Gibsons... go figure!

Steve A.

P.S. Epiphone is coming out with their version of the Blueshawk which has two RWRP P90's and a dummy coil which uses really slick switching so you have hum cancelling in all positions. The dummy coil is mounted on the back of the guitar between the two pickups. Judging by the cover I suspect that they are using P90 bobbin, probably wound with 42GA wire... yuck! I will try some Chiliachki tricks on the one I preordered: using an empty P90 bobbin wound with 38GA magnet and bypassed with a 10k cermet trim pot to be able to adjust the amount of humcancelling. And maybe add a second 10k trim pot wired as a tone control.