Tuning nut question

Trent Harris · From: Indiana, USA

I have noticed in a lot of pics that it appears people have cut down their vinyl tuning nuts. I have a few that have kind of gotten bent out of shape while tuning due to the fact that they are long and the little tuning key's chamber is fairly short Is this a normal practice? Does it affect anything?

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Funny thing is, on my Carter, I am switching out mine for longer ones. I find it hard to have to lean over to see what nut I want (I have a lot of changes on both necks) when on the bandstand, especially when placed about 10" from the wall. And some of them are hard to find by feel. I have already switched some on the E9 neck, and it's great. I recently bought enough to do both necks.

Oops. Forgot to add, I don't know how common it is, but I don't think it is very common. And it doesn't really affect anything.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

There is several different lengths of Tuning Nuts. Old MSA"s use about 1/2 inch ones, My GFI uses about 2 inch tuning nuts. If you want the tuning nuts to extend out past the end plate. Be sure to check how it will fit in the case. The way cases are built they have no cut out to allow for them. Remember there is about 3 different interior hole sizes in the nuts to. Be sure the inside diameter holes will fit your steel rods when ordering. Good luck and Happy Steelin.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

That's an excellent point, Bobby. If the tuning nuts or rods stick out beyond the endplate, there's a greater chance they (or the guitar) will be damaged. I'm reminded of a friend who had several rods sticking out of the end of his guitar, and then suffered, several times, torn clothing and scratched body parts as a result! Winking

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I eliminated the extra barrel on MSA *KL pullrods before I learned what they were for.
I'd have preferred scratched steel player to the broken rods.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Trent Harris · From: Indiana, USA

Thanks guys, I already have the nuts replaced I ordered from Jim P. out in CA. They fit great just seems like a couple ends got tweaked tuning. Not a big deal just wondered if some people cut theirs down because of that?

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

The only time I have bent those nylon nuts while tuning pedals/levers, have been when the rod sticks too far out from the scissor(s) and therefore bottoms out inside the nut. On my PSGs (Dekley, GFI) I can fine-adjust the rods so they do not stick out too far - just far enough to keep the threads from scraping in the holes, and I always check that before putting on new nuts.

PSGs with fixed-length rods should not cause such "rods protruding too far" problems me thinks, but I don't have any PSGs with fixed-length rods so can't say for sure.

I also always check that new nuts have the right inner diameter and hole-length for the rod threads, to avoid them being too loose, to tight or too short.

Using a drill-bit (by hand) to trim too tight or too short holes in nylon nuts slightly for a better fit, is also something I have done now and then over the years. As I have experimented a lot with various copedents over the years not all rods on my favorite steel have the same diameter and threads, so making sure each nut fits perfectly on its rod has become a kind of habit.

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