LTD Snakebyte nut issue

Updated
powerchord
Hey guys, noticed my Snakebyte's high e-string is only half in the slot & don't sound right at all. and the G string is not very deep either but it stays in position. (the guitar was like this since i bought it) also the guitar will not stay in tune, nut issue or the ESP locking tuners you think ? should i upgrade to a bone nut like the ESP version ? can i buy one identical with no mods needed ? thanks !!
Pushead

Take it to a repair shop and have it set up. They'll either deepen the slots or recommend replacing it.

Tom.Ashworth

Chances are your strings are too thick for the nut causing them to stick. This creates tuning issues. The fact the strings don't sit properly in the nut makes this even more likely. Take it too a tech who will likely deepen/widen the slots.

powerchord

Chances are your strings are too thick for the nut causing them to stick. This creates tuning issues. The fact the strings don't sit properly in the nut makes this even more likely. Take it too a tech who will likely deepen/widen the slots.

im using 46/36/26/17/13/10, it was like it with the set the guitar came with. i changed them with Ernie's. same thing.
no guitar tech around here, i'll put on a set 42/32/24/16/11/9 in the mean time to see if any different

Tom.Ashworth

Did the store you bought it from not do a general setup?

powerchord

Did the store you bought it from not do a general setup?

apparently not, i bought it online and requested it to be setup. guess it never it got looked at.

:mad:

JSHRED

10-46 is the facotry set of strings for that. They should be nice and cozy in the nut without any issues. It's sad what passes for a factory nut these days, even on guitars in the $500 to $1000 range.

Again I agree with Mr. P. Unfortunately it's something tricky unless you're a pro. A pro luthier can probably file the slots to the right width and depth, but if you did want to go to a bone nut, now would be the time. Just keep in mind the luthier will make you a bone nut from scratch, so you're looking at a few bucks for that.

powerchord

10-46 is the facotry set of strings for that. They should be nice and cozy in the nut without any issues. It's sad what passes for a factory nut these days, even on guitars in the $500 to $1000 range.

Again I agree with Mr. P. Unfortunately it's something tricky unless you're a pro. A pro luthier can probably file the slots to the right width and depth, but if you did want to go to a bone nut, now would be the time. Just keep in mind the luthier will make you a bone nut from scratch, so you're looking at a few bucks for that.

yeah, there's a lot of pull to the right on the high E string, from the positioning of the head stock. i tried a .09 string and the same. the slot is not deep enough. there's no guitar techs in my area to bring to. maybe ill order a 010 file online. cant make it any worse :rollin

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Tondog

Making ESP fix it will take a great deal of patience. I've got a new ESP Eclipse that the nut was cut too low on.

powerchord

Making ESP fix it will take a great deal of patience. I've got a new ESP Eclipse that the nut was cut too low on.

what kind of patience ? how long did it take ? do you have to ship the guitar to ESP or dealer you bought from. any cost to you ?

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JSHRED

I wish you were in my area, I'd take care of it for you. I have all the files and gauges. Nut work is the bread and buttah of guitars.

I honestly don't have any real objections if you want to grab a .010 file from Stew Mac. Yes, you can go too far, but here's a safe approach.

String up your guitar, if it isn't already.

Loosen your high E by a set amount, say 3 turns of the peg. Temporarily move the string from the E slot to the B slot.

Give the file a few drags through the slot. Try to be level and straight.

Put the string back, tighten it with the same number of turns to get it close to pitch, and feel it. Better? Great, you're done. Not it? Repeat until you get there.

NOW. If you get a little crazy and go too deep, as a last resort, if you can get a tube of super glue with a micro applicator needle tip, you can put a microscopic dab of superglue down in the slot and it will raise it up a smidge. Just make sure you let it dry before you restring! But all in all, it's better if you stop filing before it gets that low.

I wish I could measure it, check it and fix it for you, but it sounds like you've got the right idea. Good luck.

powerchord

I wish you were in my area, I'd take care of it for you. I have all the files and gauges. Nut work is the bread and buttah of guitars.

I honestly don't have any real objections if you want to grab a .010 file from Stew Mac. Yes, you can go too far, but here's a safe approach.

String up your guitar, if it isn't already.

Loosen your high E by a set amount, say 3 turns of the peg. Temporarily move the string from the E slot to the B slot.

Give the file a few drags through the slot. Try to be level and straight.

Put the string back, tighten it with the same number of turns to get it close to pitch, and feel it. Better? Great, you're done. Not it? Repeat until you get there.

NOW. If you get a little crazy and go too deep, as a last resort, if you can get a tube of super glue with a micro applicator needle tip, you can put a microscopic dab of superglue down in the slot and it will raise it up a smidge. Just make sure you let it dry before you restring! But all in all, it's better if you stop filing before it gets that low.

I wish I could measure it, check it and fix it for you, but it sounds like you've got the right idea. Good luck.

i ordered the file online, ill take your advice and not go crazy with it. ill do like 2 drags with file at a time then tune test. i don't say its too far off.
i seen a few instruction videos too online which i will check over technique before hand.

thanks !!

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JSHRED

Good job man. Isn't that just the best feeling in the world?

Eduardo M.

I have a similar problem on my ESP Snakebyte. Seems like the nut slot for the low E string is a bit low making it buzz a little when playing the open string. I can control it by picking lighter when playing without distortion. I was thinking if I could try what JSHRED about the superglue method to make it a little higher. I want to avoid replacing the nut because the lacquer on the side of the net goes up on the side of the nut. I dont know it is can make it trickier to remove the nut, causing some lacquer cracking, I dont know, just a thought, or if it is safe and fine to remove it without any complications. Should I try the superglue method or go for a nut replacement?

jack.j

i have a ec 1000 that i bought a new nut for i got the old one out and noticed the slot seat the nut sits is is very un level the low e side has a channel and the high side is flat if i drop the high side to match the low side the strings will bottom out because the nut action is low any ideas on how to square and level it up i would have sent it back to esp had i noticed it earlier they had black glue or some thing hinding the gap i would have never noticed it if i had not replaced the nut i still acnnot figure out why they route half a channel were they drunk the guitars is still under warranty but they would just say i voided it when i removed the old nut the old nut came away clean but you can clearly see that half groove on the low side and the black stuff applied to hide it they did a damn good job of hiding it if they would have put the effort into cutting the slot like who ever did hiding the mistake and really pisses me off because i have owned cheaper ltds and never had problems and liked them enough to get a more exspensive one and find this out was saving for a esp vintage black which is what my ltd is ec1000 vb i love the guitar hate what i found out any ideas how to fix it so it dont look like it was slapped together by a drunk taking it to a luthier around here would be no better than shipping it to esp it would take just as long 

Pushead

Punctuation really matters.  I have no idea what you're trying to say.

tx-ogre

Yep.  There's nothing like a 300 word run-on sentence to provide clarity to any subject.

jack.j

then ypu cant read

Pushead
jack.j wrote:

then ypu cant read

 

My favorite response on this board, ever.

tx-ogre

I too was quite impressed.  And I don't impress easily.

powerchord

on a brighter note,  my snakebyte is kicking maximum ass since i fixxed the nut

 

Pushead
jack.j wrote:

I have an EC-1000 that I bought a new nut for.  I removed the old one and noticed the nut slot isn't level.  The low E side has a channel and the high side is flat.  If I drop the high side to match the low side, the strings will bottom out because the nut action is low.  Any ideas on how to square and level it?

I would have sent it back to ESP had I noticed it earlier.  They had black glue or some thing hinding the gap.  I would have never noticed it if I had not replaced the nut.  I still cannot figure out why they route half a channel.  Were they drunk?  The guitars is still under warranty, but they would just say i voided it when I removed the old nut.  The old nut came away clean, but you can clearly see that half groove on the low side and the black stuff applied to hide it.  They did a damn good job of hiding it! 

If they would have put the effort into cutting the slot like who ever did hiding the mistake [not a complete sentence, so imagine garbled yelling noises here. -Ed]   And really pisses me off because I have owned cheaper LTDs and never had problems. [I] liked them enough to get a more expensive one and find this out.  [I] was saving for an ESP vintage black which is what my LTD EC-1000vb is.  I love the guitar, but hate what I found out.

Any ideas how to fix it so it doesn't look like it was slapped together by a drunk?  Taking it to a luthier around here would be no better than shipping it to ESP.  It would take just as long.

 

I had linguistic experts and professors of dead languages translate this into English so it doesn't look like it was written by a drunk.

Photos would really help in this case.  If there's actually a notch, it could be there to allow more adhesive to bond the wood to the material of the nut.  But based on what you say in the rest of the post, it seems that it's probably a tear or chip out of the wood in the neck.

There are three ways to go about it.  You could file the nut slot level and buy a larger nut blank.  You could just use an epoxy to fill the chip, the same way they did at the LTD factory.  But, you'd probably be best off finding a few small splinters of wood that can fill the chip and glue them in.  After they've dried for a day or so, cut them down to fit, level the slot, and install the nut you have.

Michael G.

Just coming back to this post...

Can you update on what type of nut and size you used?  I have an LTD 2014 Snakebyte (gloss black) and am pretty sure the nut on it needs to be replaced.  Thanks!

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