It Worked for Me: Deep Nut Slots

by David Thormahlen

Originally published in American Lutherie #118, 2014

I hate it when I try to make the nut slots perfect but it winds up too deep, and I need to either make a new nut or somehow fill the slot and cut it again. I have tried the superglue-and-dust method, but it makes the string stick in the groove so it won’t tune smoothly.

My assistant brought in some old ivory piano key material. I cut the string slot deeper and thinned out a piece of ivory to fit. I put superglue in the slot and accelerator on the ivory (Photo 1). I held it in place for a second and then was able to trim it off (Photo 2) and recut the groove. This time I cut the slot until I hit a dime held up against the nut (Photo 3). This keeps me from cutting too deep. The string travels nice and smoothly over the ivory and you can barely see that it’s there. ◆