Well, I finally bit the bullet after feeling too cramped with the tighter string to string spacing at the nut on my new GAD-50. I went and purchased a partially cut Martin 90 degree bone saddle a couple of days ago, and stayed up half that night making it. I first sanded it down to size, which took a while, and then after getting it to fit in the nut slot perfectly like the original, I preceded to cut the new string slots. I used my other guitar's 1 & 11/16" string to string spacings as a template for the positioning of the new slots. I worked very carefully and slowly, checking and re-checking the original nut for cutting the correct depth of the slots and for getting the correct height. I didn't want to cut the slots too low and as it would cause some string buzzing. I've had this problem before when I've made a new bone nut for another guitar! After a good 2 hours of tedious and careful work, I was satisfied with how it fit and looked. I then installed the old strings back and tuned it up.
Voila! It is so much easier to play now than before!! I could be crazy, but I think that it actually sounds a tad better than the original bone nut did. This thing really booms now. It is so LOUD and clear, and it rings forever!! And it is very balanced from top to bottom, and the intonation is very good.
I ended up installing a new K&K Western pickup on the GAD-50 today (that story is on another thread), and I played out at a local art festival with my folk buddy this afternoon. I think this guitar has become my favorite "playing out" guitar now, as it sounds so rich, and sounds better in some ways than my Martin D-16RGT does, which just doesn't seem to be quite as responsive, as it seems that you have to work a little harder to get the volume out of it, in comparison with the Guild. The Martin just doesn't seem to be quite as clear sounding as the Guild is, either.
Just wanted to share this with some of you, who might be considering having to do this on their GAD-50 some day.
Thanks for listening.
Jeff
Voila! It is so much easier to play now than before!! I could be crazy, but I think that it actually sounds a tad better than the original bone nut did. This thing really booms now. It is so LOUD and clear, and it rings forever!! And it is very balanced from top to bottom, and the intonation is very good.
I ended up installing a new K&K Western pickup on the GAD-50 today (that story is on another thread), and I played out at a local art festival with my folk buddy this afternoon. I think this guitar has become my favorite "playing out" guitar now, as it sounds so rich, and sounds better in some ways than my Martin D-16RGT does, which just doesn't seem to be quite as responsive, as it seems that you have to work a little harder to get the volume out of it, in comparison with the Guild. The Martin just doesn't seem to be quite as clear sounding as the Guild is, either.
Just wanted to share this with some of you, who might be considering having to do this on their GAD-50 some day.
Thanks for listening.
Jeff