Guild D-55 Neck Issue

[SFIV1967]

Hey you know that does look like a shim was pounded in there!

Now that's interesting, I didn't even notice that there might be a different wood under the bone nut! Looks like the nut was set on a shim, which usually a factory or any luthier would never do as it makes the sound worse (no good transmission from the bone to the neck).

But what I also notice: The nut goes as deep as the binding, means the nut is original, if really a shim was used the nutslot would have been cut way to low! So that speaks against a shim to me!

Maybe it is the neck mahogany we see there but the shade from the nut and the missing lacquer makes it look different colored there.

So anyway, if it would be my guitar I would remove the nut to inspect/repair the area.

Compare to that picture od´f a different D-55 what I mean:

Ralf

 

[GardMan]

Can you show is a pic of the OTHER (bass) side of the nut, and a face-on view of the nut and string spacing relative to the sides of the fretboard. It might help clarify whether the nut has been shifted from a blow to the treble side...

 

[geoguy]

I don't know about y'all but that string height off the nut looks super high...

And at least the treble-side nut slots appear unusually deep.

 

[Mr.Bluesky]

Except that, that assumes would indicate it was pounded in from the side? Doesn't seem to make sense. I'd think if anything it would need to be pushed in from the top after it was centered... also OP says it was bought new, so when would the work have been done?

Assuming the shim is factory re-work, one would expect the rework to have occurred before finishing, and thus before the damage occurred, right?

Our family indeed purchased the guitar new and I have confirmed that other than some infrequent tune-ups and adjustments no work has been done on it unless something happen when someone was working on it or perhaps from the factory that went unnoticed...

 

[Mr.Bluesky]

Can you show is a pic of the OTHER (bass) side of the nut, and a face-on view of the nut and string spacing relative to the sides of the fretboard. It might help clarify whether the nut has been shifted from a blow to the treble side...

Here are a couple of other pictures. One is of the front and the second is the bass side of the nut. Hopefully they have uploaded correctly.

 

[chazmo]

Hey, Todd, put that TRC on properly!!!!!!! Again, as I said earlier, I don't see any structural damage here. Some day have a luthier take a look at the nut, but for now don't worry about it!

 

[Mr.Bluesky]

Hey, Todd, put that TRC on properly!!!!!!! Again, as I said earlier, I don't see any structural damage here. Some day have a luthier take a look at the nut, but for now don't worry about it!

Thanks! BTW - What does TRC stand for? Truss Rod Cover???

 

[cupric]

Thanks! BTW - What does TRC stand for? Truss Rod Cover???

Yes. Truss rod cover.

 

[SFIV1967]

The nut clearly stands over on the bass side but the string spacing looks good! (Space from edges of fretboard to low and high E strings).
So I guess the strings were too much towards the high e string and somebody tried to move the nut to the bass side and by doing so cracked the lacquer on the trebble side of the neck. I have no other explanation.

And yes the nut is cut way too deep on the high e-string, b string, G string and D-string.
Plus the low E-String somhow does not sit correctly in the slot?

So something is going on with this nut...

And yes, the TRC is mounted upside down...
That's why one side is flat to be at the nut! And the round top is looking like the Guild headstock shape!

Ralf

 

[wileypickett]

Half the diameter of each string should sit in the slot, the other half should sit above the nut.

It may be prudent (if you want to take the steps) to have your luthier make a new nut and do a set up, reset the geometry of the nut and saddle and optimize the playability.

If the nut and saddle are plastic, have your luthier replace them with bone, for better sound.

You could also have the lacquer touched up at the same time if that's important to you.

 

[Mr.Bluesky]

The nut clearly stands over on the bass side but the string spacing looks good! (Space from edges of fretboard to low and high E strings).
So I guess the strings were too much towards the high e string and somebody tried to move the nut to the bass side and by doing so cracked the lacquer on the trebble side of the neck. I have no other explanation.

And yes the nut is cut way too deep on the high e-string, b string, G string and D-string.
Plus the low E-String somhow does not sit correctly in the slot?

So something is going on with this nut...

And yes, the TRC is mounted upside down...
That's why one side is flat to be at the nut! And the round top is looking like the Guild headstock shape!

Ralf

TRC Police - (love it)

Good observation on the low-E and other strings.

So in summary I am concluding the following based on all the feedback -
1) There is nothing structurally wrong that cannot be fixed by a competent luthier
2) At such time I have it serviced, fix lacquer, replace nut (preferably with bone) and generally cleanup nut/headstock/fretboard area
3) Fix TRC (Done)
5) No reason to fix anything immediately so play it, then play some more and finally play a little more until I am ready to get it serviced

 

[GardMan]

The nut clearly stands over on the bass side but the string spacing looks good! (Space from edges of fretboard to low and high E strings).
So I guess the strings were too much towards the high e string and somebody tried to move the nut to the bass side and by doing so cracked the lacquer on the trebble side of the neck. I have no other explanation.

I think that is a reasonable explanation... I had that issue with my D-70, and had the nut moved over about 1/64" (e was too close to the treble side, and I kept muting it it rolling it off the edge), and filed just a little on the bass side so it didn't hang over. Might make a new nut someday, but it plays great right now, so I am in no hurry....

Your tech/luthier might be able to salvage that nut... take a little length off the bass side, and a little height off the top and re-shape the top so the strings don't sit so low in the slots.

 

[adorshki]

TRC Police - (love it)

Good observation on the low-E and other strings.

So in summary I am concluding the following based on all the feedback -
1) There is nothing structurally wrong that cannot be fixed by a competent luthier
2) At such time I have it serviced, fix lacquer, replace nut (preferably with bone) and generally cleanup nut/headstock/fretboard area
3) Fix TRC (Done)
5) No reason to fix anything immediately so play it, then play some more and finally play a little more until I am ready to get it serviced

Yep.

I do think that shim is a factory re-work, due to having cut the nut slot a tad too deep. Lotta work goes into those necks* and I suspect a judgement was made that it was salvageable with a shim. I don't see that as a major problem.

We've also seen shims used under fretboard extensions as standard procedure so it's not an unfamiliar process for 'em.

Shim is probably same wood as neck and I don't think a glued-in shim will affect sound quality much if at all. Hide glue's a pretty efficient transmission medium itself, after all it's good enough for bridges and bridge plates where the transmission of vibration from the saddle through the bridge to the top is much more important..that's why saddles are more often replaced with bone than nuts.
A bone nut will enhance sustain on unfretted strings, but is sonically invisible on fretted strings.

*In case it's of interest:

 

[Uke]

So in summary I am concluding the following based on all the feedback -
1) There is nothing structurally wrong that cannot be fixed by a competent luthier
2) At such time I have it serviced, fix lacquer, replace nut (preferably with bone) and generally cleanup nut/headstock/fretboard area
3) Fix TRC (Done)
5) No reason to fix anything immediately so play it, then play some more and finally play a little more until I am ready to get it serviced

Welcome to this particular world, Mr. B. I would add a number six to your list: 6) Ask yourself, "what would Willie Nelson do?"

 

[adorshki]

Welcome to this particular world, Mr. B. I would add a number six to your list: 6) Ask yourself, "what would Willie Nelson do?"

From "I Smoked Weed With Willie Nelson and Survived"

 

[Nuuska]

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