Question Compensated nut

[jlepre]

I need to replace the nut on a recently acquired 1998 SR5. I was wondering if a compensated nut can be retrofitted? I would be willing to ship the bass back to slow if needed.

My other option would be just to let my local luthier replace with a standard nut.

Any thoughts?

 

[Redblade]

I could be wrong but I think this is highly unlikely. I don't think Musicman would provide something like this for a retrofit.

 

[Colin]

my understanding is you can't retrofit them

 

[jlepre]

Thanks guys for your opinions. I kind of feel the same way, but I'm hoping someone in the know will shed some light. If not I'm going to call Customer Service tomorrow.

 

[bovinehost]

Not really. You'd have to shave (read: chisel) a bunch of wood out of the neck/headstock.

Definitely not worth it (and SLO won't do it, if I recall correctly).

 

[Redblade]

You know, this is probably a really could thing they don't sell these for retrofit. Could you imagine the hoards of chuckleheads defiling perfectly good MM instruments attempting it?

 

[cellkirk74]

I had some standard nuts glued by the local bass tech. Even installing a new bone nut is not rocket sience to a good luthier and is not that expensive...

 

[Aziah]

Not really. You'd have to shave (read: chisel) a bunch of wood out of the neck/headstock.

Definitely not worth it (and SLO won't do it, if I recall correctly).

This is spot on.

 

[jlepre]

Could I send the bass to Slo, and have them do the work? I would pay for the job. If this isn't an option, then I will have a regular nut installed locally. Sorry if I'm not getting the message.

 

[bovinehost]

As I said, SLO won't do it. If you (or anyone) chisels out wood near the fretboard/headstock interface, which isn't exactly the thickest part of any bass, you're just asking for structural issues.

I'd go with a regular nut.

 

[jlepre]

Ah, I gotcha! Thanks for the information

 

[J Romano]

I posted in the other thread you started on pickup height, I post here too. I talked to the tech at GC in Rochester. He told me that a nut replacement was $35. He also said that he would do a custom nut, as opposed to a replacement part, even in bone. It was more expensive. I talked to EB CS and a replacement nut was available thru them. You should go for an exact replacement for what was there!

 

[Freddels]

Do the fretless basses come with the compensated nut?

 

[bassmonkeee]

My 2004 fretless Bongo did not. My 2010 fretless Big Al did.

 

[Golem]

My 2004 fretless Bongo did not.
My 2010 fretless Big Al did.

Huh. Maybe the use of std nuts for FL basses
was only intended to finish off the existing
supply of std nuts. There's no solid reason to
have a comp'd nut on an FL ... but since it's a
molded item, it's prolly cheaper to use them
for both FL and bumpy, compared to keeping
a more varied parts inventory. I mean, even if
it doesn't do anything for an FL, it doesn't do
any harm neither.

OTOH, when fine tuning [FILE tuning] my own
FL's, I'd rather have the simpler, plain nut .....
especially if I file too far and so hafta replace it.

 

[Freddels]

I would think a different height for each would be appropriate. If they have a compensated nut for fretless that is lower than the ones for fretted it would provide exact uniformity in their product.