👕 Get New Ernie Ball Merch Now!
  • Ernie Ball
  • Music Man
  • Sterling by Music Man
John Myung Bongo 4

Question Will pencil lead on the nut really prevent binding? What is binding exactly?

It's when the string won't move in the nut. Yes - pencil will work as I believe it is graphite based.
 
'Binding' is a loose term which refers to strings sticking or catching in the nut when they should be moving freely (e.g. when string bending or using the trem). A little lubrication can help the stings move freely through the nut and therefore improves tuning stability.

Pencil lead contains graphite which is a dry lubricant, which is why many people use it. It works pretty well, but will leave visible marks on light coloured nuts. You could also use a little mineral oil, chapstick, vaseline, lithium grease, and there are even some commercial products specially for guitar nuts. Only use the minimum amount necessary - I apply with a toothpick or needle. Make sure you wipe off any excess (especially with liquid lubricants).
 
I use Carmex (lip balm), apply with a toothpick, and wipe off excess, just like good Dr. mentions. Works wonders.
 
I like regular flavor, if it doesn't taste like medicine it probably doesn't work correctly! Ha!
 
I use pencils all the time. I am constantly amazed by the number of guitarists I play with who don't lubricate the nut. I hear that tell tale "ping" when they're tuning and help them out with a pencil. I sharpen the pencil and start at the high e. It cleans out any potential crap, then lubes it. With a white nut, you can see if you did a good job or are not done yet. Move to the other strings. Although it may be seen as "cheap" to use a simple pencil rather than something I'd buy from Amazon or Guitar Center, I have kids. Kids do math. Kids use ________ for math? That's why. Never lost, never run out.
 
Big Bends Nut Sauce baby. I use it on all of my guitars and it is excellent and it absolutely improves tuning stability, as does the pencil method.
 
I assume you do this when changing strings? And how often do you need to reapply the lubrication?

I've always wondered what that pinging sound was and where it was coming from! Now I know haha
 
The old style string trees - bent metal "T" (thank goodness we don't have them!!!) are also very susceptible to the dreaded "Ping".
That's why you see after market roller trees.
 
For years I've been using powdered graphite intended for locks. It works great. I find that after restringing my guitar, pull the string out of the nut, "squirt" in a bit of the graphite powder, put the string back in place. Repeat for all strings. Then, with canned air, blow the excess off. DON'T WiPE. Like others have said, you end up with a real mess if you try to wipe the graphite away.
 
There is more than one cause for binding at the nut, and lubrication may or may not fix it depending on what the problem is. One problem that exists is the angle that the string takes between the nut and the tuning key. On a classic 3 x 3 headstock that is found on a certain very expensive guitar, the angle the string takes out the back of the nut to the tuner is drastic on the middle two strings. These guitars are notorious for going out of tune about every other song. Guitars that have a direct string pull from the nut to the tuners are more stable, since the string slides straight through the nut. The longer the string pull is between the nut and the tuner, the more likely you are to have tuning issues. If your strings go through a string tree to the tuners, you are more likely to have tuning issues, since you have created another angle the string has to go through to get to the tuner. That's the beauty of the Music Man design. It has direct string pull to the tuner, with as little distance between the nut and the tuner as possible.

In the case of a Music Man guitar, if you are having binding issues, it is more than likely going to be on the wound strings. The binding will also occur if you have gone up in your string sizes. If the guitar came stock with 9s, and you are using 11s, you will likely experience some binding. You may choose to slightly widen your nut slots with a nut file, or use a lubrication product. Nut Sauce is the choice of many of the players I know.
 
nobozos said:
There is more than one cause for binding at the nut, and lubrication may or may not fix it depending on what the problem is. One problem that exists is the angle that the string takes between the nut and the tuning key. On a classic 3 x 3 headstock that is found on a certain very expensive guitar, the angle the string takes out the back of the nut to the tuner is drastic on the middle two strings. These guitars are notorious for going out of tune about every other song. Guitars that have a direct string pull from the nut to the tuners are more stable, since the string slides straight through the nut. The longer the string pull is between the nut and the tuner, the more likely you are to have tuning issues. If your strings go through a string tree to the tuners, you are more likely to have tuning issues, since you have created another angle the string has to go through to get to the tuner. That's the beauty of the Music Man design. It has direct string pull to the tuner, with as little distance between the nut and the tuner as possible.

In the case of a Music Man guitar, if you are having binding issues, it is more than likely going to be on the wound strings. The binding will also occur if you have gone up in your string sizes. If the guitar came stock with 9s, and you are using 11s, you will likely experience some binding. You may choose to slightly widen your nut slots with a nut file, or use a lubrication product. Nut Sauce is the choice of many of the players I know.
Click to expand...

That is absolutely true and one of the things that caught my eye the most about MM guitars back when I first discovered them in the mid 90's. The headstock is simply brilliant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Flex Capo
Back
Top