Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I managed to inadvertently deepen a couple of the slots in my 650D nut when filing them to accept TI Jazz .012's, so now I have buzzing. I've ordered a replacement nut from the RIC boutique, but I'm wondering about how to remove the old nut.

Is it glued in place? Perhaps a gentle mallet tap or two from the side? Heat or no heat?

What's my best course of action to remove the old and install the new?

Thanks.

Don't knock it from the side (parallel to the frets) if that's what you meant.

Simply wrap the tip of a flat-bladed screwdriver with a bit of masking tape so it won't scratch the fretboard.

Then, place it against the nut, resting it on the fretboard, and give it a couple of taps. Increase the force until it breaks loose.

These are typically lightly glued into place. The factory uses Titebond. Repair guys usually use superglue.

To install the new: You're going to have to shave it down to match the height of the old one. I use a file to reduce the height, placing the nut securely in a vise with the trim line level with the top of the vise, then filing until the file touches the top surface of the vise jaws. Check the string height before you glue it in place. Remember, it's easy to take a smidge off, but tough to add if you over-sand.

To glue, use a few tiny dots of Titebond or Elmer's on the end of the fretboard, which you may want to roughen a bit with an emery board. Let the glue joint set up for a half-hour or so, then gently lever the strings into their proper slots. Tune to pitch.

FretlessOnly wrote:my 650D

This is fretless, of course, right, FretlessOnly?

Thanks Paul - that's exactly what I needed!

jps wrote: This is fretless, of course, right, FretlessOnly?

Don't think I haven't thought about it...

Paul, should he use a razor and cut the CV on the ends so as not to chip the clear finish?

There's no CV on a 650D, but perhaps that's a good technique on most other Ricks(?)

FretlessOnly wrote:Thanks Paul - that's exactly what I needed!

jps wrote: This is fretless, of course, right, FretlessOnly?

Don't think I haven't thought about it...

Try this on for size!

FretlessOnly wrote:There's no CV on a 650D, but perhaps that's a good technique on most other Ricks(?)

Guess I should stick to basses.

jps wrote: Try this on for size!

Godin makes a great product; the guitarist in my band has one (fretted) and it plays just great and has a nice tonal range. I know Adrian Belew monkeys around with a fretless guitar on occasion (w/ King Crimson here and there I believe). I'm not sure I'd want to drop too much coin on a fretless guitar - limited applications I would think...

FretlessOnly wrote:

jps wrote: Try this on for size!

Godin makes a great product; the guitarist in my band has one (fretted) and it plays just great and has a nice tonal range. I know Adrian Belew monkeys around with a fretless guitar on occasion (w/ King Crimson here and there I believe).

But as for this particular example, the side dots are in the wrong place (for me). Shame really, as eveything else about it is quite appealing; especially the kinship with the oud (which I first heard on one of Coltrane and Dolphy's Village Vanguard tracks).

A friend of mine has this guitar, along with a 5th Avenue, Multiac Nylon and Multiac Jazz, he is bigtime into the synth aspects of those last two instruments.