Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

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Mitch
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2012 1:10 pm

Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

Post by Mitch »

A friend of mine bought an old Kay archtop guitar.
IMG_0310 (1).jpg
The nut cracked when he was bringing it up to tune (pretty cool headstock BTW).
IMG_0308 (1).jpg
Since he is a Dobro player, he'd like to replace it with a "high" nut so he can play
it lap style. The current nut is 1 5/8", but he'd like to widen it to 2" to get better string spacing.
One more thing: He tunes to open G, so there will be more string tension.

Questions:
1. Will the combination of a higher nut and higher string tension, put too much stress on the neck?
2. The wider 2" nut will extend out 3/16" from the neck, leaving it essentially unsupported. Is this a potential problem?
3. Another option is to replace it with a normal nut and Cap it with a "Fret extender" like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Grover-GP1103-Pe ... B00W7ZL4TM
Anyone have experience with these?

Thanks, It's been a year to too since posting. Nice to "see" you all again.

Mitch
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tippie53
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Re: Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

Post by tippie53 »

should be ok
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
johnnparchem
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Re: Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

Post by johnnparchem »

The current nut is 1 5/8", but he'd like to widen it to 2" to get better string spacing ... The wider 2" nut will extend out 3/16" from the neck, leaving it essentially unsupported.
I am confused; how do the strings that are not over the fret board get fretted?
Mitch
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2012 1:10 pm

Re: Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

Post by Mitch »

You don't!
The guitar is flat on your lap and you fret the strings from the top with a metal bar. You have to have a tall nut so the string won't touch the frets. The frets are just there for visual reference to help position the bar
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3dtPc3wNxOg

I need to do some research on this, but since you don't fret the string, I'm thinking that compensation at the bridge is not needed. Anyone have info on this?

Mitch
Mitch
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2012 1:10 pm

Re: Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

Post by Mitch »

> should be ok

I should have also mentioned he uses heavy strings (0.016 -0.056), so combined with tuning up a step and a half (to G) I was concerned about the portion of the nut that is unsupported.
Is one nut material stronger than another?
What about starting with thicker nut stock?
Or am I over thinking this?

Thanks

Mitch
johnnparchem
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Re: Replacing a regular nut with a Dobro style high nut

Post by johnnparchem »

Thanks for the clarification, I had always thought that the metal bar pushed the string down to the fretboard but I can NOW see just having it in contact with the strings is enough.

I obviously know nothing about a Dobro, but I follow your logic about lack of necessity for intonation.
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