Two good pictures.

[Ken Hundley]

Looks great Tony! I gotta get black cloth! might even make me look better!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Tony,
I'm glad you remembered to put the strings on the outside of this one, but your label inside is crooked.
Truely it looks great. I like the closeup of that nut too. For some reason I can't seem to get my nuts in shape like that.

Kevin

[SKBarbour]

insert nut joke here.

[Tony_in_NYC]

Well Kevin, I have a great deal of experience handling my nuts, so I am able to manipulate them to almost any shape I choose. you should work on your nuts slowly and deliberately. It really helps when you do not get to aggressive with your nuts. I find that the more time I take carefully coaxing my nuts into the correct shape and level of shine, the happier I am with my nuts. I am sure you will agree.
I also find it helpful to look at a picture of a nut you want to copy during the shaping process. When I did it from memory, my nuts were poorly shaped.
;>)-<

[SKBarbour]

man i saw that coming. the guitar looks great Tony, but I will not comment on your nuts.

kyle

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Yup Tony, I agree tonally!

[Tony_in_NYC]

OK...so to be serious about the shape of the nut on my guitar, this is how I do it:
Once the nut is cut to the proper width, I put it in place and knock off the edges so that it tapers to conform to the neck/ headstock transition. Basically, I get it to fit, and look good, as an almost rectangular block.
Next, and I do this one half of the nut at a time because I do not have an expensive StewMac nut and saddle vise, I clamp it into a vice, using some scrap to keep it from getting marred.
I let one half stick out of the vise, pretty much so that, when I am sitting, it is pointing at my face and I am looking at the profile, bass to treble. I get that half shaped how I like it, then flip the nut, shape the other half, remove from vice and fix any lumpy spots. Then I polish it, and install.
Not so hard if you look at it from the side. Also, if you do not do it while it is glued in place!!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Seriously, I was setting you up with the nut thing....I figured you would run with it.......
Now, I do like how you shaped the back side of the nut. I slope mine, but they don't have that nice rounded contour, so in that respect I was being serious. Good job there. I might try and get mine shaped more like that next time.
I should have my latest done (again) this Saturday and will take some pictures, or, have my wife who takes better pictures than I do take some pictures, and then you can see my nut. :>)

Kevin

[Tony_in_NYC]

Kevin,
Am I that predictable? I suppose so. I cant wait to see the pictures your wife takes of your nut.

[Ken Hundley]

My nuts are a private affair, as they do much to contribute to the quality of the overall package. If I must say, though, Tony, I do admire yours. Is it wrong?