String spacing at nut looks off?

skunkwerx

sorry about the poor quality pics, I was in a rush to get out.

To me, the A and D string look further apart than the E and A string. Similarly there seems to my eye to be a bigger gap between G and B strings?

. Hard to tell because of the string shadows in the pic, but I’m looking at the nut to gauge it too.

Just looks a little uneven all over to me.. But i’m far from very knowledgable in this stuff. 

Whaddaya think?

If so, would just a newly cut nut fix it, or is there likely to be bridge/saddle issues?

Thanks all.  

FatPete

Looks like a Friday afternoon job! I'd probably take it to a good tech and have them cut a new one. Is it noticeable when playing?

Funkfingers

Yup. By any measure, those slots are out.

If you are lucky, the slots may be cut on the high side. In the process of fettling the slots, it might be possible to take corrective action.

More likely, the nut in the photograph will need replacing. I shall not bore you now with theories about how to measure up where the slots ought to go.

Regardless of type, the bridge is not the issue. 

ICBM

That's remarkably poor given that I would expect Fender to use a machine-cut nut - the E-A and D-G spacing is noticeably too narrow compared to the others. I suspect it's been changed, and definitely needs doing again but properly...

stonevibe

That is pretty fucked spacing wise!

5redlights

I actually had this on a Fender nut recently. Gap between the B and E was huge compared to other strings. 

ICBM

5redlights said:

I actually had this on a Fender nut recently. Gap between the B and E was huge compared to other strings. 

Maybe they're increasing the amount of hand work as a selling point to compete with Gibson?

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

I suspect it's been changed

That might explain why the low E sits correctly, with approximately half of its diameter in its slot but the high E string slot looks at least twice as deep as the string is across. Nut material was not dressed away properly.

If the guitar was purchased brand new, you have the option to return it for a refund or a replacement. If the guitar was purchased brand new and sounds good, get the nut issue corrected under warranty. 

skunkwerx

A small update!

Yup this is the new mexican player series tele, which was bought new.

Also as per fenders own website pictures, they seem to have terrible nut jobs all over the models, as seen in previous threads here too. 

I had hoped it was just poor pictures but apparently not, they are actually being shipped out from the factory like that. 


I emailed Fender themselves and within the hour a Pedro had replied. 

He was helpful and asked if I could get the guitar back to pmt, he’ll have it collected and their techs will have a look at it under warranty and get it sent back to me. All FOC of course. 

I’m happy doing that first beause if they are true to their word and indeed fix it, it’ll be a good guitar, and rightly so won’t cost me anything to fix up. 

I asked Pedro what would happen, ie a new nut, but he wasnt able to say, he just said the techs will have to look at it themselves and determine the best solution. 

I just hope there is communication between Pedro or Pmt and whoever gets the guitar to work on.. Otherwise the pessimist in me says I’ll get it back exactly the same.. 

Pmt seemed a little reluctant to want to hold it for Fender to collect.. as though it somehow will cost them money.. they didnt say much at all when I pointed out the nut spacing.. weird. But they’ve taken it for Fender to arrange a collection. 



Anyways, It was a tad noticeable when playing. Shifting a power chord down a string to the A, one finger would miss slightly for example. 


I’ll keep things updated as they progress.

Don’t suppose anyone knows who Fenders techs are do they? 

ICBM

I have to say I'm both surprised and somewhat shocked by this - not just because this sort of poor quality control isn't acceptable on a new Fender guitar at any price point, but because they're clearly cutting them by hand, which must be more expensive than doing it (at least the rough slotting) by machine. And if they are doing them entirely by hand, why aren't they using a jig?

I was joking about the Gibson thing, but unfortunately it looks like I was accidentally right...

robgilmo

Strangely enough, Fender per slotted nuts arnt available right now on their web site shop!

robgilmo

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/parts/string-guides-nuts/vintage-style-stratocaster-telecaster-pre-slotted-genuine-bone-string-nut/0994405000.html

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/parts/string-guides-nuts/stratocaster-telecaster-pre-slotted-melamine-string-nut/0994404000.html

Neither Melamine or bone.

robgilmo

In fact their nut blanks arnt available either, broken machine that makes them? Having to outsource?

skunkwerx

Hmm interesting! 

I feel the speed and helpfulness of Fenders reply kind of hints they know somethings up, or have had a few complaints.. 


Or maybe they’ve reserved them all for the influx of nut related warranty claims haha. 

skunkwerx

robgilmo said:

In fact their nut blanks arnt available either, broken machine that makes them? Having to outsource?

Makes sense though if thats happened, and they’ve done many by hand. No wonder theyre shoddy. 

Would have thought whoever in the factories puts them together could have knocked up a template of sorts though. 

robgilmo

You have to remember the people who build these arnt luthiers, they are ordinary people most of whom wont even know how to play a guitar never mind cut a nut for one, but production must go on and they will cut corners to make sure orders are completed.

robgilmo

Maybe the guy running the nut former had enough of being paid peanuts for working long shifts and having the whip cracked in his direction so he joined a different agency and now runs a machine making tooth brushes on the next industrial estate, no one to take his place so the nuts are being formed by the guy who runs the fretting machine and until he gets the hang of it quality is suffering.

Neil

You bought it new, just ask to change it for another. I would.

Why should you wait around for Gawd knows how long whilst your original one is fixed under warranty?

Swap it now for a good one, now you know what you are looking for nut-wise.

MattFGBI

If the nut spacing is wrong we'll change the nut. 

It shouldn't be too long to wait for it. I'll keep my eye on it. 

Babones

How did that get past QC? Fender should do a press release once they've sorted this issue out. ie when it's safe to buy one again.

gavin_axecaster

There was a lot of talk about this when they first came out. Have a look at the pictures on the Fender site - some of those show the same uneven spacing, although perhaps not quite as severe. I suppose a job lot of nuts were incorrectly spaced but it is still strange how they all passed QC.