Best acoustic & classical guitar nuts according to redditors

A nice looking guitar! Because these are entry-level guitars for beginners, there are a few things that can be upgraded for cheap that are totally worth it. For example, one of the first things I would do on that guitar for a beginner is to get some straplocks. These replace the strap buttons with ones that "lock" the strap onto the instrument, preventing it from falling off when you're playing. The next thing I'd upgrade would be the nut. That one is cheap plastic. A nut like this would make a world of difference. Last but not least, the tuning machine heads are low quality. Your guitar will need to be tuned way too often with the stock ones. Upgrading to something more stable would be a good idea in the long run. You can even upgrade the pickups for cheap. High end pickups cost hundersd of dollars, but cheap ones sound great too! Go to eBay or Amazon and check out some of the very cheap "single coil" guitar pickups. Basically all of them will fit in your guitar, and how-to videos are all over YouTube. Pickups change the way guitars sound. You can get them for as low as $10 and as high as $200. Experimentation is key!



However, when you do the math, once you start doing substantial upgrades, it becomes pointless. You can just buy a better intermediate guitar for nearly the same price as buying new high-end pickups (for example), which might be wiser than funnelling money into this one. But, upgrading this cheap guitar bit by bit will make you really appreciate the craft a lot more. It will open a door of possibilities for you.


I've been saving up to buy one of these. I've wanted one ever since they came out, but only recently decided to start saving. I want the black SL, but I plan on swapping the white pickguard for a black one. I've managed to save $50 thus far, which has taken an embarrassingly long time (money is tight for the foreseeable future). There are no guitar shops in my hometown, so I have to order one online which makes them a touch more expensive than I'd like. I'm certain I won't be owning one before the decade ends unless a handful of people buy my synth project's discography whilst it's still on sale (85% off).

I highly recommend watching this YouTube playlist about your guitar. It's about your exact guitar, and one man's journey with modding it - and destroying it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7FKqzVMbe4&list=PLR9ppQtzpJEvQVwK91ww572MWrMTAP7vX

Welcome to the electric family.

Get a GraphTech nut.

The GraphTech nut is HUGE. So first find out your fret board radius, and the width of the nut. Get the closest nut width. Be ready to sand the nut down to the shape you need. I had a tusq nut for awhile but couldn't get it to fit perfectly so I just got a fender one again (the original broke because I tried to force a .58 in one of the slots too hard.) As for their saddles, they are phenomenal. Easy to install, all you'll need is a small-ish phillips head, and the allen key they come with to adjust them. They essentially eliminate string breakage. I'm not saying it's impossible, but your strings will last notably longer. The saddles are phenomenal for me, so I'll have them on my favorite strat for the foreseeable future. And the nut is good, the one I purchased was much too tall. The action was ridiculously high in the first 4 frets or so and the one I bought was flat bottomed and my fretboard is a 9.5 radius. So the nut did nothing wrong it was MY MISTAKE with the nut. Also, to any readers this nut will not fit a 9.5 inch radius or smaller out of the box.

That sounds like the nut is too small for your strings, look at getting a replacement nut, something like this

Youtube has a lot of guides on how to replace one, just make sure you get the right one for your guitar or you're gona spend a long time sanding to get it to fit, like I did

I'd not widen it. Just buy this:

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Gate-F-3303-Guitar-Conversion/dp/B0002Z3N8O

This will preserve the guitar and save you time and money.

Second on Rob Meldrum's book, but he does one thing wrong. The nut is not worth saving. It is not worth making tools and and then spending an hour to recarve a plastic POS. Buy this instead. Will saving you a ton of aggravation and you'll end up with a far superior product. I also found that fret board needed a 0000 steel wool sanding and bore oil.

It could be a problem with the indents on your nut, the piece where your strings rest at fret 0. Any local luthier could have a look for you and replace the nut if the high E indent is too deep.

Get a Graph Tech TUSQ Nut if possible, it will improve your tuning stability and help prolong the life of the strings.

Definitely not an Affinity then. This bridge will fit regardless of the body style: https://www.guitarfetish.com/Squier-and-Import-Compatible-105mm-Chrome-Shorty-Complete-Tremolo_p_24704.html

You can use a graphtec pre slotted strat nut on that guitar, since it has the standard-width neck: https://www.amazon.com/Graph-Tech-Fender-Style-Slotted/dp/B003HGQTIG

The tuners are likely Schaller-style sealed tuners, so these should drop in: https://www.guitarfetish.com/Now-STAGGERED-Gotoh-style-Locking-Tuners-Sperzel-Style-String-Lock-_p_514.html

For pickups, I used these: http://www.eyguitarmusic.com/Artec-Power-Single-Pickups-SMDA35Hum-CancellingWhiteAlnicoNeckMiddleBridgeAlnico_p_1294.html

Not a traditional single coil, but still straty enough and completely noise free.

I would get a TusQ nut like this http://www.amazon.com/Graph-Tech-Fender-Style-Slotted/dp/B003HGQTIG.

Either your slot is flat and there will be no filing required (just wood glue), or your slot is slightly rounded and there is minimal filing (again use wood glue, don't use super glue or anything too adhesive because a nut is not permanent).

Also, to remove the previous nut, just use an xacto knife or similar and tap it out once it's loose.

"Is it difficult to find parts that will fit?"

It's not difficult at all. Most standard Strat parts like pickguards fit perfectly, and the electronics are good enough as is.

The only thing I would definitely do is a) replace the stock nut with a Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut (they're $12 from Amazon and usually another $15 to get a tech to install), and b) get it professionally set up.

https://www.amazon.com/Graph-Tech-GRC-10-Fender-Slotted/dp/B003HGQTIG

You could replace the pots, switch, jack and caps with higher quality stuff, but it's not at all required unless they get get noisy.

The CV 60s pickups are OEM versions of the Tonerider Classic Blues set (http://www.tonerider.com/classic-blues), which are very nice vintage-style Alnico V pickups, so unless you're going for more modern sounds, no upgrade is necessary there.

Properly set up, they are quite good guitars that sound great and are a breeze to play.

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That said, since I am an inveterate modder and can't leave well enough alone, here are the mods I've done to my two CVs:

CV 60s - 3 color sunburst

Tusq XL Nut

Black pickguard, pickup covers and knobs for a "blackout" look

Deaf Eddie Chromacaster switch (http://www.deaf-eddie.net/chromie.html) 6-position rotary switch that replaces one of the tone knobs and yields 16 different tones instead of the Strat's standard 5.

Fralin baseplate under bridge pickup; increases bass and mids a little, gives it a bit beefier and more aggressive sound (https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/prepped-baseplate/#)

New controls, wiring, caps.

CV 60s - Lake Placid blue

Tusq XL Nut

Mint green pickguard

Seymour Duncan Everything Axe pickup set (Lil 59 neck / Duckbucker mid / JB Jr. bridge) (https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/everything-axe-set)

New controls, wiring, caps.

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For Gibsons, it is usually a good idea to replace the factory nut with something like this. I know where you are coming from, however a few tweaks is all it takes. I hear you though.

Never heard of such a thing but my instinct was that it would be called a 'lap steel conversion nut' and sure enough this is the first thing I found

I'm not sure of the price. I saw it in a YouTube video. I'm assuming they're less than $20

Edit: $10 on amazon

I love the sound of resonating guitars.