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I think I'm in need of a new nut for Grond, my TB-11, as the current one seems to be sitting too low, or the slots have worn down.
There's a pretty significant buzz in open G, and I've checked everything else I can think of checking. My question is, would shimming the current nut be a viable alternative? I have thin enough material to do it, just curious what yall would do in the long run.
Appreciate any feedback; thanks everyone!!
I have shimmed the nut in one banjo and used the superglue and baking soda technique to fill then refile the slots in two others. All these were intended as temporary fixes, but I never got around to buying or making new bone nuts.
On one low-end banjo I lucked out with a ready-made pre-slotted bone nut that was a drop-in replacement for the existing plastic nut. There's a chance it could happen for you. But no guarantee.
I think my only point here is that you might want to do the quick fix so you're not without the banjo. And you might want to do it with the intent to do something "better" for the permanent fix. But if the banjo plays well and sounds good with the quick fix . . .
Edited by - Old Hickory on 07/21/2026 11:08:30
I have made a lot of guitar nuts and banjo nuts over the years.
I maintain that If the existing nut is in good shape and the nut slots are still crisp and serviceable but one slot has been cut too deep, shim it.
If the nut slots are totally worn out on the existing nut and need to be recut then it’s best to build a new nut.
When shimming use the same material as the nut and cut it a bit bigger. Super Glue the two together then lightly sand the shim to the size of the nut (or nut mounting slot if the original nut has a sloppy fit) making sure the nut is flush with the fingerboard.
Edited by - Pick-A-Lick on 07/21/2026 11:21:15
I've never had a problem with a banjo nut, so I've never shimmed nor replaced. But I had an NICE OLD Martin guitar with a homemade shim nut and it irritated me so bad to see it, that I had a pro replace it. He did a capital job and IT IMPROVED THE TONE! Solid connective between a high quality animal derived nut and a totally flat peghead surface DOES matter for tone.
But I agree with everyone else, try a shim to see if it solves your buzz problem, before you invest in a proper nut replacement job.
Get the BEST quality animal-derived nut you can find and afford. Pre-war, Gibson's best models used mother of pearl for the nut. Harder than a whore's heart, as my relatives in Maine would say. Go for TUSQ if you have to.
I've used TUSQ guitar saddles and nuts and like them better than bone (except for the price).
After getting tired of the "squeak" related to bone nuts as the string wore into the slot I went to pearl banjo nuts in the 80s (StewMac) and never looked back.
Pearl is much harder than bone and is for all intents and purposes immune from strings wearing down into the bottom of the slots and I've heard people say that pearl is too bright,but I haven't found that to be the case.My flatheads w/pearl nuts have great bottom end "growl".
I believe JD Crowe used pearl nuts and his tone has never been described as bright.
Edited by - steve davis on 07/22/2026 09:59:23
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