Gibson ES-175 - First string slips out of the nut

**ovidius** · 01-17-2018, 05:31 PM

Hello,

I have just received today an ES-175 from CME, after a long wait as I am in Europe. The guitar looks very good and sounds well, but the first string is so close to the border that sometimes it slips out of the fretboard. Gibson ES-175 - First string slips out of the nut-p80117-214540-jpg

Gibson ES-175 - First string slips out of the nut-p80117-214540-jpg

Gibson ES-175 - First string slips out of the nut-p80117-164349-jpg

Do you think is possible to correct this?

Thanks in advance

**Arnesto** · 01-17-2018, 05:36 PM

I Think that it Will be necesary to remake the nut

**waltf** · 01-17-2018, 05:36 PM

new nut or move the bridge a bit? how is the string alignment over the pickups?
If you need a new nut i'm sure CME will cover the cost.. cheaper then them having to pay for the return.

**lawson-stone** · 01-17-2018, 05:49 PM

JoeD/Max405 had the identical problem and solved it in about 20 minute with baking soda, crazy glue, and a file. Seriously. Search for his post on that.

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**ovidius** · 01-17-2018, 05:50 PM

Thank you very much for the reply.

I have little knowledge but I also believe that changing the nut can be the solution. Moving up the bridge could be a good thing but may pass the problem to the sixth string.

Tomorrow I will go to the luthier...

**Brian B** · 01-17-2018, 05:52 PM

Pretty 175. A new nut and you're in business. Enjoy it!

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**lawson-stone** · 01-17-2018, 05:53 PM

Before you spend a lot of money, find Max405's explanation of the baking-soda/crazy glue fix. Baking soda mixed with a drop of crazy glue will permanently fill the slot in the nut. Then you can file a new slot just a hair inside the old one, and it's done. He said it took about 15-20 minutes. But if you want to spend a bunch of money, be without the guitar for at least several days, etc. you can do that too. Each to their own.

**Brian B** · 01-17-2018, 05:57 PM

LS, t'were it mine, I'd spring for a new nut. Maybe it's me, but the low E looks to be close to the edge as much as the high E is... I'd have a new nut cut moving them all a half a scosch in across the board.

If it's just the high E the OP is having a problem with, the baking soda/glue fix would be fine.

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**ovidius** · 01-17-2018, 06:00 PM

Thanks guys, I was quite worried, but if it is just a matter of changing the nut it is no big deal

**Longways to Go** · 01-17-2018, 06:00 PM

I believe the bridge is pinned, so that won't be the fix.
Mine is the same way, but I'm living with it so far -- not a big deal once you get used to it.

**lawson-stone** · 01-17-2018, 06:01 PM

I'm pasting JoeD/Max405's explanation here for the "baking soda and super-glue" fix. Disclaimer: I haven't ever done this, but JoeD is an old hand at dealing with guitars. He did it with his new figured ES175 and is delighted.
_______
As for how to fix it, it’s the old baking soda/crazy glue trick. Remove the string. Mask off the areas above and below up against the nut. Take a sharp sharpie, and make a line next to the string slot, one string width away from the existing slot. Between the E&B string..
Then take the pinch of BakingSoda and place it on top of the old slot. Press the tip of your finger onto the tiny pile of bakingsoda. Then blow the rest of it away. Remove your finger and the slot will be neatly filled with the bakingsoda. Then put a single drop of superglue on the bakingsoda. It will dry quickly when mixed with the BS. Let it dry for 5 minutes. Where you made your mark with the Sharpie, take a nut file .01 or the back of a utility knife and carve the nut slot. Place the string in the slot. You may have to remove the string and file in the slot more until you get it right. Once you are done, file any excess glue off the top of the nut.

**ovidius** · 01-17-2018, 06:10 PM

Really I don't think the bridge is pinned in any new es-175.

Thanks for the backing soda explanation, but in this case I don't dare doing anything myself

**lawson-stone** · 01-17-2018, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by ovidius

Really I don't think the bridge is pinned in any new es-175.

Thanks for the backing soda explanation, but in this case I don't dare doing anything myself

The bridges are pinned in the new ES175s. It's not hard to circumvent, but they are pinned.

**2bornot2bop** · 01-17-2018, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by ovidius

Really I don't think the bridge is pinned in any new es-175.

Thanks for the backing soda explanation, but in this case I don't dare doing anything myself

Oh no, it's pinned. Which is why some refused to partake in the CME sell. Still, great guitar nonetheless.

**Marty Grass** · 01-17-2018, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by ovidius

Really I don't think the bridge is pinned in any new es-175.

Thanks for the backing soda explanation, but in this case I don't dare doing anything myself

That's a beautiful guitar that should give you a lifetime of pleasure. The nut can easily be fixed or replaced. While you're at it, have your luthier set up the guitar with the strings you'll want long term. This is a small investment with a great payoff.

**waltf** · 01-17-2018, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

The bridges are pinned in the new ES175s. It's not hard to circumvent, but they are pinned.

Oh didn't know that.. the es-175 vos bridge certainly isn't. Learn something new every day..

**ovidius** · 01-17-2018, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

Oh no, it's pinned. Which is why some refused to partake in the CME sell. Still, great guitar nonetheless.

I didn't know, I am quite surprised

**rob taft** · 01-17-2018, 06:47 PM

Replacing the nut would be the way I would go, I've done the baking soda deal but it is not as durable as bone and will wear out. That said, while the nut fix is the easiest solution, the real problem to my eyes is the over beveled fret ends.

**ptchristopher3** · 01-17-2018, 08:14 PM

deleted

**SkipBurz** · 01-17-2018, 11:42 PM

Let me attest to Joe D's instructions above since he was posting them for me. I bought a 175 from CME that had the same problem. Apparently, there was a whole batch of nuts that were cut incorrectly at the Gibson factory. (That's our beloved Gibson!) I filled the old slot with a little baking soda and super glue per Joe's instructions. I polished it with very, very fine sandpaper. Then I measured about a string's width away from the old slot and cut a new one. It works perfectly. I'm fortunate in that I have a friend who is a local luthier. It's driving him crazy that I haven't yet brought by my guitar to let him cut a new nut. My 10 minute repair is working perfectly, so I'm not going to mess with it for now. Besides, it makes for a good story. Good luck.

Skip B.

**Longways to Go** · 01-18-2018, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by SkipBurz

Let me attest to Joe D's instructions above since he was posting them for me. I bought a 175 from CME that had the same problem. Apparently, there was a whole batch of nuts that were cut incorrectly at the Gibson factory. (That's our beloved Gibson!) I filled the old slot with a little baking soda and super glue per Joe's instructions. I polished it with very, very fine sandpaper. Then I measured about a string's width away from the old slot and cut a new one. It works perfectly. I'm fortunate in that I have a friend who is a local luthier. It's driving him crazy that I haven't yet brought by my guitar to let him cut a new nut. My 10 minute repair is working perfectly, so I'm not going to mess with it for now. Besides, it makes for a good story. Good luck.

Skip B.

So what tool did you use to cut the slot?
I only ask because I don't have a set of nut files and I wouldn't want to make a hack job of it . . .

**6stringjazz** · 01-18-2018, 12:07 AM

I had the same problem with a CME 335. Instead of messing with the nut, I had the frets leveled and recrowned, which it needed anyway. This solved the problem since the factory fret dressing tended to allow the first string to slip due to the excessive bevel. The new leveling is flatter therefore no string slippage. The nut in this case, although cut close, was not the entire problem.

**SkipBurz** · 01-18-2018, 12:18 AM

Sure...so I just used a razor blade. I carefully scored it with the sharp edge, and then widened and smoothed the groove with the non-sharp side (or back) of the blade. Since it's the high E string, you certainly don't want to go too deep. It just needs enough of a groove to stay put.The bone nut cuts very easily, so you don't need much pressure. I cut the slot, then wound on a 12 gauge string. I bent the string to make sure it was staying put, gave it the eye ball test to make sure it looked seated, and that was it. It took two tries, as the first time it popped out of the groove when I bent the string at around the third fret. Good luck.

Best,
Skip B.

**ovidius** · 01-18-2018, 04:15 AM

I have measured the neck at the nut and is 1 10/16 43mm as expected, and the distance between 1st and 6th is 36mm (1 3/8). It is exactly as my ibanez es-175 clone.

So I am afraid that the nut is OK, and the problem is the fret beveling. Even if I change the nut I will have let's say 33mm instead of 36 string space at the nut, and I don't want that.

Let's see what my luthier says.

**rio** · 01-18-2018, 06:49 AM

That does seem like a very wide bevel. How they can make mistakes like that and still ship the guitars is beyond me - either no one plays them to test them or they just don’t care. Once it is fixed up you will be good to go but a nut change is one thing and drastically filing down the frets is another. One way or another you’ll have it resolved though so I wish you the best once it gets playable for you.

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