Les Paul with Zero Glide Nuts system

[JohanAbrandt]

This is a product recommendation. I have a les paul tribute 50s 2011, with plenty of mods. Tuning has always been sketchy especially on d and g. I know how to cut nut slots and I used teflon lube.

A while back I put a les trem II on it, and matters got worse. Changed to schaller roller bridge, locking tuners etc, but still problems behind the nut. So I decided to try a zero glide nut system, which is a nut with place for a zero fret. The fitting took about 30 minutes, and sandpaper, nailfile, and a metal clipper was all the tools needed.

Action is better than ever, and tuning stability is now really good. Still no divebombs, but its not the nut that is the limiting factor.

I can recommend it, although since I have nut blanks and fret wire in bulk, I might do the next by myself

[RJVB]

I can recommend it, although since I have nut blanks and fret wire in bulk, I might do the next by myself

Tricky as they use fret wire with the tang not in the centre.

[sgosnell]

The String Butler makes tuning easier by providing a straight path through the nut, and around freely rotating pulleys. I have some on guitars with wide headstocks, and they help a lot. Much easier to install and/or remove.
string-butler - dietrich parts - www.string-butler.com

[Woody Sound]

Tricky as they use fret wire with the tang not in the centre.

Interesting, it looks like the tang sits between the nut and the end of the fb.

[RJVB]

Interesting, it looks like the tang sits between the nut and the end of the fb.

It does, and if you think about it it's a bit weird that it would be like that. I'd have to have a look if the top of the fret also has its high point over that location, as you'd expect it would need to have!

[sgosnell]

One side of the fret is narrower because it sits against the nut, and can't go the full width. The center of the fret is in the correct place, but the side that sits on the shelf carved into the nut isn't quite as wide, because the nut shelf isn't deep enough to hold the full width of the fret. Design choice.

[RJVB]

Interesting though that the one I installed looks as wide as the regular frets on the guitar. That's even how I picked it out of the provided fret sizes.

[sgosnell]

The difference is small, just enough to prevent one using a standard fret. I suppose a standard fret could be installed, but the intonation would be off just a little. A regular nut certainly wouldn't work without the shelf, which would be almost impossible to cut by hand. A good deal of thought went into the product design, rather obviously.

[JohanAbrandt]

The difference is small, just enough to prevent one using a standard fret. I suppose a standard fret could be installed, but the intonation would be off just a little. A regular nut certainly wouldn't work without the shelf, which would be almost impossible to cut by hand. A good deal of thought went into the product design, rather obviously.

I believe I can cut the shelf with a file, but since I havent tried yet I could be wrong.

[RJVB]

You might be able to if you have a flat fingerboard. It's really important that the upper shelf/ridge is as close a continuation of the fingerboard as possible, if you want the fret to seat as correctly as it should. If it doesn't you'll either get buzzing and/or intonation errors, or you end up with a too high action at the nut (and thus intonation errors). Or a combination of both, depending on the string...

[JohanAbrandt]

You might be able to if you have a flat fingerboard. It's really important that the upper shelf/ridge is as close a continuation of the fingerboard as possible, if you want the fret to seat as correctly as it should. If it doesn't you'll either get buzzing and/or intonation errors, or you end up with a too high action at the nut (and thus intonation errors). Or a combination of both, depending on the string...

I think I can do it with a radiused fingerboard as well, but I will report back when done

[Woody Sound]

Here's an illustrated cross section from their web site. It makes sense, because you'd want the center of the fret to be aligned with the end of the fb, not the tang, which sits behind it.

[sgosnell]

I believe I can cut the shelf with a file, but since I haven't tried yet I could be wrong.

Pretty much anything that can be done by a CNC machine can be done with hand tools, but the amount of time and effort required is not even close to comparable. That would take me days of work, and I'm not willing to invest that much time and effort when I can get the parts already perfectly made and ready to install for very little money. YMMV, and good luck with it. The regular fretwire will put the center of the zero fret slightly out of the ideal position for intonation, but it might be close enough. Or you could shorten the fretboard very slightly. I haven't tried it, and don't plan to.

[Woody Sound]

Check out this Fender installation. It looks like they put the fret in backwards.

[sgosnell]

It's backwards, AFAICT, and not matched properly. The nut is too high, making the fret lean forward. Not a good job of installation.