How to Keep your Guitar Nut working at its best

By Ian Bush on 13 December 2011

One of our good customers was asking me recently about how to solve a nut issue on a 12 string

How do I stop my 12 string guitar snapping the High G string each time I tune it up?

We have 2 different things that really help this issue

1. Change your high G to a 9 gauge - We find that by using a slightly thicker string these last a lot longer (most 12 string sets use an 8 gauge)
2. Grab a pencil; rub the pencil in the slot

Why do you use a pencil?

If you ever hear your strings creaking, it just means the string is getting caught a little in the nut. Rub a little pencil into the slot and the graphite from your pencil acts as a lubricant and lets the string flow a bit easier. It does leave a little mess but it will make your guitar tune a lot easier. You can also get specially designed nut lubricant or some people even use Vaseline (but only a touch).