Locking nut size on Japan 90s charvels

[timstar5150]

I need to replace the locking nut section on my 90s Japanese Charvel (the funny strat headed types, Journeyman style). Has anyone replaced them before or can tell me what size it is? I've measured and measured and its either a 42mm (r2) or a 43mm (r3) its that close.

Any help appreciated.

tim

[DonP]

I'm curious, what color is it?

Just an opinion: When it comes to sizes and it's that close, I'm not sure it matters that much. If you have big fingers, go for the R3. If you have small fingers, go for the R2.

[charvelguy]

Usually the 1-11/16" are R3. Difference is only a 1/16 between the two.

[SGplayer]

deleted

[Jackson-Charvel]

Weren't most/all of the Model Series 1 11/16" whereas the Toothpaste / Contemporary Series 1 5/8" sized nuts?

[timstar5150]

Its the not the CX291 I have, its an early Japanese 90s Charvel apparently, There is a thread on it in the main discussion board but the pic links have disappeared

I think its a R3 because the one thats in there at the moment is almost definately an R2 and there is a slight bit of wood space on the right hand side of the locking nut (1mm!)

The height of the locking nut is shorter than an original floyd (or at least the 3 nuts are shorter) because I tried to put an original floyd nut in the locking nut on the charvel and it was too big.

A tech I know has suggested a schaller, bit expensive but lasts longer apparently.

Any more advice most welcome.

[DonP]

I had a huge issue with this. Back in the early 90's, nuts weren't as tall as they are now. I have a "short" old R2 nut bought back in the 90s. But I have an unfinished axe (made in the late 80s) that needs a "short" R3/R4 nut width. So I bought 4 R3 nuts, and each one of them was too tall. So I said F it and just used the R2 nut for now since it had the correct height.

Good luck finding a short nut. After 4 tries I gave up. You definitely need to look at used stuff, the older the better. Don't buy a new nut, it will be too tall.

One other solution - buy a new nut and have it ground down.

[timstar5150]

Ive just spent £30 on a brand new black schaller R2 (schaller are hell to find in the UK).

Your right it is actually an R3 from a width perspective but the height of the R3s is far too much. There is a mm of wood showing on the right hand bottom side, but its hardly noticable and the guitar now sings and it has got rid of my "G string" ringing issue, which was annoying me muchly! (This was because of the nut section being worn).

So all in all I'm very happy as my guitar now has an original floyd bridge and a schaller nut and all in all cost me under £200 including the guitar!

Best guitar I own now.

[DonP]

Just for kicks I went here:

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com

and looked at the dimensions of nuts. It' looks like R2's are just made smaller and R3/4's are just made taller.

I guess we did the right thing sticking to the R2.

Here is an interesting thing about the R43's from asia. They don't have a flat bottom, rather, an edge all around the bottom that raises the height of the nut. I bet anything if this edge was ground down so that the nut had a flat bottom, it would be the correct height. I just need suggestions on how to grind it down - I'll post in the tech forum.