Floyd nuts

[potatohead]

I have a Japanese Soloist with a Floyd, and it is a great guitar. I do notice however, compared to my RG (which is a fixed bridge), that the strings are spaced out just a touch further from each other, even though the nuts on both guitars are 43mm, but obviously the Jackson has a locking nut and the RG a graphite nut. I am wondering if it's possible to swap the nut on the Jackson to another one with slightly closer string spacing. My low E is pretty close to the edge of the board as well and I am wondering if perhaps they put on the nut for a neck with no binding (R4), and mine is bound (which should have an R3?)... Not sure.

Anyway, is this possible at all or would you have to monkey with the bridge as well? Does the new nut just simply bolt in place of the old one? Of course I would have to double check string height with it. If I do in fact have the R3, can you put an R2 on it?

Thanks

[charvel750]

There's really no rules to doing these kinds of things, try it out and see. If it doesn't work, you can always go back to original. I think that your Soloist would have an R3 nut, but you could try an R2 just to see.

[potatohead]

Does the nut just simply bolt on (it's not glued or anything?). If so that makes it pretty simple. I see the nuts are for a 10" radius but I guess filing the center two strings slots a little would make it match the 12" radius better, unless Jackson leaves them alone from the factory.

[charvel750]

Yeah, they are now attached by two screws. When you remove the locking clamps you'll see the 2 screws, unscrew them and the nut lifts out, no glue. There might be metal/paper shims underneath for fine adjustment, so pay attention to that and replace as original if you go back.

[potatohead]

Cool. I'll pull mine off shortly and see what it is.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

If it's a really new import Soloist with a Korean Floyd, it will have an R3 nut. If it's an older one with the JT580LP, then it will have a metric/import lock nut and those are tough to match up.

You could get it set up for a Floyd nut but that's probably not a DIY job, unless you've got a router/drill and a little talent/luck etc.

[DonP]

Does the nut just simply bolt on (it's not glued or anything?). If so that makes it pretty simple. I see the nuts are for a 10" radius but I guess filing the center two strings slots a little would make it match the 12" radius better, unless Jackson leaves them alone from the factory.

I'm pretty sure they are left at 10" at the factory. It think it would be easier changing the fretboard design to be a 10" to 16" than to file down a bunch of nuts correctly.

If that last 2" is killing you, go for it.

[potatohead]

If it's a really new import Soloist with a Korean Floyd, it will have an R3 nut. If it's an older one with the JT580LP, then it will have a metric/import lock nut and those are tough to match up.

You could get it set up for a Floyd nut but that's probably not a DIY job, unless you've got a router/drill and a little talent/luck etc.

It's got the Korean Floyd, the FRT-2000 or whatever it's called. It's a 2006 model, the Sam Ash ones. Is there anything "wrong" with putting an R2 on it other than a tiny bit of neck poking out on the nut slot? I would imagine the mounting bolt spacing on all of them is the same. I just find it odd the two guitars are spaced differently with the same nut size, but it does look (by eye) that the Jackson neck is a touch wider across the fretboard than the RG.

I'm pretty sure they are left at 10" at the factory. It think it would be easier changing the fretboard design to be a 10" to 16" than to file down a bunch of nuts correctly.

If that last 2" is killing you, go for it.

I'd rather leave it, to be honest, just for simplicity.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Ah, you are in luck then, dude. Those are real Floyd nuts, or at least dimensionally equivalent.

I think that the mounting holes are in the same spot for the R2 and R3 nuts. However, I've heard they are not (Warmoth says that their locking nut prep is "different" and they have to know which nut you are going to use...) so, you might want to wait for a definite answer or you could waste $40 to find out, either one.

A least you don't have to deal with the metric nut crapshoot, though.

[potatohead]

Well, Warmoth says the mounting holes on the R2 and R3 are spaced differently... So that's puts the old kaibosh on this one. Oh well. I think I will try and see if I can loosen my current one and shift it about a mm or so to the treble side. Won't help string spacing but will move the low E onto the board a touch more.

[tonemonster]

when I saw this thread I figured it was for people who were really into Floyd the Barber.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

It's funny you mention that... I am a huge fan of Floyd the Barber.