Nut for Vega

Bill Fall · Post by **Bill Fall** » 12 Oct 2013 6:28 am

I recently recovered my old 6-string Vega lap steel after it being missing for four decades. The controls are rusted solid & there's a chunk broken off the nut next to the 5th string, causing the string to buzz. Where, if possible, can I get a ready-made replacement nut? (I'd also be interested in replacement volume & tone pots, too.)

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 12 Oct 2013 7:34 am

Cool that you got your old steel back! What model Vega is it? You should post a pic or two if you can.

Finding a drop in ready made nut is probably not possible. If the one you have is bone or plastic, its pretty common to do minor repairs and fills on those with some baking soda and super glue.
Here is a recent Stewmac Trade Secrets video on how http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0197.html

For the pots, it may be possible to free them up with some DeoxIT cleaner. Here is Stewmac's link, but you can find it elsewhere and sometimes local for cheaper.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... eaner.html

Bill Fall · Post by **Bill Fall** » 14 Oct 2013 9:14 am

Thanks for the tips & pix, Tom. Your steels look great!

I'm in NH & left my Vega at my friend's house down near Rhode Island, so I don't know the model number, but it's one of the more common black & white models I used to see coming into Vega for repair when I worked there as a kid. Comparing it to the styling of my late 1930's Vega console, I'm guessing it was made in the 1940s.

The nut is a plastic one -- obviously a replacement. I'll check out the link to see if the fix is do-able. Again, thanks so much!