The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey all, I just put new nylons on my Carter. I ordered them from Steel Guitars of Canada to be sure I got the right ones for my guitar (3/32 rods). I put them on and man are they tight! I feel like I have to crank on them so hard that the rods twist and it seems like it effects getting the note dialed in. I'm thinking I should turn them on and off a few times to loosen them up? Anybody out there have experience with this?

There are a few different rod diameters being used so this is not uncommon. If the new ones seem tight it wouldn't hurt to do as you say, essentially threading them before final tuning. Good call.

Thanks Dave. I'll give it a try. On an additional note, these nylons are like a half inch longer than the originals. I didn't think I would like this, but it's actually nice to not have to bend over and twist to the side and crank your neck to see the tuners. I like it!

Check each pull rod make sure it is 3/32" and check the threads close. I worked on one guitar someone had cut the thread end with a set of Diagnial Pliers. Had to file the end smooth and angled to get a new Nylon on it.

I found 1 rod on a steel I bought 2nd hand, A Nylon would not screw on. Something did not look right. Got my Dial Calipers and measured the rod. It was a 7/64", Some one had used an Emmons Rod on the guitar.

A little rub of Bee's Wax or even candle wax on the threads, Will help if the rod size and threads are right.

Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

Are nylon tuners available at hardware stores?

No, nylon tuning nuts are not available at the hardware store.
I had a customer call me yesterday about tuning nuts that he ordered from me and said that they 'fell' onto the rod.
I've been over this before in a previous post but here goes again.
#3 rods use a #3 nut. Most typically there is a #3-48 thread on the rod. The rod diameter is approximately Ø.093" in diameter (3/32")
#4 rods use #4 nut. (note exception below)Ø.109" (7/64") #4-40 thread.
#5 Rods use #5nut.Ø.125" (1/8") #5-40 thread.

Many of the current builders use a #4 rod with a rolled thread which is #5-40. This is done through metal displacement which causes the smaller diameter rod to grow in size. I do not have the tools to do that. So it's always best to measure the THREAD!
You cannot cut a #5 thread on a #4 rod. Contrary to the information found elsewhere on this forum. Same as you cannot cut a #4 thread on a #3 rod. You may see lines there but all you have done is put scratches on the rod. Nothing more.

There aren't any commercially made electronic standoffs (which is what I use for my smaller length tuning nuts) that are sized for any of these threads, and the ones that are out there vary on the inside diameter. I recently bought 1000 to make tuning nuts. The I.D. should have been Ø.091" (which would barely, if at all grab on a #3 thread. All of them in the batch were Ø.097-.099" Basically good for #4 thread.
I drill every one of mine to provide Ø.010-.015" of interference fit with the rod thread so that they thread on easily and also have enough bite to hold them in place. Since they are nylon, When they are threaded on there is a small amount of material displaced due to the interference fit.
My tuning nuts will fit every time with the exception of rods that were threaded in the basement with the wrong type of die and cut off axis or grossly undersize from the international standards for thread form. I've been cutting threads for 50 years.

All of my tuning nuts that are over 1" in length, I make them from nylon hex stock.

I have been out of them for a long time and I apologize.for that but I now have everything restocked (except for #5x3/4". Hopefully within the next 2 weeks.

I wish that we had a section, here on the forum, to post reference information for a lot of the things that newbies and others trying to undertake repairs, could refer to. Information that has been verified by qualified individuals so that some of these myths that are out there can be dispelled.

Thanks for reading through this.

Michael

Michael,
That would be great information to have. It could be available as a "Sticky".