General Music Chat

. . . about the nut and string guage . . .
I wouldn't be concerned about the nut wearing down. If it did, it'd probably just improve the action, anyway . . .
If the nut gets too low, you can put one or two slivers of paper under it to raise it back up.

When a string cuts a groove in a nut that is shaped for a heavier gauge, the string will catch and release when you try to tune it. You turn the key, but the string doesn't move. So you turn the key a little more, and the string jumps up in pitch - often higher than you wish. Very annoying. Plastic nuts are more easily cut than bone.

Sans,
The biggee for me is usually humidity.
Last year I had my acoustic in fairly dry air conditioning for about 3 days straight.
I went out and played at a place with all the doors/windows open, and it was hot, humid, and sticky. It was on the seashore, and the fog was rolling in . . .
. . . well, my guitar sure noticed the difference . . .

I prefer playing in dry conditions, anyway. My music can be pretty demanding on one's fingertips, and my calluses are much harder when it's dry out.
I played 3 hours straight that night, without no break, and my fingertips got somewhat chewed up . . .
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Rick,
Yeah, I've got a cheap-o practice guitar that does that. It's annoying to tune the "G" string on it. I applied a tiny dab of lithium grease, and that helped a little.
When I tune that guitar, I press down on the strings by the sound hole, and on the other side of the nut, by the pegs.
Let me tell you, I much prefer a guitar with a built-in tuner . . .

Smaller gauge strings shouldn't be a major issue, they will dig into the nut somewhat, but it's only a problem if you start to hear that pinging sound when you tune upwards. That means the string is hanging in the nut slot.

I think what R-man meant by the electric strings possibly causing fret damage is that the steel strings are much harder than bronze and could much more quickly create fret grooves. Mine did. But then again I played it on the street 5 or 6 nights a week, 5-7 hours a night for 4 years...mostly with electric strings, 10 gauge usually. Then I went to the light top heavy bottom acoustic sets about 2 years into that period.

Nuts are inexpensive, last one I bought was bone and cost me $6.Only problem is it's a blank and has to be sanded to fit then have the slots cut. I have to have a shop do the slots, I don't have the $125 for a set of nut files.

Good luck Kramer, I'm glad the audition went well, I hope they decide you're the one.

Ive never tried to use electric strings on my acoustic, ill have to screw around with it at my next show. Always cool to try something new.

Regarding stretching strings:
I hold the string down with my thumb (usually starting on the 12th fret), move up a space of two to 3 frets with my 1st finger and curl it under the string.
Then I pull up (tug) with my finger while pushing down with my thumb. Sometimes I curl the second finger under as well to get a little extra strength tug.
Then I move towards the headstock at about 4 fret intervals and repeat. Then retune that string -- Repeat till I run out of strings.
I've found it to be a better way than just pulling up on strings to stretch them.
Takes a bit of time, but you should be good to go when youre done.
Well, barring going form room temp out into 100 degrees to play or something like that, you should be good.

I had some of that string drag problems with my new Paul. That pinging sound when the string jumps, yea thats frustrating. I put a dab of Breakfree CLP @ each string along the nut with an insulin syringe. no more drag and ping.

As long as it sounds about the same - who cares?
If you put new strings on, you're going to be retuning all night . . .

Not if you stretch them out properly once they're on.