The Zero Glide Replacement Nut System borrows the "zero fret" concept to reduce string contact in the nut by up to 93%, increasing tuning stability, playability, and open string tone. It only takes a few minutes to install with absolutely no permanent alteration to your instrument. For Martin & Taylor Style Guitar (Blank).
Also available in Black Delrin.
I installed this on an old Alvarez acoustic that used to belong to my Dad. The strings had started to buzz badly and the bridge height was maxed out so I knew it must be the nut. Took about an hour to cut down the new nut and shape with the Drexel tool; sided/polished the frets and installed glide nut with the tallest feet wire. Worked like a charm and no more buzzing. Even lowed the bridge down to a reasonable height as well. Great product and easy to install.
I bought the mandolin version and fitted it to my Gibson. There's a lot of extra material to remove, but the result was great. Easier tuning (the old nut had tight slots for the A strings), better intonation. Later I used one of the extra frets in the package to fix a tenor guitar. For that, I simply filed the necessary ledges in the existing nut and widened the string slots. It would be nice if Stew-Mac would also sell the offset tang frets separately, for retrofitting to an existing nut.
The bone nut was easy to install. I sanded the length and depth with a table sander. The instructions are complete and easy to follow. Four zero frets of different sizes are included in the banjo kit--you try the smallest and work your way up until you have no open string buzz. Use medium viscosity cyanoacrylate (available from Stewmac) so you have time to set the nut and fret properly. I'm pleased with the results, improved tone, and hammer-ons and pull-offs are more defined.
I had a Zero Glide Zero Fret Nut installed on my 68 Epiphone SG Clone by the luthier who does ALL of my guitar work Scott Thompson at String Craft - here in Memphis . 1st off I have to say that this guitar is one of my go-to guitars the others being my 1964 handmade Mosrite Celebrity Prototype and an early 80 s Mexican Telecaster. Upon getting my guitar back with the new Zero Glide installed I plugged it into my 65 Blackface Deluxe Reverb with a JBL D120f and I was IMMEDIATELY blow away by the improvement in the TONE of this guitar... It was pretty good before BUT now it is piano like ... The tone blew me away not to mention the improvement in ACTION... You see I am a BIG proponent of Zero Frets due to my Mosrite which is the standard by which I judge all others but I was not ready for the massive improvement that was realized by the installation of the Zero Glide Zero Fret Nut on this guitar. I have used this guitar now on a couple of gigs and am STILL blown away. OH tun
I play fingerstyle guitar. My favorite guitar is a Gretsch 5420 Electromatic . For some reason the designers at Gretsch moved away from the zero fret. When You string up with 10's or 9's I guess it probably doesn't matter much because the first position will be easy with light gauge strings. My touch and style of playing requires .012's. With heavier strings while the 5420 is beautiful to see and hear the first position was challenging to play. I installed the zero glide following the instructions in the package and to my amazing pleasure the 5420 played like my '66 Nashville used to. I couldn't be happier. Thanks to the people that designed this product. The tone is great the tuning is improved and the first position action is second to none.
$39.99