Attaching a brass nut...

[metalchurch]

I bought a Brass nut today that I want to use on my Rhoads, but I was wondering what I should use to attach it?

Is there some kind of epoxy or strong glue that bonds metal to wood?
I would rather have it attached rather than to simply use the string tension to hold it in place, which would probably work I guess.

Also the neck doesn't have a slot where the nut sits in like a Fender.
It only has a shelf where the nut sits on.

What do you think about drilling a hole on the bottom of each side and then using a tiny metal dowel or pin to attach it?
I'd also have to drill matching hole onto the nut shelf of the neck.

Unless I can find a good glue or epoxy that's what I'll have to do I guess.

[Ron]

Joe,
If I remember correctly, most nuts are just lightly glued in so that they can be replaced without destroying part of the neck. The tension of the strings will hold it in place.

[RamRod 1]

Joe,
If I remember correctly, most nuts are just lightly glued in so that they can be replaced without destroying part of the neck. The tension of the strings will hold it in place.

I agree with Ron.

I'd run it for a while without gluing it at all just to see if you need any kind of adjustments. You might want to grind the bottom down a bit to lower the action or possibly shim it. Then when you're happy, lightly glue it.

[lonewolf]

All of the above, plus you need to rough up the bottom of the nut a little bit with a heavy grit sandpaper so the glue has something to attach to.

[metalchurch]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I used the nut that was on the neck as my guide for the height.
I played this neck on another gutiar, so I had the string slots cut where I wanted them.

I bought an Allparts brass nut for a Les Paul because it had a similar shape to the nut I was using and it wasn't the skinny, curved bottom one like a Fender.

Anyway, surprisingly it was the exact shape,width and height as the nut I had. The only thing that I'll have to do other than attaching it is to file the string slots to widen them out, cause it's a right handed nut.

I measured the old nut with feeler guages stacked up on the 1st fret and used a metal ruler in the low-E and high-E slots and used it as my straight edge.

I knew that the string tension would hold it in place for the most part, but I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be glued in like nuts made of other materials are.

I'll use sand paper as Jeff said to rough up the bottom and fretboard side of the nut, and put a dab of superglue in it for now and see if that helps.
If not, then it's JB Weld time boys!!

The Kahler Flyer bridge that I'm using has Brass rollers, so that coupled with the brass nut should have a nice sustain and bright sound to it.

I also put the heavy spring kit on the Kahler so it will be stiffer than normal and I wont be using it as a trem. That's why I didn't use a locking nut.
I'm planning on buying a Jackson DK2M neck with the Maple fretboard and locking nut as a future replacement anyway.

Thanks again for all the help, you guys rock!!

ps Anyone else ever use a brass nut?
What's your thoughts on it?