The cost to replace a guitar nut will vary depending on whether you choose to do-it-yourself or take your guitar to technician, and from there the type of guitar and replacement nut it requires.
Your Local Luthier
There are benefits abound when taking your guitar to a professional technician, especially if your guitar requires a bespoke nut.
Guitars like Strats and Teles, Les Pauls, etc. will be cheaper as there are plenty of drop-in replacements available. Any guitar requiring a nut blank will cost more – the tech will have to shape, sand, and slot the nut to the required spec.
Here is a general indication of what the cost to replace a guitar nut will be:
(All prices quoted as of 23rd of December 2024)
- Charlie Chandler Guitar Experience (London) - from £70 - https://ccgx.co.uk/
- Jack’s Instrument Services (Manchester) - from £60 - https://jacksinstrumentservices.com/prices.html
- McIntyre Guitars (Edinburgh) - from £45 - https://www.mcintyreguitars.com/prices/
The cost to replace a guitar nut will be greater with a luthier, but the resulting installation and setup will be worth every penny.
DIY
As stated before, many guitars will have direct nut replacements available. Graphtech have TUSQ nuts to fit many, many different guitars. Bone nut examples that will drop-in on guitars from Fender and Gibson. All cheap and readily available; the cost here really is your time. Providing you are happy to remove the existing nut, fit the new one (with some minor sanding), and re-string the guitar, the DIY approach is your best bet.
It is when your guitar requires a bespoke nut that you might begin to run into difficulties. The nut will need shaping, sanding, and slotting – all of which require time, skill/knowledge, and the correct tools. Bone nut blanks are cheap and easy to source; the tools however can quickly add up to way beyond the cost of a professional setup. If, however, this is something you plan to do again or more of, investing in the tools may be worthwhile.
