I think i have a buzzy nut

adampeter

My SG has recently developed a buzz, only on the A string and stops if i fret the string, i think it may be the nut slot a tad low, am i correct? easy fix?

andy_k

Not necessarily low, but possibly a bit worn. Try a drop of clear nail polish, or superglue for a temporary fix.
Preferably, a drop with the string out of the slot, then tune up and let harden.
If it is low, it will rattle on an open chord, which is a bit different to a buzz from a worn slot or bad angle.
It usually affects the plain stings more, and if it is low there are other fixes (baking soda) which will mean the slot needs
re cutting.

WezV

Check by fretting the 3rd fret and tapping the string against the 1st. There should be a tiny gap between string and first fret.  If its already touching the first fret, it's too low.  

If you have a tiny gap, check relief and action.  

Funkfingers

adampeter said:

My SG has recently developed a buzz, only on the A string and stops if i fret the string, i think it may be the nut slot a tad low, am i correct? easy fix?

If the guitar has machineheads with a hex nut fastening around the post (rather than a push-in ferrule), check that the nut is nipped up.

BillDL

One of the other common causes of strange noises up at the nut is where the slot is filed or cut in a convex hump.  The slot in the nut should be at its highest point where the string leaves it to go to the bridge.  The remainder of the slot should be on a gradual downhill gradient to the machine head so that it is lower.  That gives a sharp and clean "cliff edge" on the nut for the string to vibrate on.  If the highest point is behind the front of the nut and the slot dips back down from that to the front edge there will be the potential for it to rattle at the front of the slot.  It would be unusual to find a nut with a hump like this unless somebody has previously tried to deepen the slots without holding the file at a consistent angle, but if there has been a lot of play in the open chord frets over a number of years it can do this.  It would be worth looking at the underside of the strings where they take off from the nut to see whether there are any very small gaps under them at the front edge of the nut.