Replacing nut and saddle on a nylon string

[poppedje]

I did a search on this but didn't find anything, hope that's because it's just so easy...
So I got a nylon string guitar from my dad a while back. It's a really old one, and the nut and saddle have been cut in by the strings. It's not a really expensive guitar, so I wasn't planning on spending much money on it. I saw it as an opportunity to start DIYing with guitars.
My question is as follows: For someone with no experience, is it possible to change the nut and saddle without ruining the guitar? Any specific points I need to look out for? Is it going to take a long time (well, probably not but I have no idea what tasks are involved)?
Any help is appreciated, thanks!

[martinedwards]

it's the easiest thing as they're both easily replacable parts that even if you destroy them you can teke 'em to a tech and get them re-done without having to undo what you've done. the actual process is no different from a steel string

[poppedje]

That's more or less what I thought. I'll have to go to the guitarstore sometime soon then. Thanks for the reply.

[poppedje]

So I have another question. I replaced the nut and saddle, no big deal really. Only thing is I get this buzz now, primarily from the low E string. I'm hoping to be able to fix that.
So what you might need to know: I haven't sanded the parts down too much, the action is in fact a little too high for my liking at this point. Guess that rules out fretbuzz. The buzzing apears to go away when I push the string behind the nut, that makes me believe it is about the nut itself (it appears to sit firmly in place). It looked a little like the groove for the string was not wide enough to fit the string in it, so it seemed the string was sitting on top of instead of in the groove. I tried sanding it a little to make it wider. It seemed to work, but later the buzz came back:confuse: I suppose I could make the groove a little wider but I'm not sure if that's going to work.
I'd like to hear what your views on this are. What could I try to fix it? Or, what should I not do to prevent it from happening the next time?:p

[martinedwards]

the slot needs to slope slightly away from the fretboard, so that the highest point of the slot is where the string leaves the nut towards the fretboard.

if the high point is nearer the tuners then your intonation will be out.

[poppedje]

Thanks, I'll try adjusting that then, if it's off (I did put the nut on the right way though). I'll let you know how it goes.

[FX]

the slot needs to slope slightly away from the fretboard, so that the highest point of the slot is where the string leaves the nut towards the fretboard.

if the high point is nearer the tuners then your intonation will be out.

Could you explain that a bit more please? I mean, should the nut be sanded with an angle to achieve that? Shimmed? Glued a certain way? Or is it done in each individual slot? The latter seems the most difficult with what I have read so far though needing all the different files.

Great question OP. Thanks. I'm needing the advice too.

[Sonofarich]

Could you explain that a bit more please? I mean, should the nut be sanded with an angle to achieve that? Shimmed? Glued a certain way? Or is it done in each individual slot? The latter seems the most difficult with what I have read so far though needing all the different files.

Great question OP. Thanks. I'm needing the advice too.

Most of the nut blanks I have used already are angled/sloped in one direction on top, hence the direction of the nut in reference to the fretboard. The nut slots should be filed at an angle to achieve the proper contact point. Hold the nut files angled toward the headstock, but not so steep as to cut into the headstock. Usually, the pre-angled top of the nut can help in determining the proper angle for the slot, or thereabouts.

[FX]

Thanks for the tip. The first one I did went in too high and on removal broke. So I put the original back in. It's a project guitar, so another couple bucks won't kill me to try again.

[martinedwards]

yup, thats it.

if you were to look at the slot, it should not be parallel with the fretboard. if you were to put a postcard in the slot, it should be high on the fretboard side and low on the headstock side.