Originally Posted by: R. Shackleferd... So my questions are:
1. Is this a replacement that could be done by me, a novice in this aspect, and still be worth it in savings of time and money?
2. If so, should I buy a pre-slotted nut, or a blank and file my own? ...

[font=trebuchet ms]That .052" E string was probably too thick for the slot, and that caused the nut to fracture. Slotting a nut properly involves a lot of decisions and subtle finesse. Some questions you will need to answer along the way:

What material?
How much material to leave at each side?
How much space between each string and the next one?
How deep should the slots be?
How should the slots be shaped to allow free movement without pinching or buzzing?

Even a pre-slotted nut will need to be adjusted for the set of strings you want to use.
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