Binding nut or bad tuner?

[Blue in VT]

I have one small complaint about my OM-05mt that I'm hoping youa'll can help me out with.  I've noticed that my G string is hard to tune properly.  If I need to adjust it up I end up turning the tuner quite far and finally the string pops alitlle and goes too sharp.  Then I tune down and the same thing happens...pop and it goes flat...takes several times back and forth to get it to the right point.  So my question is...is my tuner screwed up...or is the string binding in the nut and it just needs extra tension to break it loose?  The rest of the tuners work fine...though I'm thinking some gold ones would be nice.  I have noticed this problem with 2 sets of strings.

any advice would be appreciated.

Blue

[ronmac]

It seems that the symptoms point to a binding at the nut. If the guitar was set up for light strings, and you switched to mediums, this is very common. A quick file, by a deft and experienced hand, is all that's needed. It is important to use the proper sized file to insure the slot is cut evenly and doesn't cause a sloppy fit and buzzing.

A very low tech, but sometimes effective, way to reduce the stress at the nut slot is to lubricate it with a graphite powder. If you can't find the powder locally you can also use some fine grindings of pencil lead. I use a regular old HB pencil and rub it on some sandpaper to produce a fine dust. Sprinkle it on, say the magic words, retune.   

[Blue in VT]

Thanks Ron...thats the way my thoughts were leading as well just wanted a little comfirmation from some one with more knowlege....or maybe I was fishing for a good excuse to by a new set of tuners...but I don't have money for that anyway.  I'll be changing out my strings later in the week any way (the bronze and silks just ain't cuttin it) and I try lubing up then.

Cheers,

Blue

[jwieties]

Same thing is happening to my guitar that I just had a minor setup done at the nut.  Graphite did help a bit but I'll need to take it back in to have them clean up the slot a bit.  I hope to invest in some nut files some day.

-josh

[tuoti]

A shade tree luthier fix is to just run the string along the nut a few times as well.  Alternately, a bandaid approach is to put your finger on the string behind the nut and pull the string more in line with the nut after you turn the tuner a little.  This eliminates the binding which is caused by too narrow nut slot coupled with the angle from the nut to the tuner.  By manually straightening the string, you eliminate the angle problem and the binding.