Ok i've gone from 9's to 11's (custom 11-53)

Firstly I have made truss rod adjustments so the neck is straight, I have set the string height (fender spec)

I have set the trem 3.2mm high, 4 springs in the back, but It is unplayable! The notes are buzzing everywhere.

My strat is an american deluxe with the two pivot bridge. But i have to set it really high before i don't get any sting buzz. Also the high E saddle position is really high!

Is it something to do with the nut? As the bigger strings may need tweaking there?

What distance should i have between the first fret and the low e string? And first fret high E?

Is your neck too straight? Try adding in a little more relief. I doubt the problem is the nut, unless you are buzzing on open strings. Going from 9's to an 11 gauge is quite a leap on a full 25.5" scale guitar. Are your hands ready?!?!

Check your neck again, it doesn´t necessarily needs to be dead straight, you must have a "relief" to it, press down any string on the 1st fret and the last fret, while pressing both frets you should have a minimum relief around the 8th fret, as if a business card could pass under the string.
If your relief is ok, post some pics so we can say for sure whats your problem mate.

Take it to the shop!That's a big jump in string gauge probably requiring nut work etc..

I remember 3-4 years ago when I moved my strings from 9 to .11 i had to work on a nut as well because a lot of string "chinking" = binding noise on the A, D and G. As far as buzzing you need to go again over your setup again, you probably went too far somewhere in the process. Adjust little bit at the time if you are not experienced yet.

Another thing check the neck to body screws should not be to tight.

If it does not work take it to the tech

Sounds like you may have adjusted the truss rod a little tight. The neck needs a little relief. Place a capo at the first fret and then fret it near the back end of the neck and check the relief in the center of the neck. Probably should be around .010 inch.

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OK, I'll hum a little bit, got it now?

If the nut was binding on a string you would know it. Sounds like neck adjustment is still off kilter.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I've measured well over ten new guitars nut slots. I've never seen a high E's nut slot thinner than .015".

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No no and no

i went from .9 to .11 recently and like the strings better.

i didn't see what the string height should be at the neck in the /strat-setup pdf file on this site.

would like to measure for that before i "think" i should get a nut file and file a bit?

tia

You don't need to cut your nut slots. What makes you think you do?

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No no and no

someone mentioned to me the other day, that since i went from 9 to 11's that the string height close to the nut might be off and if so, i'd need to file a bit or have a tech do so.

Sounds to me like you have over adjusted the truss rod. Any time I have jumped 2 gauges on guitar strings I have made a small adjustment (1/4 to 1/2 turn) on the truss rod, tuned to pitch, and then let the neck settle for 24 hours.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Discount that persons advice. The simple proof is to measure your nut slots with a set of feeler gauges and see exatly how oversized they are. Significantly wider than the .018" your strings need on a Fender cut nut.
All that stuff is nonsense made up by bad techs to generate easy money. Nut binding dies happen but very very rarely because of slot width problems. More normaly it's just a rough cut slot. Or debris attracted to the nutslots by the stupid grease were told we need to use.

All you need to do for your nut slots, is to make sure their clean and smooth. For that you don't need any grease, vasceline or lubes. All you need is some fine wet and dry paper. And a way to clean the slots out.
Back in a bit with pictures.
Until then follow Chet's (C.A Feathers) advice. There's a man you can trust to either give you a valid solution, or find you one.

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No no and no

Yes, Niki is right here. I should have mentioned in my post that the string binding that I experienced when moved from .9-42 to 11-49 was due to the rough groves. There was no need to widen the slots. What I did simply is I took some old wound strings and used them as the file to smooth the slots (don't own any fine/small files). This job requires a lot of elbow grease because strings are not files and you have to be careful not to mess something up. Later I used Niki's wax floss trick to "grease" them up a bit and that did the trick.

>>Discount that persons advice.

i think i will and measure the nut slot myself. i don't really see any nut binding either. only the 6th string "maybe" a little tight though half of it sits fine in the slot with just a bit above.

i tried the graphite and stopped it. seemed a waste for my setup and the nut is white. so black graphite -- well, you see that didn't look so good